Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the processes put in place for the spouses of armed forces personnel to apply for (a) statutory maternity pay and (b) maternity allowance.

Defence continues to recognise the important role that the families of UK Armed Forces personnel play in supporting their Serving person; life in the Armed Forces can be highly rewarding, but it can also make high demands of our service people. These demands can place a strain on the service family as they juggle the requirements of the service, the wants of the service person and the needs of the service family; but the support of a strong family unit can be the counterweight that every service person needs if they are to achieve a balance.

This is why we are developing increasingly family friendly policies to ensure that the Armed Forces in an environment that is an attractive proposition to existing as well as new and diverse families.

In 2025, Defence launched the Families Hub to help families navigate Service life. More information can be found at the following link: https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/families/

For Servicewomen, the Armed Forces’ policy and process for maternity leave and pay, known as the Armed Forces’ Occupational Maternity Scheme (AFOMS), is set out in JSP 760, Tri-Service Regulations for Leave and Other Types of Absence. Chapter 24 of JSP 760 sets out entitlement to pay, options on length of leave, and the actions required by pregnant Servicewomen and their commanding officers following confirmation of pregnancy. JSP 760, along with all related electronic application forms, is reviewed and updated frequently, with the latest version always internally accessible to all Service personnel on DefNet, the Ministry of Defence intranet, or from Unit HR staff.