Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 31
31
Deferred
Increase Maternity Allowance for self-employed mothers and permit more Keeping In Touch days.
Recommendation
We acknowledge the Government’s desire to protect a mother’s time with her baby. As such, we recommend that Maternity Allowance is increased for self-employed mothers in the first six weeks to bring it closer in line with Statutory Maternity Pay. This will allow more mothers to spend time with their babies in the early weeks. A very limited number of Keeping in Touch days should be permitted in this period. After six weeks we recommend self- employed mothers be allowed to Keep In Touch with their business as often as necessary. (Recommendation, Paragraph 127)
Government Response Summary
The government defers action by stating that the recommendation will be considered as part of the Parental Leave and Pay review, which launched in July 2025 and is expected to run for 18 months. Decisions on reform will depend on the review's findings and other factors.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We know that the arrival of a child whether through birth or adoption, is a transformative time in a family’s life. We also know the current system could be improved to better support working families. The Parental Leave and Pay review, co-led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work Pensions, launched on 1 July 2025, presents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay for all parents including for the self-employed. The review is designed to build on our evidence base and assess how well the current system is working and will help identify where there may be opportunities for improvement. It will also consider fairness and equality across employment statuses, as well as the practical implications for employers and employees. We expect the review to run for a period of 18 months. Decisions on reform or legislation will depend on the findings of the review, ministerial priorities, and the wider fiscal context. This review supports the Government commitment to raise living standards for working families including for those who do not currently qualify for existing leave entitlements, such as self-employed parents.