UIF Calculator South Africa
Whether you want to know what comes off your payslip each month or what you could receive if you are retrenched or go on maternity leave, this free calculator gives you a clear, accurate estimate using the official 2026 rules.
See exactly how much UIF you and your employer pay each month.
UIF must be paid to SARS within 7 days of month-end. This is an estimate for guidance.
Everything UIF, in one place
See the 1% deducted from your payslip and the 1% your employer adds — capped automatically at the R17,712 ceiling.
Find out what you could receive after retrenchment using the official 38–60% sliding scale and your credit days.
Estimate your maternity UIF at the flat 66% rate for up to 121 days before you submit your claim.
The basics
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is a government safety net that gives short-term financial relief to workers who lose their income. It is run under the Unemployment Insurance Act and funded by monthly contributions: 1% from you and 1% from your employer, a total of 2% of your salary.
Those contributions are calculated on your earnings up to the R17,712 monthly ceiling (R212,544 a year). That ceiling has applied since 1 June 2021 and has not changed in 2026 — so if anyone tells you it "went up this year", that is a common myth. If you earn more than the ceiling, your contribution and any future benefit are both worked out on R17,712, not your full salary.
Official sources: the Department of Employment and Labour administers the fund, and SARS collects contributions. You can register and claim through uFiling.
To understand the full payout formula, the income replacement rate, worked examples at different salaries, and the step-by-step claim process through uFiling, read our detailed guide.
These examples show roughly what an unemployment benefit could look like at different salary levels (assuming you have built up the maximum credit days). Lower earners receive a higher percentage of their income.
| Monthly salary | Replacement rate | Daily benefit | ≈ Monthly benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| R3,500 | ~50% | ~R57 | ~R1,740 |
| R6,000 | ~46% | ~R90 | ~R2,750 |
| R10,000 | ~42% | ~R138 | ~R4,200 |
| R15,000 | ~39% | ~R193 | ~R5,860 |
| R17,712+ (ceiling) | 38% | ~R221 | ~R6,730 |
Figures are rounded estimates for illustration. Use the calculator above for a figure based on your own salary and months worked.
Common questions
UIF is 1% of your gross monthly salary, deducted by your employer. Your employer adds a matching 1%, so 2% in total goes to the fund. Contributions are calculated on a maximum of R17,712 per month, so the most that can be deducted from you is R177.12 per month.
The ceiling is R17,712 per month (R212,544 per year). It has applied since 1 June 2021 and remains unchanged in 2026. Earnings above this amount are not counted for UIF.
Because benefits are capped at the ceiling and the lowest replacement rate is 38%, the maximum monthly unemployment benefit is roughly R6,600–R6,750. Lower earners receive a higher rate, up to 60% of their income.
Your daily income is worked out from your average salary (capped at the ceiling). An Income Replacement Rate of 38–60% is applied — lower earners get more. That gives your daily benefit, paid for as many credit days as you have accrued (one day for every four days worked, up to 365).
No. You cannot claim unemployment benefits after a voluntary resignation. You may claim if you were retrenched, dismissed for reasons other than misconduct, or your fixed-term contract ended. Constructive dismissal can qualify if you can prove it.
Maternity benefits are paid at a flat 66% of your daily income (capped at the ceiling) for a maximum of 121 days. Use the Maternity tab in the calculator for an estimate.
You generally need your 13-digit bar-coded ID, the UI-19 form from your employer, your last six payslips, your banking details, and proof of registration as a work seeker. Missing employer declarations are the most common reason for delays.
A complete claim usually pays out within about four to eight weeks, then monthly after that. Delays are normally caused by incomplete documents, wrong banking details, or an employer that did not submit UIF declarations.
UIF benefits are generally not subject to PAYE in the way a salary is, but you should declare income correctly. For your specific situation, confirm with SARS or a registered tax practitioner.
People who work fewer than 24 hours a month for an employer, certain national and provincial government employees, learners under a learnership, and some categories of office-bearers are exempt. Most other employees must contribute.
Yes. This is a current UIF calculator for South Africa using the 2026 figures, which are unchanged from 2025 — the 1% + 1% contribution and the R17,712 monthly ceiling have applied since June 2021. So whether you searched for a 2024, 2025 or 2026 UIF calculator, the numbers here are the correct, current ones.
Yes — this is a free online UIF calculator. Enter your monthly salary and it works out your UIF per month (1% from you, matched by your employer), capped at the R17,712 ceiling. There is nothing to download and no app needed; it runs in your browser on phone or desktop.
Yes. The Contribution tab doubles as an employer UIF calculator — enter a salary and number of employees to estimate your monthly UIF liability. The Maternity tab is a dedicated maternity UIF calculator using the flat 66% rate. Switch tabs at the calculator above.
Go deeper
Your likely benefit, the maximum payout, and what affects the amount.
The full uFiling step-by-step, documents, and what causes delays.
Track your claim online and fix one that is stuck or declined.
The 66% rate, the 121-day limit, and how to apply.
Registration, rates, the ceiling, deadlines and declarations.
A sourced reference to the rate and ceiling history, 2002–2026.
Run your numbers now so there are no surprises on your payslip — or if you ever need to claim.
Open the calculator