First Report - Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on
Select Committee
Petitions Committee
HC 479
7 October 2021
Recommendations
1 results
24
Rejected
We restate our recommendations from last year, that the treatment of Maternity Allowance and Statutory...
Recommendation
We restate our recommendations from last year, that the treatment of Maternity Allowance and Statutory Maternity Pay in Universal Credit should be equalised; that parental benefits available to self-employed birth parents should be extended to self-employed adoptive parents; and that …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects equalising Maternity Allowance and Statutory Maternity Pay in Universal Credit, stating it has no plans to change the current treatment, and outlines existing support mechanisms for self-employed adoptive parents without extending parental benefits.
Conclusions (1) Observations and findings — click to expand
23
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 71
We are disappointed that the Government is yet to act to resolve inconsistencies in the availability or treatment of parental leave and pay entitlements for groups including self-employed adoptive parents, special guardians, and recipients of Maternity Allowance on Universal Credit, despite our report last year highlighting the financial and other …
Government Response Summary
The government explains its focus on employed parents and notes that local authorities can consider discretionary payments for self-employed adopters. However, they explicitly state they have no plans to change how Maternity Allowance is treated in Universal Credit, citing a High Court judgment upholding the current policy.