The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is meant to provide financial relief to registered members. However, cases of fraud are prevalent in different sectors in South Africa, and UIF is not spared. To minimize the chances of fraudulent activities, UIF provides a personal identification number (PIN) for someone who uses a mobile app to perform transactions. In this article, we explain what UIF PIN
What Is a UIF Pin Used For?
A UIF pin specifically meant for Mobil App and USSD. It is used to prevent fraud by protecting your account. You should look after your pin well and keep it private. If you want to request a payment, log into www.ufiling.co.za/uif/ using your pin. Click on the tab “Benefit Applications and Payments” and then proceed to “Continuation of payments.”
When you finish your transaction, you should log out from your account. Fraud usually occurs when someone lies or misrepresents material facts to gain access to another person’s benefits. As a result, the claimant loses benefits, which can also lead to a loss of eligibility to apply for future benefits. If your claimant pin is common, like 0000, you should immediately change it.
When you suspect that your account has been compromised, it is crucial to report it to the Department of Labour. More importantly, you must closely monitor your online account to prevent unauthorized activity.
How Do I Check My UIF Using USSD Code?
The Labour Department now offers Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). This quick code helps the claimants of UIF benefits to transact quickly. This feature is convenient since it allows you to perform different actions using your smartphone in the comfort of your home.
For instance, you can check the status of your UIF claim by dialing the UIF USSD code *134*843#. The UIF app is available to individuals who apply. This will save you from the hassle of visiting the Labour Department to make general inquiries since you can do everything related to UIF at home.
Does UIF Money Expire?
If you lose your job due to contract termination, retrenchment, or company bankruptcy, you should apply for UIF benefits within 12 months of becoming unemployed. You need to apply for UIF benefits from the labour department and also register as a job seeker.
If your money is unclaimed for too long, it will be transferred to a specific unclaimed benefits fund. You need to follow proper channels to access the money. According to other rules, the money is supposed to be written back after a certain duration.
In the case of the UIF contributor dying, the listed beneficiaries must claim the benefits within six months of the death of the worker. If six months lapse without claiming the benefits, they will expire. After the expiration of the benefits, the dependents will not be able to recover anything.
If you have never claimed UIF benefits during your entire employment life, you should not expect that there are benefits due for you. The contributions you made during your employment will also not be available.
How Can I Check My UIF Balance Online?
It is a good idea to know your UIF balance if you are a registered member since this helps you to determine the amount you can get if you want to apply for benefits. Therefore, if you want to check your UIF balance, you can do it online in the comfort of your home.
All you need is a smartphone, laptop, or tablet with internet access. To check your balance, you can use the UIF app or website. Follow the steps below:
- Visit https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/
- Log into your uFiling account
- Click on the tab “Check My Balance”
- Follow instructions provided
- Enter the Captcha that appears on your screen
- Input the reference number
- Your UIF balance will be shown
How Long Does It Take To Get UIF Money After Claiming
If you are registered for UIF and you have been contributing during your employment, you are eligible to get benefits for unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption, and death. If you want to apply for unemployment benefits, you must do so within six months of losing your employment. The same applies to an application for death benefits. If you want maternity benefits, make sure you apply about eight before going on maternity leave.
When you apply for benefits, you should register as a work seeker. You can do this by visiting your nearest labour center where you must sign in to the worker seeker register after every four weeks to show that you are serious about getting benefits. If UIF gets a suitable job before the approval of your benefits, you must take it. You must accept the offer to get the benefit.
If you are ill, you must visit your doctor and get a certificate which you will take to the labour center. You will receive the white card signed by the UIF officer when you sign the register.
The entire process is long, and you can expect to get approval for your UIF benefits after about eight weeks. You should expect your first payment roughly eight weeks after registering for benefits. The money will then be paid into your account every four weeks until it is finished. You will get a slip after receiving the money showing the amount paid and the balance.
The good thing is that you will be guaranteed to get your payments without any hassle after receiving your payment. If you don’t receive your payment in eight weeks, you should visit or phone the labour center to find out the cause of the delay.
You can take different steps to apply for UIF benefits if you are a registered member. To protect your account, you need to use a unique and secure password or pin to keep fraudsters at bay. For instance, the USSD code is convenient and comes with an app secured by a pin. To protect it, you should not share the pin with anyone.
