UIF pays almost R1bn in ordinary benefits

Image source: © Vitaliy Vodolazskyy – 123RF.com

“This has been achieved following the Fund’s decision to decentralise the processing of u-Filing claims from the UIF's head office in Pretoria to the provinces, which resulted in applications being processed faster, ensuring that workers put food on the table and meet their financial obligations quickly,” the UIF said on Wednesday.

The decentralisation process has drastically reduced the online claims backlog from 111,000 in September 2021 to 28,000 in November 2021, and currently, there are 3701 claims submitted via our uFiling system that could not be paid due to various reasons.

These reasons include termination dates not being captured on UI.19 forms; client’s banking information and details differ from that of the Department of Home Affairs (clients must submit UI.2.8 and UI.49 forms) and requests for payments or continuation forms are submitted before a claim is approved (request for payments or continuation form must be submitted after a claim is approved).

Other claims could not be paid due to salary schedules, medical certificates and leave income (UI.2.7 form) not being uploaded for illness and maternity benefits.

“The Fund is again appealing to applicants to correct the errors and submit the missing information so that claims can be processed immediately when payments resume next Monday, 3 January 2022,” the UIF said.

The UIF has also been continuing with payments of Covid-19 Temporary Employer / Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) and Workers Affected by the Unrest (WABU).

Since the inception of the Covid-19 Ters Relief Scheme in March 2020 to date, the Fund has disbursed R63.8 billion, bringing relief to at least 5.4 million workers.

The figure is the biggest amount that has been paid by government to help workers and businesses, and to mitigate the negative impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the South African economy.

However, there are 119,091 payments which are in abeyance awaiting corrections due to various unresolved errors, namely failed bank verification; unverified foreign nationals; employees not declared on the UIF; and incorrect ID numbers.

"The Fund appreciates the work done by employers who have heeded our pleas to correct errors throughout the year and enabled us to pay their claims which significantly reduced the number of unpaid competent claims.

“While all valid Covid-19 Ters claims have been paid, we will continue from 3 January 2022 to pay the unresolved claims once corrections have been made. Therefore, we urge employers to correct the errors on the Covid-19 Ters portal and furnish outstanding information to enable us to pay if the claims are valid.

“The portal also guides the applicant on how to resolve each error," UIF Commissioner, Advocate Mzie Yawa, said.