Maternity Allowance is usually paid to you if you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay.

The amount you can get depends on your eligibility. You can claim Maternity Allowance as soon as you’ve been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due.

You might get Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks if one of the following applies:

• you’re employed, but cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay
• you’re self-employed
• you’ve recently stopped working

In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must also have been:

• employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
• earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks – the weeks do not have to be together

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

There are 2 Child Benefit rates.

Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid monthly – or twice a month for some people in Scotland.

You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work.

Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Working Tax Credit

You may be able to get Universal Credit if:

• you’re on a low income or out of work
• you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
• you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
• you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you
• you live in the UK