The population decrease due to mortality can have adverse economic effects on the country, which is why the UIF makes provisions for death in its claims.
This article will teach you how to claim when someone dies.
How to Claim UIF When Someone Dies
To claim Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits for a deceased person, you will need to follow these steps:
Contact the UIF office: You will need to contact the UIF office to inform them of the death of the contributor and request a UF126 form.
You can find the contact information for the UIF office in your area on their website (www.ufiling.co.za).
Complete the UF126 form: The UF126 form will ask for information about the deceased contributor, including their personal details, employment history, and details of the death.
You will also need to provide proof of death, such as a death certificate (The application will not be considered with a foreign death certificate. Only South African burial orders issued by the Department of Home Affairs will be accepted).
Submit the UF126 form and supporting documents such as a marriage certificate or lobola letter, or affidavit in case of a life partner.
You will also need the birth certificates of dependents and proof of schooling (applies to all dependents between the ages of 21 and 25).
Once you have completed the claim form and gathered all the required documents, you must submit them to the UIF.
Wait for a decision: The UIF will review your claim and decide whether or not to approve it.
If your claim is approved, you will receive a payment based on the UIF contributions made by the deceased contributor.
Subject to credits, benefits can be paid for a maximum of 365 days.
It is important to note that UIF benefits are only available to contributors who have died due to an accident at work or an occupational disease or to their dependents if the contributor died from any other cause.
If the contributor does not meet these criteria, you will not be eligible to claim UIF benefits.
What happens to UIF of the deceased?
In the unfortunate event that an employer who contributed towards the UIF during the duration of their working life finds themselves departing the mortal coil, their dependents then become eligible to lodge a claim.
A worker’s spouse, life partner, or children have the right to claim benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) when the worker dies.
Dependents must apply and will be paid at the labour centre of their choice.
The surviving spouse/life partner can apply for benefits within 18 months from the date of death of the contributor.
A dependent child can also apply for benefits if the surviving spouse/life partner has not applied within 18 months of the contributor’s death.
Any child of the deceased between the ages of 21 and 25 at the date of death of the contributor may also qualify for benefits.
The child must be a learner/student and must have wholly depended on the deceased contributor.
Subject to credits, dependents are liable to benefits that can be paid for a maximum of 365 days.
Contributors will be allowed to nominate their own beneficiaries in case of death benefits, provided there is no surviving spouse/life partner or children.
Who can bring a claim on behalf of the deceased?
In the event of the death of a person who was contributing to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), their dependents may be eligible to claim for benefits.
The dependents of the deceased person are typically eligible to apply for benefits if they were financially dependent on the deceased person at the time of their death.
Dependents may include a spouse/life partner, dependent children, or the guardian of children who were financially dependent on the deceased person.
In order to apply for the survivor’s benefit, the dependents will need to provide proof of their relationship to the deceased person, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
It is important to note that the dependents benefit is not intended to replace the income that the deceased person was earning.
It is only intended to provide a small amount of financial assistance to the dependents of the deceased person to help them supplement their income temporarily.
How do I claim UIF for a deceased person online?
To claim Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits for a deceased person online, you will need to follow these steps:
Visit the UIF website (ufiling.labour.gov.za) and click on the “Claims” tab.
Click on the “Apply for a UIF benefit” link and select “Death claim” from the list of options.
Follow the prompts to create an account and log in to the UIF online portal.
Complete the online application form and provide all of the required information and supporting documents.
Including the death certificate of the deceased person and evidence of your relationship to the deceased person, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
Submit the completed application form and supporting documents through the online portal.
Wait for a decision on your claim. You will be notified by email or SMS when a decision has been made.
How much are UIF death benefits?
UIF death benefits payout the same as normal UIF benefits with the exception that they are claimed by dependents.
For every four days that the deceased worked as a contributor, they received one day’s credit subject to a maximum of 365 days.
In order to receive the full 365 days credit as a dependent, the deceased must have worked as a contributor for at least four years.
