Working hours: benefits rules - Calculating work hours: Maternity Leave

Income Support

You are not treated as being in full time paid work if you are on maternity, adoption or paternity leave - even if you are a full time worker when you are not on leave.

Working Tax Credit

If you are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave or within the first 28 weeks of a period of sickness, you continue to be classed as working the same number of hours you were working immediately before the period of leave. If you don't return to work at the end of your leave you will no longer count as being in paid work.

If you are self-employed and off work for reasons of maternity, paternity or adoption, like an employee you can continue to be classed as working the same number of hours you were working immediately before the leave began. If you don't return to your business at the end of your maternity period you will no longer count as being in paid work.

Universal Credit

Working hours do not affect Universal Credit. You may be entitled to Universal Credit to top up your income when you are on maternity leave. Use our Benefits Calculator to check what you will be entitled to.