Self-employed creators
Influencers, YouTubers and streamers registered as sole traders.
Maternity Allowance when you are a self-employed creator
Sole trader creators get no maternity pay from an employer. Maternity Allowance fills the gap, and your National Insurance record sets the rate.
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Part of our guide to creator tax guide UK.
Quick answer
Self-employed creators usually claim Maternity Allowance rather than Statutory Maternity Pay. If you have been registered as self-employed for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before your due week and have 13 weeks of Class 2 National Insurance paid or treated as paid, you can get up to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks. It is tax-free.
On this page
Contents
Who this is for
Is this you?
Creators with a side job
Employed part time but not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay.
Income streams
Everything we handle for you
- Brand deals booked before or after the birth
- Platform payouts and affiliate commission
- Part-time employment
- Maternity Allowance itself (tax-free)
Sound familiar?
Problems you face, answered
Your National Insurance record decides the rate. For 2026/27, profits of £7,105 or more mean Class 2 is treated as paid; below that you can choose to pay voluntary Class 2 at £3.65 a week (GOV.UK). Without 13 weeks of contributions the rate drops towards £27, but HMRC will tell you how many weeks you can top up after you apply.
You can work up to 10 keeping in touch days without losing Maternity Allowance, and you must report them (GOV.UK). Filming a paid campaign is likely to count as a working day, so check with the Maternity Allowance team if unsure.
How we help
The work we do for you
Tax explained
How Maternity Allowance Works
Who claims Maternity Allowance instead of maternity pay? Statutory Maternity Pay comes from an employer, so creators working as sole traders usually claim Maternity Allowance instead. You need to have been registered as self-employed with HMRC for at least 26 weeks in the 66-week test period before the week your baby is due.
How much is it? GOV.UK gives self-employed claimants between £27 and £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks. The top rate needs at least 13 weeks of Class 2 contributions in the test period. Most self-employed people no longer pay Class 2 directly: it is treated as paid when profits reach the small profits threshold, which is £7,105 for 2026/27.
Is it taxable? No. GOV.UK lists Maternity Allowance among tax-free state benefits, so it is not entered as income on your tax return. Creator income earned in the same tax year is still taxed as usual, and payments on account may be worth reviewing if your profits will fall.
How do I claim? Use the MA1 claim form once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. Claim within 3 months of your chosen start date to get the full amount. Send proof of the due date, such as a MATB1 certificate, as set out on GOV.UK.
Source: GOV.UK: Maternity Allowance eligibility · GOV.UK: Maternity Allowance, what you'll get · GOV.UK: Maternity Allowance, how to claim · GOV.UK: Maternity Allowance, report a change of circumstances · GOV.UK: Self-employed National Insurance rates · GOV.UK: Tax-free and taxable state benefits
General information only, based on 2026/27 UK rules. Not personal advice. Speak to us about your circumstances.
At a glance
Maternity Allowance for self-employed creators at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Registered self-employed | At least 26 weeks in the 66-week test period |
| Top weekly rate | £194.32 with 13 or more weeks of Class 2 |
| Lowest weekly rate | £27 with no Class 2 contributions |
| Maximum length | 39 weeks |
| Class 2 treated as paid (2026/27) | Profits of £7,105 or more |
| Voluntary Class 2 (2026/27) | £3.65 a week |
| Keeping in touch days | Up to 10 |
Action plan
Preparing a Maternity Allowance claim
- 1
Check your registration
Confirm your self-employed start date with HMRC.
- 2
Work out the test period
Use the GOV.UK test period calculator.
- 3
Review your NI record
Check Class 2 weeks and consider voluntary top-ups.
- 4
Claim at 26 weeks
Send the MA1 form with proof of your due date.
- 5
Plan paid work
Track any keeping in touch days and report them.
Allowable expenses for content creators
How HMRC’s rules apply to content creators
If you are self-employed
Self-employed costs must be incurred wholly and exclusively for your trade. If you use the £1,000 trading allowance, you cannot also deduct actual expenses against that same income. Equipment treatment depends on cash basis or traditional accounting.
If you run a limited company
A limited company deducts costs incurred wholly and exclusively for its business. Equipment may need capital allowances rather than an immediate expense deduction. Personal use or company-paid private costs can create a taxable benefit or director’s loan entry; company ownership is not a blanket deduction.
For separable mixed-use costs, such as a phone bill, claim only the identifiable business proportion and keep evidence. This does not make ordinary clothing or every dual-purpose purchase deductible. A receipt alone does not prove a business purpose: retain the brief, invoice or usage record too.
Costs to review for your work
- Business-use cameras, lighting, audio equipment and editing software
- Editors, thumbnail designers, virtual assistants and licensed music
- Travel to business shoots and the evidenced business share of home-working costs
Everyday clothing, ordinary grooming, personal meals, private gaming and fines are generally not deductible. Qualifying costumes or protective clothing and business-travel subsistence have different rules. Client entertaining is generally disallowed. Receiving a product from a brand does not automatically create an expense: record the income treatment separately and deduct only an allowable business cost.
HMRC: self-employed expensesHMRC: business travelHMRC: clothingHMRC: company deductionsHMRC: capital allowancesHMRC: creator income and gifts
Keep records alongside our creator expenses checklist, or discuss your costs with our bookkeeping team.
General UK guidance, not personal advice. The deduction depends on your facts and accounting basis.
Structure
Sole trader or limited company?
£
Sole trader£46,111
Limited company£46,091
Illustrative estimate only. Uses the published 2026/27 tax configuration. Assumes a single-director company drawing all profit, with no Employment Allowance. Excludes expenses, student loans, pensions, other income, Scottish rates and individual circumstances. Not tax advice.
Diary
Key deadlines
5 October
Register for Self Assessment for the previous tax year
31 October
Paper tax return deadline
31 January
Online return, balancing payment and first payment on account
31 July
Second payment on account
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
Qualifying income is total turnover from self-employment and property income before expenses, based on the previous year’s tax return.
- Since 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income of more than £50,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates. If the 2024 to 2025 tax return showed qualifying income of more than £50,000, you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026.
- Quarterly updates are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May (the 7 May deadline falls in the following tax year).
- The threshold drops to more than £30,000 from 6 April 2027. If the 2025 to 2026 tax return showed qualifying income of more than £30,000, you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2027.
Monthly accounting packages
Accountant packages for content creators
Self-employed or limited company, choose the support that fits how you trade. We review income such as Brand deals booked before or after the birth, Platform payouts and affiliate commission, Part-time employment as part of agreeing your scope.
Self-employed accountant packages for content creators
Trading in your own name? Choose support for your personal tax return and, where included, bookkeeping and MTD Income Tax updates.
Up to £25,000: Starter £299, Complete £475 a year. £25,000–£50,000: Starter £499, Complete £599 a year. Above £50,000, fees use the upper limit of your band: Starter 1%, Complete 0.75% (minimum £39.99 + VAT a month). Monthly payments are the annual fee divided by 12, excluding VAT. Starter does not include bookkeeping. Turnover above £1 million is quoted individually.
Self Employed Starter
Turnover: Up to £25,000
For sole trader creators who just need their tax return done properly
£24.92
per month + VAT
£299.00 per year + VAT · Bookkeeping not included
- Your annual Self Assessment tax return, prepared and filed
- All your creator income streams covered: AdSense, brand deals, affiliates, tips and subscriptions
- Gifted products, PR trips and freebies declared correctly
- Allowable expense review so you claim everything you are entitled to
- Deadline reminders ahead of every filing and payment date
- Free basic tax advice by email through the year*
Self Employed Complete
Turnover: Up to £25,000
For full-time self-employed creators who want their books kept for them
£39.58
per month + VAT
£475.00 per year + VAT · Bookkeeping included
- Everything in Self Employed Starter
- Monthly bookkeeping across YouTube, TikTok, brand deal and affiliate income
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly updates, where required
- Payment on account planning so January never surprises you
- Sole trader vs limited company review as your income grows
- Quarterly check-in on your numbers and tax position
Limited company accountant packages for content creators
Trading through a company? Choose support for company accounts, Corporation Tax and the director services included below.
Essential/Compliance
For creators who have just set up a limited company
From £45.83
per month + VAT
- Year-end company accounts for your creator business
- Corporation Tax return (CT600) and tax computation
- Confirmation statement preparation and filing support (excludes the Companies House filing fee)
- One director Self Assessment return (salary and dividends from the same company)
- Deadline reminders ahead of every filing date
- Free basic tax advice by email through the year*
Core/Complete
For full-time creators with brand deals and platform income
From £62.50
per month + VAT
- Everything in Essential/Compliance
- Monthly bookkeeping across YouTube, TikTok, brand deal and affiliate income
- Quarterly Making Tax Digital VAT returns
- Director payroll with RTI filing and pension submissions
- Quarterly review call on your numbers and tax position
- Gifted items, overseas payouts and payment platform reconciliation
Growth
For creator businesses with editors, managers or a team
From £75.00
per month + VAT
- Everything in Core/Complete
- Payroll for up to five team members, such as editors or assistants
Starting fees exclude VAT. Your turnover, records and agreed work determine the final quote. *Basic tax advice is free; technical work is quoted separately. MTD support applies where required.
See all fees and one-off servicesWant this off your plate?
Talk through your platform income, allowable expenses and next steps with a creator accountant.
Book your free creator tax callPublished by influencers.accountants
Last updated: 2026-11-13
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
If your employer pays you Statutory Maternity Pay, you cannot also get Maternity Allowance. If you do not qualify for it, weeks of employment and self-employment can both count towards the 26-week test.
For self-employed claimants the rate depends on your Class 2 National Insurance record rather than your actual earnings. Filing Self Assessment returns on time keeps your profits, and so your Class 2 position, on record.
No. It is listed by GOV.UK as a tax-free state benefit and is not entered as income on your tax return.
Yes. Book a free introductory call; we confirm what is needed and quote any return or advice work before starting.
Keep reading
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Instagram influencer tax UK
Paid partnerships, gifting, Subscriptions, Badges, usage fees and agency commission — priced, recorded and filed by people who read creator contracts every week.
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