There are times in life, in one way or another you may become unemployed, for someone accustomed to working being unemployed is a distressing experience. But in South Africa, there is a special fund: The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) gives short-term relief to workers when they become unemployed or are unable to work because of maternity, adoption and parental leave, or illness. It also provides relief to the dependants of a deceased contributor.
When such challenges arise, former employees who become unemployed or are unable to work because of illness, maternity, or adoption leave and who have been contributors to the Unemployment Insurance Fund can claim their benefits and receive short-term financial assistance. Every employee pays 1% of their salaries to the fund, and employers match that 1% so that there is a monthly 2% contribution. The responsibility falls on employers to make sure all workers are registered with the UIF, and ensure that an employee’s contribution is deducted from their salary every month. If an employee has been registered and the contributions are paid, then that employee will be able to claim from the fund. The employee does not need a card or any other proof that they have contributed to the UIF.
UIF Who Qualifies: Who is eligible to claim from the UIF?
Who can claim uif?– To qualify for benefits, you must register as a work seeker. You must apply for the UIF benefits as soon as you become unemployed or within six months of the termination of your employment.
When can you claim uif?– All workers who contributed to the UIF can claim if they have been let go, retrenched, if their contract has expired, or if their employer is bankrupt. Domestic workers who have more than one employer can claim if they lose their job with one of their employers or if an employer passes away. It is also important to note that foreigners who are employed permanently in SA also qualify for UIF.
How To Claim Uif Online
To claim your UIF benefits Online, you need to complete an online registration process to obtain your own unique login name and password through the uFiling website (Uif Online Application system): https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/
How to register online on uFiling website: uFiling Registration Process
To register and activate your Employee account you need to have the following documents and information available:
- Your valid 13 Digit South African ID number
- Your e-mail address where all correspondence will be emailed
- Cell phone number mandatory
As an online registered Employee, you will be able to securely submit your Application for Benefits (for Unemployment, Reduced Time Benefits, Maternity, Illness, and Adoption), to submit Continuation of Benefits and Notice of Appeal
Step 1: Open a browser and go to https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/ to access the home page. Click on “REGISTER” in the top right-hand corner to review the terms and conditions for use of the Unemployment Insurance Fund portal. You need to accept the terms and conditions and then click on “Continue” to proceed.
Step 2: Complete all the required information and click on “Register”. This will send the captured data to the UIF for verification.
Step 3: When you receive the activation message via your preferred method of contact, click on the link provided to activate your account.
Step 4: Use the username and temporary password provided in the email or SMS to log in to your new uFiling account.
Step 5: After your first login, the system will prompt you to change your password.
Step 6: For security reasons, you will then have to complete a vetting process by confirming demographic information about yourself, which will be compared to the data available to the Department of Labour.
If any of the questions are answered incorrectly, a message will appear to indicate that you failed the vetting process. Please contact uFiling Support through the “UIF Services Support”.
Step 7: Once you successfully complete vetting, you will be directed to a page where you can update your personal details before you can proceed to the uFiling website.
How To Claim Uif benefits Online
Individuals can apply online for the following UIF benefits on the uFiling website:
- Unemployment Benefits
- Reduced Time Benefits
- Maternity Benefits
- Illness Benefits
- Adoption Benefits
How To Apply for Uif Online
To apply and claim for Uif benefits Online, follow the step by step guide below
Step 1: Click on “Benefit Application and Payments” on the left, and then click on “Apply for Benefits”.
Step 2: Select which type of Benefit you want to apply for, and click on “Apply” in the bottom right corner.
Step 3: You must accept the terms and conditions to proceed: check the tick box and click on “Next”
Step 4: Verify your bank details and click on “Next” to continue or click on “Banking Details Incorrect?”. Bank details may only be captured once on the uFiling system, to update new bank details, download the UI2.8 Form from the Department of Labour website (www.labour.gov.za).
One portion of the UI2.8 Form must be completed by your bank and the other portion by you. Email the completed UI2.8 Form and your contact details to VOsupport@labour.gov.za
Step 5: Confirm or update your personal details, including physical and postal addresses and click on “Next
Step 6: Complete the information related to your occupation and qualifications, and click on “Next”.
Step 7: Update your work seeker information and click on “Submit” when you are done to send your application to the UIF. You will receive a confirmation message if your application was successfully submitted.
Step 8: The processes to apply for other Benefit types are the same: Select the type of benefit you wish to apply for
- Confirm banking details
- Confirm personal details
- Complete occupation and qualification information
- Confirm employment status
- Submit the application to the UIF
Step 9: A full record of your application history is available on the uFiling website, click on “Benefit Application and Payments” on the left-hand side, and select “View Application History”.
Step 10: You can lodge a notice of appeal if your application for benefits was declined. Click on “Benefit Application and Payments” on the left-hand side and select “Notice of Appeal” and click on “Next”.
Step 11: Verify or update Personal details if needed.
Step 12: Complete the required information related to the declined application.
Step 13: Click on Submit to lodge your Notice of Appeal.
How To Claim Uif Offline
Unemployed workers can apply for benefits at their nearest labour centre in person. They must be registered as work-seekers and take the necessary documents with them.
There are different procedures for claiming the various benefits available:
- Unemployment benefits
- Illness benefits
- Maternity benefits
- Adoption benefits
- Death benefits
UIF Application Forms – Download UIF claim forms
In this section, you can find details about what forms are needed to claim uif benefits. Listed below are the forms for UIF claiming:
Forms To Claim Uif Unemployment benefits
- Information supplied by your employer (UI-19).
Forms To Claim Uif Illness benefits
- Information supplied by your employer (UI-19).
Forms To Claim Uif Maternity benefits
- Form UI-2.3 (application form).
- Form UI-4 (follow-up form).
- Fully completed registration form.
Forms To Claim Uif Adoption benefits
- Your employer’s details on form UI-19.
Forms To Claim Uif Death benefits
- The employer’s details on form UI-19.
- If you are the child of the deceased worker, you can claim by completing Form UF127 and submitting it to the Labour Office
- Information supplied by the employer on form UI-19.
Claiming unemployment benefits
If you want to claim from the UIF you need to go to your nearest Labour Office or register and claim online. There you will be asked to sign the unemployment register. You will be told when you need to come back and sign the register again. You will have to sign every four weeks to show that you still need to claim the UIF benefits.
You must go back to the office and sign the register on the correct date. If you are ill, you must take a doctor’s certificate with you to the labour centre.
You will be given a white card, which the UIF officer will sign each time you sign the register.
If everything is in order, you should start getting money from the fund within eight weeks of registering. The money will then be paid every four weeks until all the benefits are used up.
If you don’t receive your money in eight weeks, you should phone the Labour Centre and ask them to find out why there is a delay. Remember to have your name and ID number ready.
You will receive a slip every time you receive money so that you can see how much you have received and how much you can still get.
Documents Needed to Claim Uif unemployment benefits
To claim unemployment benefits you need to have:
- A copy of 13-digit bar-coded identity document.
- A copy of your last six payslips.
- Information supplied by your employer (UI-19).
- A service certificate from the employer.
- Proof of registration as a work seeker.
- A fully completed registration form.
If you want to receive unemployment benefits you need to be prepared to:
- Go for training or career counseling if the UIF officer asks you to.
- Be available for work. If you are offered work, you need to be ready to work.
- Go to different companies to ask for work. You will get a form that needs to be signed showing that you have looked for work and that there are no jobs available.
You need to collect your unemployment benefits from the Labour Office on the date they said the money will be there. You have to collect the money yourself and you must have your white card and ID book with you.
Claiming illness benefits
To apply for illness benefits, you need to register at the Labour Office nearest to you or register and claim online. If you are too ill to go to the office yourself, a friend or family member can get the form from the office and bring it to you to sign. The signed form then needs to be returned to the Labour Office.
Documents Needed to Claim Uif illness benefits
You will need:
- A copy of your bar-coded identity document.
- Copies of your last six payslips.
- Information supplied by your employer (UI-19).
- A service certificate from the employer.
- Proof of banking details.
- A statement of amount received from your employer during the period of the illness.
- A fully completed registration form.
You also need to submit a medical certificate from your doctor.
You will be paid benefits for the time that the doctor has booked you off work but not for the first 2 weeks off work. You’ll also only be paid for the time that you’ve not received normal wages from your employer.
Illness benefits will be paid to you by cheque and posted to you.
Remember, you can’t claim illness benefits if your illness was caused by your own misconduct or if you unreasonably refuse treatment or fail to follow the doctor’s instructions.
If you’ve lost your job as well as being too ill to work, you need to inform the claims officer of this because you might also be able to claim unemployment benefits for the period not covered by the illness benefits.
Claiming maternity benefits
To claim maternity benefits, you need to register at the Labour Office in person, organise for someone to go in your place, or register and claim online. All necessary documents must go with the applicant to the labour office.
Documents Needed to Claim Uif maternity benefits
To register you will need:
- A 13-digit bar-coded identity document or passport.
- Copies of your last six payslips
- Form UI-2.8 for banking details.
- Information supplied by your employer (UI-19).
- A service certificate from the employer.
- Proof of your banking details.
- A statement of amount received from the employer during maternity leave.
- Form UI-2.7.
- Form UI-2.3 (application form).
- Medical certificate from a doctor or birth certificate of the baby.
- Form UI-4 (follow-up form).
- Fully completed registration form.
When you register, you will be given Form UF92. This form must be filled in by your doctor. You then submit this form to the UIF claims officer at the Labour Office.
The claim will be paid by cheque, which will be posted to you. To apply for benefits after the baby is born, you need to complete Form UF95 with help from the doctor who delivered the baby. If you are also unemployed, then you must notify the claims officer.
Claiming adoption benefits
If you want to claim adoption benefits, you need to register with a claims officer at your nearest Labour Office or register and claim online.
Documents Needed to Claim Uif adoption benefits
You will need to have:
- A copy of your identity document.
- Copies of your last six payslips.
- Your employer’s details on form UI-19.
- A service certificate issued by your employer.
- The adoption order.
- Proof of your banking details.
- A statement of amount that you have received from your employer during your adoption leave.
- A copy of your adopted child’s birth certificate.
You must apply for the benefits within six months of the adoption order being issued.
Adoption benefits are paid by cheque through the post. A form will accompany the payment. This form must be filled in and sent back to the claims officer at the Labour Office.
Claiming death benefits
The husband or wife of the deceased worker and any minor children of the worker can claim death benefits from the UIF.
You must apply for these benefits within six months of the death of the worker.
If you were the husband or wife of the deceased worker, you need to go to the Labour Office.
Documents Needed to Claim Uif death benefits
You will need to have:
- Your identity document.
- Copies of the deceased’s last six payslips.
- The employer’s details on form UI-19.
- A certified copy of the death certificate.
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate.
- A service certificate from the employer.
- Proof of your banking details.
If you are the child of the deceased worker, you can claim by completing Form UF127 and submitting it to the Labour Office. You will need:
- A copy of your identity document.
- Copies of the last six payslips of the deceased.
- Information supplied by the employer on form UI-19.
- A service certificate from the employer.
- A certificate copy of your (the child’s) birth certificate.
- Proof of your banking details.
- A certified copy of the death certificate.
- Proof of guardianship.
- Proof that you (the child) are a learner who was dependent on the deceased.
The Labour Office will give you Form UF128, which needs to be filled in by the deceased’s last employer and then submitted at the Labour Office.
The death benefit is the amount that the worker could have claimed if they were unemployed. This is paid out in one payment.
- You can also Check UIF application status at UIF status check online application
That’s all about Claiming / Applying for UIF benefits. To stay updated with latest informative articles about UIF keep on checking Unemployment Insurance Fund Page. You can also visit the uFilling website for more details.
