Maternity allowance

[Ginqueen20]

Sorry if I’m posting in the wrong place I thought there might be more experts here!
Can anyone confirm if you can still get maternity allowance if you are self employed but donot earn enough money to pay tax or national insurance contributions?
Gov website is quite contradicting, stating you can but £27 per week for not paying NI.
Does earning such a low amount exempt you from missing out on the full payment? Can you opt to pay NI despite earning a low income just to be entitled to maternity pay?

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility this page says HMRC should send a letter once you claim and you can make the necessary class 2 contribution to get full MA.

To get the full amount of Maternity Allowance, you must have paid Class 2 National Insurance for at least 13 of the 66 weeks before your baby’s due.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will check if you’ve paid enough when youmake your claim. They’ll write to you if you have not.

If you have not paid enough Class 2 National Insurance to get the full rate (£148.68 a week), you’ll get £27 a week for 39 weeks. You still need to meet all the other eligibility criteria to get this amount.

You may be able to get the full rate by making early National Insurance payments. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will send you a letter to tell you how

Does this bit apply to you too?

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

Thank you so much!

Yes you can voluntarily pay NI even if you don't earn enough to have to, to then qualify for MA