Where do I claim UIF online?

On the Department of Employment and Labour's UIF Online portal at uifonline.labour.gov.za. Employee claims are no longer processed on the old uFiling site, which is now used by employers for declarations and contributions. You can also claim in person at any labour centre.

How to claim UIF, step by step

You paid into UIF every month; when you lose your job, it exists to pay you back. The claim is free, you never need an agent, and the whole thing can be done online. Here is the current process, including the portal change that catches people out.

First, the portal change

Employee claims moved off the old uFiling website. The Department of Employment and Labour now processes all UIF benefit applications on UIF Online at uifonline.labour.gov.za. uFiling still exists, but it is for employers declaring and paying contributions. If a guide or a helpful friend points you to uFiling to claim, it is out of date. The in person alternative is any labour centre, and the UIF call centre is 0800 030 007.

Check you qualify before you queue

You were dismissed, retrenched, or your contract ended. Resignation does not qualify, unless the CCMA finds you were constructively dismissed
You claim within 12 months of your last working day. Some official pages still say six months; the law was amended to twelve. Do not test the edge: apply immediately, because payment only starts from your application
You have credit days: one day of benefit for every four days you worked as a contributor, to a maximum of 365 days built up over the last four years
Your employer actually declared you. If they deducted UIF but never registered or paid it over, your claim will stall; that is their offence to fix, and a labour centre can pursue them

The steps

1. Get your UI-19 from your employer. This is the termination declaration and the heart of the claim. Employers must complete it when you leave; ask for it with your final payslip. No UI-19 is the number one cause of stuck claims
2. Register on UIF Online at uifonline.labour.gov.za with your 13 digit ID number, cellphone number and email
3. Complete the application: confirm your personal details, employment history, banking details and work seeker information, then submit. Keep the reference number
4. Wait for the outcome by SMS or email. First payment typically lands within about eight weeks of a clean application
5. Keep confirming you are still unemployed. Benefits are paid in four week cycles, and each cycle needs a continuation confirmation until your credit days run out or you start working

Claiming in person instead? Take your ID, the UI-19, your last six payslips, a service certificate from the employer and proof of banking details to the nearest labour centre.

How much you get

UIF pays a sliding scale of roughly 38 to 60 percent of your salary, calculated on your average earnings and capped at the earnings ceiling. Lower earners get the higher percentage. Maternity benefits work differently: a flat 66 percent of earnings for up to 121 days, claimable from eight weeks before the birth. Our free UIF calculator estimates your amount and duration before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to claim UIF after losing my job?

Twelve months from the date your employment ended. The old six month rule was extended by the Unemployment Insurance Amendment Act, and some official pages still show the outdated six months. Apply as early as you can regardless, because payment only runs from your application.

Can I claim UIF if I resigned?

No. Ordinary unemployment benefits are for dismissal, retrenchment or an expired contract. If you resigned because your employer made working impossible, a CCMA finding of constructive dismissal can restore your claim.

How much does UIF pay and for how long?

Between roughly 38 and 60 percent of your salary, with lower earners on the higher percentage, paid against your credit days: one credit day per four days worked, capped at 365 days over four years of contributions.

My employer never gave me a UI-19. Now what?

Ask in writing first; employers are legally required to complete it. If they refuse or have vanished, go to your nearest labour centre with your payslips and employment proof; the Department can pursue the employer and process the claim on the evidence you have.

Keep exploring

UIF calculator Just been retrenched? Severance pay calculator All guides

Verified against Department of Employment and Labour sources in August 2026. Processes and portals change; the Department's own instructions always take precedence. Free guides are information, not legal or financial advice.