IT contractors may soon have more maternity benefits, as EU legislation is being drawn up to extend allowances.

According to the Association of Recruitment Consultancies (ARC), the new rules will be aimed at extending allowances to "assisting spouses", meaning those who provide effective assistance in the self-employed worker's business without their own form of income.

Maternity leave rights from the self employed and their assisted spouses will be extended to 14 weeks if the proposed directive is passed, Lawspeed managing director Adrian Marlowe told the ARC.

What will be interesting is how this EU legislation could be incorporated into existing UK law and what the subsequent knock-on effect would be.

"The idea being mooted that self-employed workers pay for the measures, may be open to question given the need to reduce the cost burden on self employed entrepreneurs," he noted.

Small business minister Mark Prisk recently told Enterprise Nation that he expected the job outlook for IT contractors and other freelancers to improve, as employers seek to make savings by moving away from traditional employment contracts.