Maternity Benefit

If you are eligible for full-rate Maternity Benefit, you will get €289 a week for 26 weeks (156 days). If you are already on certain social welfare payments, you may get half-rate Maternity Benefit.

Maternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are:

• on maternity leave from work
• covered by social insurance (PRSI)

You must start your maternity leave before your baby is due.

• you must start your leave at least two weeks before the end of the week in which your baby is due
• you must not start your leave earlier than sixteen weeks before the end of the week in which your baby is due
• at a minimum, you must begin your maternity leave on the Monday before the week your baby is due. For example, if your due date is Wednesday 9 October 2024, the latest date for the start of your maternity leave is Monday 30 September 2024.
• if your contract of employment ends within 16 weeks of the end of the week in which your baby is due, you will be paid Maternity Benefit from the day after your last day's work

When your paid Maternity Benefit ends, it is possible to take 16 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. You will not be paid for this, but you will get a social insurance (PRSI) credit for each week of unpaid leave you take. If you wish to claim Maternity Benefit credit click here.

Social insurance (PRSI) contributions

• to quality for maternity benefit you must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12 months before your first day of your maternity leave

or

• at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the Relevant Tax Year or in the year following the Relevant Tax Year

or

• at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Relevant Tax Year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the Tax Year prior to the Relevant Tax Year

Note: PRSI contributions paid at Classes A, E and H count.

If you were in insurable self-employment before starting insurable employment as an employee and have Class S PRSI contributions these may help you qualify for Maternity Benefit.

If you are a member of the Defence Forces and you pay PRSI at Class H, you are insured for Maternity Benefit, but it is not payable while you are in service.

Your employer must certify your maternity leave.

Ask your doctor for a certificate that confirms when your baby is due. Give this certificate to your employer. Your employer will fill in an MB2: Employer Certificate for Maternity Benefit and give it to you. When you apply for Maternity Benefit, include the MB2 certificate from your employer.

Your doctor must certify your maternity leave.

Ask your doctor to fill in an MB3: Medical Certificate for Maternity Benefit form and give it to you. When you apply for Maternity Benefit, include the MB3 form from your doctor.

Maternity Benefit is €289 a week for 26 weeks, or 156 days.

If you pay tax, you will have to pay tax on Maternity Benefit. You will not have to pay the Universal Social Charge (USC) or social insurance (PRSI).

Increasing payments

If you have dependants, you may be able to get a higher rate of Maternity Benefit. When you apply, your rate of Maternity Benefit (excluding increases for dependants) is compared to the rate of Illness Benefit (including increases for dependants) that would be paid to you if you were absent from work through illness. The higher of the two rates is paid to you.

Maternity Benefit is paid directly into your bank or building society current or deposit account. It cannot be paid into a mortgage account.

Your employer may continue to pay you in full when you are on maternity leave. They may require you to have your Maternity Benefit paid to them, and you can choose to do this.

In the case of a premature birth, Maternity Benefit is payable for an extra period after the end of 26 weeks. The additional period will commence at the end of the standard 26 week period of paid maternity leave.

The additional period to be added will be the number of weeks from the baby's actual date of birth up to two weeks before the expected date of confinement which would have been the 37th week of the pregnancy, at which point the current entitlement to 26 weeks leave and benefit would normally begin.

If your baby is born prematurely (before your maternity leave is due to start), you should inform Maternity Benefit Section enclosing written confirmation from your doctor of your PPS number, the date your baby was born and your original due date

Dealing with the loss of a baby can be a difficult and devastating time for parents and families. If you experience a stillbirth or miscarriage any time after the 23rd week of pregnancy (that is, from the beginning of the 24th week) or where your child has a birth weight of at least 400 grammes, you are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave if you are covered by social insurance (PRSI).

To apply for Maternity Benefit after a stillbirth or miscarriage, you send a letter from your doctor with the Maternity Benefit application form to the Maternity Benefit Section at the department.

In the letter, your doctor should include:

• the expected date of birth
• the actual date of birth or miscarriage
• the number of weeks of pregnancy

It can be difficult if your baby is in hospital. If it is helpful to you, you can choose to postpone the last 12 weeks of your maternity leave and your Maternity Benefit. If you qualify, you will be able to postpone your Maternity Benefit for up to 6 months.

To qualify, you must have:

• received your Maternity Benefit for at least 14 weeks
• taken at least four weeks of maternity leave after your baby was born

To postpone your Maternity Benefit, write to:

To resume your Maternity Benefit payment after your baby has been discharged from hospital, write to the Maternity Benefit Section.

Please include:

• a letter or certificate confirming that your baby has been discharged from hospital
• a letter or certificate from your employer stating that you are entitled to resume your postponed maternity leave

It can be very difficult if you have a serious illness. If it is helpful to you, from 20 November 2024, you can choose to postpone all or part of your maternity leave and your Maternity Benefit. If you qualify, you will be able to postpone your Maternity Benefit for a minimum of 5 weeks and up to 52 weeks.

To qualify, you must have:

• a serious health condition that is a serious risk to your life and health and in order to address the serious health risk you require medical intervention that will be ongoing for a period of time, this can include a risk to your mental health if it requires inpatient hospital treatment,

To postpone your leave, please contact us, giving as much notice as possible, advising that you wish to postpone your maternity benefit.

Please include the following:

• A letter from a doctor who is registered in the Specialist Division of the Medical register confirming:

(i) You are suffering from a serious health condition that represents a threat to life and health and

(ii) that they are the Medical Practitioner treating you for the serious health condition that represents a threat to life and health and

(iii) that your condition requires medical intervention that will be ongoing for a period of time and

(iv) if your serious health condition is a mental health condition, that it requires inpatient hospital treatment.

and

• A letter from your employer indicating that

(i) You are entitled to the postponement of maternity leave due to a serious risk to your life and health and

(ii) clearly indicating the date on which the postponement of maternity leave is to commence and

(iii) the date on which your maternity leave is to resume.

If you are self-employed the date from which you wish to postpone your leave and the date you wish to resume maternity leave must be included in the letter provided by your medical specialist.

You can choose to postpone your Maternity Benefit two times, but the second postponement must take place immediately after the first postponement, once you resume your Maternity Leave it will not be possible to postpone again. To avail of a second postponement, you will need to let us know in advance and also provide an updated letter from your medical specialist and from your employer with the same details as outlined above.

The total amount of time that you can postpone your maternity benefit cannot be more than 52 weeks from the date of your initial postponement.

Maternity Benefit will not be paid during the period of postponement, any payment you are entitled to will resume once you recommence your Maternity Leave.

To postpone your Maternity Benefit, write to:

MyWelfare application

The quickest way to apply for Maternity Benefit is through MyWelfare.ie. You must have a verified MyGovID to use this service.

A major advantage with applying online is that qualifying online applications result in a fully automated award of benefit in a matter of seconds. You can also track the progress of your claim using MyWelfare.ie.

If you are an employee, you should apply for Maternity Benefit at least six weeks before you plan to go on maternity leave. If you are self-employed, you should apply at least 12 weeks before you plan to go on maternity leave.

You can also apply for Maternity Benefit using the application form at the bottom of this page or you can request a form here.

Please send your completed application form and supporting documents to:

For more information on social insurance (PRSI) requirements for Maternity Benefit, please visit MyWelfare.ie/Maternity.

• Operational Guidelines: Maternity Benefit
• Operational Guidelines: Payment-related issues