primary · Department of Employment and Labour
Replacement rate
38%–60% of reference earnings (ceiling R17,712)
I cannot work because I am ill · UIF / Department of Employment and Labour
UIF — illness benefit
Contributory benefit when an employee cannot work because of illness and is receiving less than normal wages.
38%–60% of reference earnings (ceiling R17,712)
Who it is for
UIF contributors unable to work due to illness, with medical evidence.
Statutory sick-pay insurance. A private income-protection waiting period is not this benefit — they may run beside each other and the policy may offset UIF.
Conditions
- Credits
- Must have UIF credits.
- Waiting period
- Sources disagree: ISSA says unable to work at least 7 days; some Department FAQ pages say illness lasting longer than 14 days. Stored as a conflict — confirm on the current UIF form.
- Wages
- Receiving less than normal wages from the employer.
Primary source first. A disputed or stale figure stays visible. Hover a rand or dollar figure for four other currencies.
UIF calculator
Estimate from Core ZA record coreza_ss_methodology.uif_benefit.
Not a UIF determination — the Fund calculates the claim.
Cross-checks
- disagrees ISSA country profile — South Africa ISSA: unable to work at least 7 days. Some UIF explainers: longer than 14 days. Do not treat either as gospel without the current application notes.
How to apply
UIF with medical certificate. Employer UI-19.
Methodology
coreza_ss_methodology.uif_benefit
Estimate only. Uses the Department of Employment and Labour sliding Income Replacement Rate on earnings capped at the UIF ceiling. Credit days follow UI Act s13(3) as amended (one day of benefit for every four days worked, maximum 365 in four years). Change this row in Core SA and the Compass follows.
- Average monthly remuneration over the last six months (UI Act s13(2)).
- Cap that average at the UIF earnings ceiling.
- Daily income = capped monthly × 12 ÷ 365 (UI Act s13(1)(a)).
- IRR% = 29.2 + (7173.92 ÷ (232.92 + daily income)), floored at 38% and capped at 60%. This is the Easy Aid / current DEL working of Schedule 2, calibrated so the ceiling pays 38%.
- Daily benefit (first 238 credit days) = daily income × IRR.
- Credit days = completed days of contribution ÷ 4, maximum 365 (s13(3) as amended 2018).
- Unemployment: days 1–238 at IRR; any remaining credits to 365 at a flat 20% (s13(5) remainder rule — confirm on the current form).
- Maternity: consecutive days capped at 121, all at IRR.
- Illness: same IRR; waiting period is disputed (ISSA 7 days vs some UIF notes 14 days). The calculator lets you pick; it does not decide the claim.
Where sources disagree
- noteOlder copies of Schedule 2 use IRR = 29.2 + (99779.68 / (3239.6 + monthly income)) with a R8,099 transition. That has been superseded in DEL Easy Aid working by the daily-income form above, which hits 38% at the current R17,712 ceiling.
- noteSome pages still say 1 credit per 6 days and a 238-day maximum. The 2018 amendment is 1 per 4 days, maximum 365.
- noteIllness waiting period: 7 days (ISSA) vs 14 days (some UIF FAQ pages).