Increase statutory maternity pay in line with cost of living crisis
This petition gathered 38,606 signatures between 27 May 2022 and 11 December 2022, according to the Parliament petitions site. The Government responded on 13 June 2022. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 19 June 2023.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Increase statutory maternity pay in line with cost of living crisis
Review statutory maternity pay in line with inflation and cost of living
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is currently:
90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks
£156.66 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for next 33 weeks. This averages £7.5k p/a
The cost of living has been increasing across the UK since early 2021 and in April 2022, inflation reached its highest recorded level, and the ONS estimates that it is now higher than at any time since around 1982, affecting the affordability of goods and services for households.
Consumer prices, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), were 9.0% higher in April 2022 than a year before
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 13 June 2022; the petitions site lists the HM Treasury as responsible. Its summary:
The Government has no plans to increase Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). The standard rate of SMP is reviewed annually and is generally increased in line with CPI.
The opening 291 words of the 433-word response:
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to a maximum of 39 weeks. The first six weeks are paid at a weekly rate equal to 90% of the woman's average weekly earnings, with no upper limit. This is followed by up to 33 weeks at the lower of either the standard rate or 90% of the woman's average weekly earnings.
The standard rate of SMP is considerably higher than the level of other out of work benefits and reflects the special position of pregnant working women and new mothers.
The standard rate of SMP is reviewed annually, alongside state benefits, and is generally increased in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). From April 2022 the standard rate of SMP increased to £156.66, in line with the September 2021 CPI rate of 3.1%.
When considering calls to increase the level of SMP, this must be balanced against limited resources as well as being mindful of the burden on employers, who (with the exception of small employers i.e. those with gross National Insurance liability of £45,000 or less in a tax year) are required to cover 8% of the SMP costs. If changes to the rate of SMP outside of the annual review of uprating were to be made, payroll providers and employers would need sufficient time to amend, test and distribute any system changes needed to reflect the new rate.
Government already spends approximately £3 billion a year on maternity payments. Any changes to the rate of SMP would have to take account of economic circumstances and affordability for taxpayers and could not be made without consultation with businesses and other stakeholders.
The Government has no plans to increase the rate of SMP outside of the annual review of uprating.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 270, came from Wantage.
38,571 of the signatures were from the UK and 35 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Wantage | 270 |
| Bristol South | 182 |
| Walthamstow | 144 |
| Leyton and Wanstead | 143 |
| South Northamptonshire | 140 |
| Lewisham, Deptford | 135 |
| Horsham | 134 |
| Bristol East | 133 |
| Edinburgh North and Leith | 130 |
| St Austell and Newquay | 130 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| South East | 6,314 |
| London | 4,891 |
| North West | 4,762 |
| South West | 3,785 |
| East of England | 3,683 |
| Scotland | 3,103 |
| West Midlands | 2,933 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 2,858 |
| East Midlands | 2,781 |
| Wales | 1,313 |
| North East | 1,277 |
| Northern Ireland | 647 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 19 June 2023. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/617155.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
e827b075a30f2b0b… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.