UIF

I think it is a bit of a hooray if they pay you in time, but don't plan around it.

Pregnancy 1, I was back at work before my first payment was made. Pregnancy 2 - pretty much the same story. Pregnancy 3 - they did pay quite quickly - once A L L the paperwork was sorted, but I did go through an agency the third time, so not sure if there is any correlation there.

It really is wise to assume that they will not pay in time, and make alternate arrangements.

I wouldnt rely much on the UIF pay outs.
I submitted my forms last year on 10th of July. I received my first payout on the 4th of October. It was a long wait but I did receive 2 months payouts at once.

Im sure you can go to any department

I think you can apply anywhere - I worked through an agency the 3rd time around, and though I live in Cape Town, all the paperwork was handled through Pretoria.

So you can to any office, you can also request to be paid via EFT so you do not have to go in to collect payments.

UIF does try, but the reality is that they do tend to work to their own time-table that seems to escape us mere mortals - no manner or amount of terse phone calls to the wonderful folks at the UIF offices seems to get a reaction.

I am always nervous to "rely" on UIF, as they can be very unreliable - but sometimes do pay when they are supposed to.

A really good idea is to look at your accounts that you have to pay over your maternity leave and see if you can get them deferred.

I deferred my car payments and my other two kids school fees over my maternity leave - so that in the event that I was stuck high-and-dry I would not be drowning in debt-collectors. I made arrangements with my bank should I need access to additional revolving credit - I really planned as if the world was going to come to an end.

Considering planning for the worst case scenario, but if it goes well, then great, but rather plan for payments not coming in, in the event that they run late or what ever.

Can i also ask something. Do you have to apply in the area you live in on can you apply anywhere you like?

No I didn't. I submitted my forms on 21 December at Alberton and got my payment the first week in January.

Hi All

I am concerned.
Has any one had difficulty claiming UIF in the festive season?
i will be going on maternity fROM August to December and really am relying on the UIF money, what am i to do if they dont pay out on time? has any one had this happen to them?