How to Claim an Amount against UIF

“A day unemployed is like a bagel – even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good…”
— CrimethInc., Evasion

Unemployment can be devastating, whether caused by retrenchment, illness, pregnancy, or global shocks like COVID‑19. South Africa’s Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) exists to soften that blow by offering short‑term financial relief when you can’t work through no fault of your own. Administered by the Department of Employment and Labour, UIF offers support for unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption, and dependent benefits

Eligibility & Claim Window

You must have contributed to UIF during your employment.
Eligible if you’ve lost income through retrenchment, dismissal (not for misconduct), illness, maternity, adoption, or death of a contributor.
Not eligible if you resigned voluntarily (unless it’s constructive dismissal) or worked under 24 hours per month
Claim must be submitted within six months of your last day of work

Contribution Rules (2025)

Both employer and employee must contribute 1% each of the employee’s gross salary—total of 2% per month
Monthly salary ceiling: R17,712 (annual cap R212,544). Even if you earn more, UIF contributions are capped at R177.12 per person (employee and employer), for a total maximum of R354.24 per month

How Much You Could Claim

Step 1: Compute your average daily wage = (monthly salary × 12) ÷ 365, capped at the R17,712 ceiling
Step 2: Apply the Income Replacement Rate (IRR), which ranges between 38% and 60%, with lower earners receiving a higher percentage
Step 3: Multiply daily wage by IRR for your daily UIF benefit.
Step 4: Multiply daily benefit by your credit days to arrive at total claim.

Credit days:

If contributed ≥ 4 years, you qualify for up to 365 days of benefit credits.
If contributed less, you earn one credit day per six days worked

Types of UIF Benefits

Unemployment – basic partial income replacement
Illness – paid when unable to work due to illness, after two unpaid weeks
Maternity – up to 121 days, with replacement rates of ≈38–58%, capped at around R14,872 per month for maternity specifically
Adoption – for adopting a child under two, typically up to 121 days
Dependent benefits – for spouses or minor children after a contributor’s death, claimable within six months of death

Example Calculation

If your last gross salary was R15,000, you contributed 4+ years, and qualify for a 58% IRR:

Daily wage: (R15,000 × 12) ÷ 365 ≈ R493.15
Daily UIF benefit: R493.15 × 58% ≈ R286.03
If you claim the full 365 credit days:
R286.03 × 365 = R104,400 (approx.)

Documentation & Application Steps

Prepare:
- 13‑digit bar‑coded ID or passport
- Completed Form UI‑2.8 (bank details) + stamped bank statement
- Form UI‑19 from your employer (employment history)
- Latest 6 payslips or at least the last two
- Proof of registration as a job‑seeker (CCMA/work‑seeker forms)
Submit your claim:
- In person at your nearest Labour Centre: required for unemployment, illness, maternity, etc. (cannot be done online or by post) (Arcadia Finance)
- Alternatively, register via uFiling portal to start your application and submit electronically, but an in‑office visit is often still required (U-Filing).
You may be asked to:
- Sign the labour register every four weeks
- Participate in training or career counseling
- Be available for work and demonstrate active job seeking

You’ll typically receive your first payment within eight weeks of submitting, with subsequent payments every four weeks until your credit days are exhausted.

Final Notes

UIF benefits are not taxable.
If you’ve claimed recent benefits in the past 4 years (like TERS or other UIF payouts), it may affect your eligibility.
If your employer failed to register you for UIF contributions decades ago, you can still lodge a claim—but UIF may pursue the employer for non‑compliance.
Always consult the Department of Employment and Labour or the official UIF/uFiling site to check for the latest policy updates and forms.