The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that those eligible for the standard rate of maternity allowance will see a rise, as the payments increase from this week. Monday (April 10) was the first day of the increase, which will see a 10.1 per cent rise for those eligible, worth £15.82 a week or £617 in total over the 39 weeks it can be claimed.
This automatic increase is expected to benefit around 40,000 mothers this year, Cambridgeshire Live reports. The payments are given to new mums taking time off work to care for their newborn and provide a safety net for women before and after childbirth.
They are designed to cover those who do not qualify for statutory maternity pay. Last year, £360million was paid out in maternity allowance, supporting 46,000 mums during pregnancy.
