When you do this, you'll need to state when you wish your leave to start and when your baby is due. It's worth noting at this point that, if you're also entitled to claim maternity leave from your employer, you'll need to request that, probably in writing, much earlier – at least 15 weeks before your due date. If you think your employer's decision is wrong, you can call the Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Statutory Payments Disputes Team on 03, and you'll need to have the SMP1 form ready when you do so. If your employer decides you're not eligible for SMP, they must give you a SMP1 form within 7 days of making their decision – and explain why. Your employer must confirm within 28 days how much SMP you'll get and when it will start and stop. The MATB1 form is the required proof that you're pregnant – and this must be provided within 21 days of your SMP start date. The current rules state that, in order to claim SMP, you must tell your employer at least 28 days before you wish your SMP to start and you must provide proof that you are pregnant. Do I have to give it to my employer by a certain date? Then you can give the form to your employer – or employers, if you have more than 1 job. The first thing to do is to make a copy – or several copies (keep at least one for yourself). One member of our forum who posts as girlinleeds had no problem with this approach, saying: 'I phoned my midwife and explained, and she just left it for me to collect at my GP surgery.' Is there a fee? If you don't have a routine antenatal appointment due around this time, you could try phoning and asking for one to be sent to you. We do know though, from lots of women's posts on our MadeForMums forum, that you sometimes need to prompt your midwife or doctor to provide the form once you've reached 20 weeks. They have to complete the form with your details and sign it – and they cannot give the form to you before you're 20 weeks' pregnant, as we've explained above. Your midwife or doctor should give you the form when you reach 20 weeks, usually at a routine antenatal appointment you have at or just after.

The official rules are that the form cannot be issued more than 20 weeks before the estimated week of your baby's birth. You're eligible to get your MATB1 once you are 20 weeks into your pregnancy. You may also be asked to show your MATB1 form to get priority seats on trains or even free prescriptions and free dental treatment – although the Maternity Exemption Certificate is a better choice for claiming free prescription and free dental treatment as, unlike the MATB1 form (see When do I get it? below), you can apply for this as soon as you're pregnant.

Where can i download mat b1 form