Claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad
Maternity and childcare benefits
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
If you work for a UK employer in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you may get SMP as long as you’re eligible for it.
Find out if you can get Statutory Maternity Pay in the EEA or Switzerland.
If you work in a different country, you can still get SMP as long as your employer pays UK National Insurance contributions for you.
Talk to your employer about claiming SMP.
Maternity Allowance
If you cannot get SMP, you might be eligible for Maternity Allowance.
If you’re eligible, you may get Maternity Allowance in an EEA country or Switzerland.
Find out if you can get Maternity Allowance in the EEA or Switzerland.
You may also be able to claim it in:
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Channel Islands
- Gibraltar
- Israel
- Kosovo
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Serbia
- Turkey
Ask your local Jobcentre Plus for more information.
Child-related benefits
You may also get the following in an EEA country or Switzerland if you’re eligible:
- Child Benefit
- tax credits
- Guardian’s Allowance (you can claim this if you’re getting Child Benefit for a child whose parents have both died)