NI17A - A guide to Maternity Benefits
About this guide
This guide and the law
This is only a guide to maternity benefits it has no status in law. It does not cover all the rules in the maternity benefits scheme for every situation, nor does it provide a full interpretation of the rules. So it should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.
The basis of the law for maternity benefits is the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. The Act provides the framework for the detailed rules contained in regulations made by the Secretary of State and approved by Parliament. Go to Acts, Regulations and detailed information section for a list of all the relevant legal documents and where you can consult them.
Throughout the guide there are references to the relevant regulation or schedule, to allow you to consult the legal wording of the rules.
Great Britain and the United Kingdom
The information contained in this guide is primarily concerned
with the law in Great Britain; that is, England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern
Ireland is covered by the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern
Ireland) Act 1992 and the arrangements are basically the same. Information
on maternity allowance in Northern Ireland can be obtained
from Incapacity Benefits Branch Castle Court, Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 1SB.
