Maternity Allowance: spending and claimants by year
Spending on Maternity Allowance each financial year, in cash terms, from DWP's benefit expenditure tables, with the number of people receiving it where DWP gives a caseload.
£403 million
42 thousand
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Maternity Allowance of £403 million in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1970/71 (£40 million). DWP's caseload for 2024/25 is 42 thousand; the highest in the table is 62 thousand in 2015/16. Cash spending was highest in 2015/16, at £441 million.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £403 million | -2.3% | 42 |
| 2023/24 | £412 million | +5.8% | 45 |
| 2022/23 | £390 million | +7.5% | 48 |
| 2021/22 | £362 million | -5.6% | 45 |
| 2020/21 | £384 million | -8.5% | 49 |
| 2019/20 | £419 million | -1.9% | 55 |
| 2018/19 | £428 million | – | 58 |
| 2017/18 | £427 million | -2.1% | 59 |
| 2016/17 | £437 million | -1.0% | 61 |
| 2015/16 | £441 million | +5.8% | 62 |
| 2014/15 | £417 million | +4.2% | 59 |
| 2013/14 | £400 million | +1.1% | 58 |
| 2012/13 | £396 million | +8.3% | 60 |
| 2011/12 | £366 million | +6.5% | 57 |
| 2010/11 | £343 million | -0.3% | 54 |
| 2009/10 | £345 million | +7.4% | 56 |
| 2008/09 | £321 million | +30.1% | 54 |
| 2007/08 | £247 million | +40.6% | 44 |
| 2006/07 | £175 million | +7.2% | 30 |
| 2005/06 | £164 million | +9.2% | 31 |
| 2004/05 | £150 million | +17.4% | 29 |
| 2003/04 | £128 million | +85.7% | 25 |
| 2002/03 | £69 million | +23.1% | 17 |
| 2001/02 | £56 million | +24.8% | 17 |
| 2000/01 | £45 million | +16.7% | 15 |
| 1999/00 | £38 million | – | 13 |
| 1998/99 | £38 million | +7.0% | 13 |
| 1997/98 | £36 million | +9.5% | 11 |
| 1996/97 | £33 million | +14.3% | 12 |
| 1995/96 | £29 million | +5.9% | 13 |
| 1994/95 | £27 million | -18.2% | 11 |
| 1993/94 | £33 million | +4.8% | 12 |
| 1992/93 | £32 million | +1.6% | 13 |
| 1991/92 | £31 million | -8.0% | 11 |
| 1990/91 | £34 million | +11.2% | |
| 1989/90 | £30 million | +12.6% | |
| 1988/89 | £27 million | -46.9% | |
| 1987/88 | £51 million | -69.9% | |
| 1986/87 | £168 million | +2.6% | |
| 1985/86 | £164 million | +1.9% | |
| 1984/85 | £161 million | +14.2% | |
| 1983/84 | £141 million | -7.2% | |
| 1982/83 | £152 million | -3.8% | |
| 1981/82 | £158 million | +6.0% | |
| 1980/81 | £149 million | +19.2% | |
| 1979/80 | £125 million | +19.0% | |
| 1978/79 | £105 million | +14.1% | |
| 1977/78 | £92 million | +13.6% | |
| 1976/77 | £81 million | +47.3% | |
| 1975/76 | £55 million | +17.0% | |
| 1974/75 | £47 million | +11.9% | |
| 1973/74 | £42 million | – | |
| 1972/73 | £42 million | – | |
| 1971/72 | £42 million | +5.0% | |
| 1970/71 | £40 million |
Source: DWP expenditure tables, Tables 1a and 1c. About these figures · CSV
Rates and related figures
Sources and receipts
- Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast, Spring Forecast 2026, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: outturn-and-forecast-tables-spring-forecast-2026.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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