How much does UIF pay for maternity leave in South Africa?

UIF maternity benefits can help replace part of your income while you are on maternity leave. The amount you receive depends mainly on your salary, whether your employer still pays you during leave, and the UIF benefit limits that apply at the time of your claim.

• you may qualify for maternity benefits if you take maternity leave and contributed to UIF
• you must claim within 12 months of the birth of your child
• UIF only covers the shortfall if your employer continues paying part of your salary
• benefits are limited to a maximum of 4 months
• the monthly payment is capped at about R11 690 per month
• you generally need at least 13 weeks of employment before claiming

UIF maternity benefit calculator 2026/27

Use the calculator below to estimate how much UIF may pay during your maternity leave. It is designed as a practical guide for South African employees, not as official advice from the Department of Employment and Labour.

How UIF maternity benefits work

UIF maternity benefits are intended to replace part of your income while you are away from work after childbirth. Unlike normal salary, UIF does not usually pay your full monthly pay. It pays a benefit based on UIF rules and subject to a maximum salary ceiling.

In practice, many people are confused because they assume UIF will simply pay 66% of their normal salary for four months. That is not always what happens. If your salary is above the UIF earnings ceiling, the cap limits your benefit. If your employer continues paying part of your salary, UIF may only cover part of the difference. Your final payment can therefore be lower than expected.

Who can claim UIF maternity benefits?

You will usually qualify if all or most of the following apply:

• you are an employee who contributes to UIF through your salary
• you are going on maternity leave from work
• you are not receiving your full salary during that period
• your employer has submitted the required UIF declarations correctly
• you submit your claim and supporting documents within the allowed period

If you are still being paid your full salary while on maternity leave, you generally will not receive UIF maternity payments for the same period because there is no income shortfall to replace.

How much does UIF pay for maternity leave?

For maternity benefits, the replacement rate can be up to 66% of remuneration, but the amount is still subject to UIF rules and a salary cap. That is why higher earners do not keep getting proportionally larger UIF payments forever. Once income is above the UIF ceiling, the benefit stops increasing in line with salary.

A useful way to think about it is this: UIF maternity benefits are meant to provide partial income relief, not full salary replacement. The calculator above helps estimate this by using the same broad assumptions most employees care about when planning leave.

Examples of UIF maternity benefit outcomes

Example 1: unpaid maternity leave

If you normally earn a salary and your employer does not pay you during maternity leave, UIF may cover part of your income for up to four months, subject to the formula and cap.

Example 2: employer pays part of your salary

If your employer pays, for example, 50% of your salary during maternity leave, UIF may only cover part of the remaining shortfall. This is one of the most common reasons people expect a larger payout than they actually receive.

Example 3: salary above the UIF ceiling

If you earn well above the UIF earnings ceiling, your payout will not keep rising with your salary. The cap limits the amount UIF uses in its calculation, so the maximum monthly payment remains around the published ceiling amount.

What documents do you need when applying for UIF maternity benefits?

• your South African ID, passport or asylum seekers permit
• authorisation form to pay benefits into your banking account UI-2.8 form
• remuneration received whilst on maternity leave UI-2.7 form
• application for maternity benefits form UI-2.3 form
• doctor's certificate confirming the expected birth date, or your child's birth certificate after birth
• follow-up UI-4 form, which is normally issued as part of the process

These forms are available from the Department of Employment and Labour website and offices. The direct links above are included for convenience.

Can you apply for UIF maternity benefits online?

Yes. You can usually apply online through the UIF uFiling website at https://www.ufiling.co.za.

Online applications can be easier, but they still depend on your employer's UIF declarations being up to date. If your records do not match, your claim may be delayed while the details are corrected.

Common reasons UIF maternity claims are delayed

• your employer has not submitted UIF declarations correctly
• your banking details do not match the supporting documents
• required forms are incomplete or signed incorrectly
• the dates on the medical certificate, maternity leave records, and claim forms do not match
• you wait too long to start the claim and supporting information becomes harder to fix

If your claim is delayed, the most useful first step is usually to confirm that your employer's UIF submissions and your own personal details match what appears on uFiling.

Frequently asked questions

Can UIF pay me if my employer already pays maternity leave?

Sometimes yes, but UIF generally covers the shortfall rather than giving you an extra full salary on top of what your employer already pays.

How long can I claim UIF maternity benefits for?

The usual maximum is 4 months, depending on your circumstances and the supporting documents for your leave period.

Do I need to apply before or after my baby is born?

You should not leave it too late. Many people begin preparing the paperwork before birth and then complete the required follow-up steps once the child is born and the final documents are available.

Is this calculator an official UIF result?

No. It is an independent calculator to help you plan. Official outcomes depend on the final UIF assessment, the documents submitted, and your employer records.

Sources

• Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001
• Labour Laws Amendment Act 10 of 2018
• Unemployment Insurance Amendment Act 10 of 2016
• Department of Employment and Labour
• uFiling