Petition · Department for Work and Pensions
Equalise maternity allowance with statutory pay & don’t reduce Universal Credit
Closed
60 signatures
What the petition asks
We urge the Government to equalise maternity, paternity and adoption allowances with statutory maternity pay for self-employed workers and ensure that maternity allowance pay does not reduce Universal Credit pay. We believe families shouldn’t be penalised for being self-employed.
Many women are self-employed or running their own businesses, yet we feel the maternity pay system has not kept up. Self-employed mothers only receive maternity allowance, which can be far lower and less flexible than statutory maternity pay available to employees. We believe this leaves many families financially vulnerable at a time when they should be supported and the current system is outdated.
Timeline
| 24 Sep 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
60
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Work and Pensions
Opened
24 Sep 2025
Closed
24 Mar 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 18 Aug 2026.