20 weeksThe earliest a MATB1 can be issued
MATB1 Form: Your Maternity Certificate
The MATB1 form is the maternity certificate that confirms your pregnancy and the week your baby is due. Your employer uses it to pay Statutory Maternity Pay, and Jobcentre Plus accepts it for Maternity Allowance. A doctor or registered midwife can issue it from about 20 weeks of pregnancy. If an NHS midwife or GP is providing your pregnancy care, they must give it to you free of charge.
If that route isn't available to you, or won't happen in time, we offer a 15-minute appointment at LPC City in Spitalfields for £50, including your signed certificate.
£5015-minute appointment at LPC City
Available atLPC City (E1)
First things first: your NHS midwife or GP issues the MATB1 free
Government guidance says doctors and registered midwives must issue the MATB1 free of charge to pregnant women they provide clinical care for. If you are booked with NHS maternity services, ask your midwife once you are about 20 weeks pregnant, and chase it at your next antenatal appointment if it hasn't arrived. The certificate is the same whoever signs it, so there is nothing to gain by paying if the NHS route works for you. Our appointment is for when it doesn't. Everything we charge is on our fees page.
What the MATB1 maternity certificate is for
MATB1 (also written MAT B1) is the official maternity certificate. A doctor or registered midwife completes and signs it to confirm two things: that you are pregnant, and the week your baby is expected. The form calls this your expected week of confinement, or EWC. If the certificate is only issued after the birth, a separate part of the form is completed instead, recording your baby's actual date of birth as well as the week they were expected.
The certificate is evidence for maternity pay, not for maternity leave. You need proof of pregnancy to receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your employer, but you do not need it to take the leave itself. SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks.
If you can't get SMP, for example because you are self-employed or have recently stopped working, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance from Jobcentre Plus instead. Your MATB1 is accepted as proof of your due date for that claim too.
The due date on the form matters. Your EWC is used to work out when your SMP or Maternity Allowance can be paid. HMRC guidance says the date on a MATB1 cannot be changed once it has been issued.
MATB1 and maternity pay: the key dates
The MATB1 fits into a short sequence of deadlines. Here they are in order, for a pregnancy due at 40 weeks. Your employer's maternity policy may ask for things sooner, so check with your HR team.
From about 20 weeks
Your MATB1 can be issued
It cannot be issued more than 20 weeks before the week your baby is due, so this is the earliest a doctor or midwife can sign it.
15 weeks before your due date
Tell your employer about your leave
At least 15 weeks before your due date (about 25 weeks), tell your employer when your baby is due and when you want maternity leave to start. You don't need a MATB1 for this.
From 26 weeks
Maternity Allowance claims open
If you can't get SMP, you can apply for Maternity Allowance from 26 weeks, using your MATB1 as proof of your due date.
28 days before your SMP starts
Give notice for your SMP
Tell your employer, at least 28 days ahead, the date you want your Statutory Maternity Pay to start.
Within 21 days of your SMP start
Hand over your proof of pregnancy
Give your employer your MATB1, or a letter from your doctor or midwife.
By the end of week 13 of SMP
The final cut-off
The latest point for late evidence. If there is a good reason for the delay, your employer must accept it up to then.
Who our MATB1 appointment is for
For most women the NHS route is simplest and free. A private appointment may suit you if:
- Your antenatal care is private and your care provider does not issue the MATB1
- You haven't been able to see an NHS midwife or GP who can issue it, for example after moving area
- Your employer needs the certificate before your next NHS antenatal appointment
- You would rather sort it out in a short appointment in the City of London
What happens at your MATB1 appointment
Book a 15-minute slot
Appointments are at LPC City, 1st Floor, 36 Spital Square, London E1 6DY. Book once you are at least 20 weeks pregnant, as the certificate cannot be dated earlier.
Confirming your pregnancy and due date
The clinician must be satisfied that you are pregnant and must estimate your due date as accurately as possible. Bringing your scan reports or maternity notes helps them do this.
Your signed certificate
You leave with a completed and signed MATB1 that confirms your expected due date, ready to give to your employer or use for a Maternity Allowance claim.
Time for your questions
Any time left is yours to ask about your pregnancy or next steps. If something needs more time, we can suggest a longer midwife appointment.
What to bring
Your due date is the key fact on the form, so bring whatever shows how it was worked out:
- Your dating scan report, or any later scan report that gives your due date
- Your maternity notes, if you have them (paper notes or your maternity app)
- Any questions about your pregnancy or maternity paperwork
If your MATB1 is lost, wrong, or you have more than one employer
Lost or mislaid
HMRC guidance allows a replacement to be issued and clearly marked "duplicate". Ask the doctor or midwife who issued the original first, as they can reissue it based on the same examination.
Wrong due date
The date on a MATB1 cannot be amended. A new certificate is only issued in exceptional cases, by a doctor or midwife who has carried out a fresh examination. If you think your date is wrong, speak to your midwife.
More than one employer
HMRC guidance says each employer can accept a photocopy of your MATB1, noted to show the original was seen, or a signed and stamped letter from your doctor or midwife giving your name and due date.
Your questions answered
What is a MATB1 form?
It is the official maternity certificate. A doctor or registered midwife signs it to confirm your pregnancy and the week your baby is due. Your employer uses it as proof of pregnancy for Statutory Maternity Pay, and Jobcentre Plus accepts it as proof of your due date for Maternity Allowance.
When can I get my MATB1?
No more than 20 weeks before the week your baby is due, which is from about 20 weeks of pregnancy. Nobody can issue it earlier, NHS or private. Once you reach that point, your NHS midwife or GP can give it to you.
Is the MATB1 free?
Yes, from the doctor or midwife caring for you. Government guidance says doctors and registered midwives must issue it free of charge to pregnant patients they provide clinical care for, so ask your NHS midwife or GP first.
Our £50 option is a 15-minute appointment with a clinician, with the certificate issued as part of it. It is there for women who can't get one through the NHS in time. The certificate itself is no different.
Who can sign a MATB1?
Only a doctor or a registered midwife. A midwife must add their Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) PIN and registration expiry date. A doctor must add their name and address stamp. Without these details, the form isn't valid.
Do I need a MATB1 to take maternity leave?
No. You need it for maternity pay, not leave. For leave, tell your employer your due date and when you want to start at least 15 weeks before your baby is due. For Statutory Maternity Pay, give your employer proof of pregnancy within 21 days of your SMP start date.
For your wider rights at work while pregnant, including paid time off for antenatal appointments, see our guide to pregnancy appointments and your workplace rights.
Can I give my employer a letter instead of a MATB1?
Yes. GOV.UK says a letter from your doctor or midwife is accepted as proof of pregnancy for SMP, as an alternative to the MATB1. A letter from your doctor or midwife is also accepted as proof of your due date for Maternity Allowance.
I'm self-employed. Do I still need a MATB1?
If you are self-employed you can't get SMP, but you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance. You can apply once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks, and your MATB1 (or a letter from your doctor or midwife) is accepted as proof of your due date. To get the full amount, claim within 3 months of your Maternity Allowance start date.
I've lost my MATB1. What should I do?
Ask the doctor or midwife who issued it for a replacement. HMRC guidance allows a replacement, clearly marked "duplicate", based on the same examination. The due date on it will be the same as on your original.
Can a MATB1 be completed after my baby is born?
Yes. If the certificate is issued after the birth, the doctor or midwife completes the part of the form meant for after the birth, which records your baby's date of birth as well as the week they were expected. For Maternity Allowance, GOV.UK accepts a MATB1 as proof of birth if a doctor or midwife has filled in the date of birth section.
Where is the appointment, and how long does it take?
It is a 15-minute appointment at LPC City, 1st Floor, 36 Spital Square, London E1 6DY. It is not currently offered at LPC West. You can book online or call us on 020 3687 2939.
Contact
Book your MATB1 appointment, or ask us first
Sources & clinical references
The figures and clinical statements on this page are drawn from the sources below. Guidance evolves — always discuss your individual circumstances with a clinician.
- GOV.UK (Department for Work and Pensions)Maternity certificate (form MAT B1): guidance on completion2026
- GOV.UKMaternity pay and leave: how to claim2026
- GOV.UKMaternity pay and leave: pay2026
- GOV.UKMaternity Allowance2026
- GOV.UKMaternity Allowance: how to claim2026
- HM Revenue & CustomsStatutory Payments Manual SPM120500: SMP medical evidence2026
- HM Revenue & CustomsStatutory Payments Manual SPM120600: time limits for producing medical evidence2026
- NHS Business Services AuthorityWhat is a Maternity Certificate (MAT B1 form)?2026