Paying NI Credits to Claim Maternity Allowance

[Kateblue]

Hi I haven't been working for 2.5 years since having my firstborn.

Currently 24 weeks pregnant and I've been trying to research maternity allowance and if I would qualify for anything this time. It looks like I don't, fair enough as I haven't worked. It looks like I've left it too late to register as self employed sadly as only got 16 weeks left not 26, although annoyingly I was planning to do this.

My question is... is it definitely too late for me to register as self employed even though I could still earn for 13 weeks or pay class 2 national insurance contributions if I couldn't earn enough in that time? My understanding is people can pay £3.45 per class 2 NI credit required.

Understand this is a niche question, I couldn't find this questions specifically asked anywhere. Thank you

You need to have been employed or self employed for 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before the birth date so you wouldn't meet that criteria.

You can get Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks if you’ve been either:

• registered as self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due
• employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due