Calculate Your UIF Benefits in 30 Seconds

Who Can Claim From the UIF Fund?

You can claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) if you are an employee registered with the UIF and have been contributing monthly through your salary.

Use this guide to understand how to calculate your UIF benefits in 30 seconds. We explain how UIF payouts work, how much you can get, and how to estimate your benefits using our free UIF calculators.

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Can I Claim UIF If I Resigned?

No. You cannot claim unemployment benefits if you resigned voluntarily.

You can claim for UIF benefits only if:

• You were dismissed (except for misconduct)
• You were retrenched or laid off
• Your fixed-term contract expired

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Types of UIF Benefits (2025)

The UIF provides five types of benefits:

• Unemployment benefits
• Illness benefits
• Maternity benefits
• Adoption benefits
• Dependants’ Death benefits

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When Can I Claim Illness Benefits?

To qualify for the benefits, you must be receiving less than your normal wages while you are on sick leave.

To qualify for illness benefits, you must submit your application within 6 months of the date you stopped working due to your condition. Payments are calculated starting from the day you ceased working and became fully or partially unpaid, but please note that benefits are only payable if your illness lasts longer than 7 days. To validate the specific period of your condition, you are required to submit a medical certificate.

The benefit amount is calculated as the difference between what your employer pays you and the standard rate prescribed by the Unemployment Insurance Act. It is important to know that the combined total of the benefit and any payment from your employer cannot exceed 100 percent of the normal salary you would have received if you were working. To facilitate this, your employer must formally declare whether you will receive full, partial, or no remuneration while on sick leave.

Finally, the duration of these payments depends on your accumulated credits. Subject to these credits, you may receive benefits for a maximum of 365 days within any four-year cycle.

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How Do Maternity Benefits Work?

You should submit your application either prior to the birth or within 12 months of the child being born. To qualify for these benefits, you must have been employed for at least 13 weeks before the date of your application, and you must be receiving less than your normal remuneration while on maternity leave.

Benefits are generally payable at a flat rate of 66 percent for the confinement period. The actual amount paid is calculated as the difference between what your employer pays and the prescribed rate, ensuring that the total combined income does not exceed 100 percent of your normal salary. To verify this, your employer must declare whether you will receive full, partial, or no pay while on leave.

Payments are provided for a maximum of 121 days, which also applies in the unfortunate event of a miscarriage or stillbirth. Importantly, claiming maternity benefits does not affect your right to claim Unemployment benefits later should you become unemployed.

Additionally, you may wish to use our UIF Maternity Benefit calculator to estimate your potential benefit amount.

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Adoption Benefits

Application for Adoption Benefits must be submitted within 6 months after the court issues the adoption order. To qualify, the adopted child must be younger than 2 years, and only one of the adopting parents is eligible to apply for the benefit, which covers the time spent caring for the child.

The benefit amount is calculated as the difference between any pay received from the employer and the prescribed benefit rate, ensuring your total income does not exceed 100 percent of your normal salary. The employer must declare any pay given during the adoption leave. Subject to credits, benefits can be claimed for a maximum of 365 days within a four-year period.

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Can I Claim If My Spouse Passed Away?

A surviving spouse or life partner must apply for benefits within 18 months from the contributor’s date of death. A dependent child can only apply if the spouse or life partner has not claimed the benefit within 14 days after that initial 18-month period expires.

A child aged between 21 and 25 may also qualify if they are a learner or student and were wholly dependent on the deceased contributor. Subject to credits, benefits can be paid for a maximum of 365 days within a four-year period.

Contributors are allowed to nominate their own beneficiaries for the death benefit only if there is no surviving spouse, life partner, or child.

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How Much Will I Get From UIF?

The calculation of general benefit days is now based on receiving one day of benefit credit for every four days worked. If you have contributed for four years or more, you remain eligible for up to 365 days of benefits.

For Maternity or Adoption claims, the maximum payment duration is fixed at 121 days. The amount you receive is calculated on a sliding scale, based on a percentage of your previous salary.

The total benefit amount payable is subject to a maximum ceiling of approximately R65,000.

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How to Apply for UIF – Step by Step

You can apply for UIF either by visiting your nearest Labour Centre or by submitting your application online through the uFiling website. Before you apply, it’s a good idea to estimate your UIF benefit using our UIF calculators on uifcalculators.co.za so you know what to expect. Whether applying in person or online, you will need key documents such as your bar-coded ID, your last six payslips, and the UI-19 form provided by your employer. If you choose to apply online, make sure you first register an account on the uFiling platform at uifonline.labour.gov.za before submitting your claim.

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Documents Needed (Unemployment)

• 13-digit bar-coded ID or passport
• UI-19 form (from employer)
• Last 6 payslips
• Bank details & proof
• Proof of registration as work seeker