General Benefits
Funeral Benefit
A one-time payment made to the person who has paid or is responsible to pay the funeral expenses of a deceased insured person.
Rate: $1,680.00 ($1,720.00 as of July 1, 2014)
To Qualify: Either the deceased person or his/her spouse must have paid at least 50 weeks of contributions.
Invalidity Benefit
A monthly payment made to eligible insured persons who have been medically certified to be permanently unable to work as a result of illness.
Rate: A range of 15 - 60% of average insured wages or income.
To Qualify: Must be younger than 65 years and have paid at least 150 weeks of contributions.
Maternity Benefit
A weekly payment made to eligible insured women while they remain at home during late pregnancy and confinement.
Rate: 66.66% of average insured wages/income
Period: Up to 13 weeks (could be increased under special, specified circumstances).
To Qualify: Claimant must have paid: 13 contributions in the 26 weeks immediately before the week the illness started; OR 26 contributions in the 40 weeks immediately before the week she either stops work or has the baby; OR 26 contributions in the immediate preceding contribution year.
Maternity Grant
A one-time payment made to a woman whose pregnancy results in the birth of a live infant; it is paid for each live infant. To qualify she must have paid at least 50 contributions in to National Insurance. If she has not paid the required number of contributions it can still be paid if her husband meets the contribution condition for the award of the Benefit.
Retirement Benefit
A monthly payment made to insured persons who have retired from gainful employment or who have attained age 65 years. While full benefit is payable from age 65 years, persons have the option of receiving the benefit from as early as 60 years but with a reduced rate.
Rate: A range of 15 - 60% of average insured wages or income depending on number of contributions paid and or credited.
To Qualify: Must have paid at least 500 weeks of contributions.
Retirement Grant
Should you fail to meet the 500 contribution condition for the award of Retirement Benefit, which is a monthly pension, a one time Retirement Grant will be paid to you.
Rate: 6 times average weekly insurable wage for each set of 50 contributions.
(Example: If 250 contributions made and average weekly insurable wage is $400 per week, then Grant = 6 x 5 x $400 = $12,000)
To Qualify: Must have paid at least 150 weeks of contributions and must have attained age 65 years.
Sickness Benefit
A weekly payment made to eligible insured persons while they are temporarily unable to work due to illness.
Rate: 60% of average insured wages
Period: 156 days but can be extended to 40 weeks.
To Qualify: Claimant must have paid: 13 contributions in the 26 weeks immediately before the week the illness started; OR 26 contributions in the 52 weeks immediately before the week the illness started; OR 26 contributions in the immediate preceding contribution year.
Survivors’ Benefit
A monthly payment made to the dependent survivors of a deceased insured person.
Rate: Payable in varying amounts to qualifying dependents in priority order: widow/widower dependent children (biological, adopted, stepchildren) of the deceased under age 16 years, or up to age 21 years if still in full-time school; unmarried children who are not children of the deceased person, but who were wholly maintained by him/her, under age 16 years, or up to age 21 years if still in full-time school; or who are invalids; unmarried orphans under age 16 years, or up to age 21 years if still in full-time school; and the parents of the deceased.
Survivors’ Grant
A one-time payment made to a widow/widower of a deceased insured person who does not qualify for Survivors Benefit on account of his/her age or lack of dependents.
Rate: One lump sum equal to the annual retirement or invalidity benefit to which the deceased was entitled or would have been entitled.
To Qualify: Must have been married to the deceased for at least one year; deceased should have paid at least 150 contributions.
Unemployment Benefit
A weekly payment made to eligible insured persons who are unemployed but actively looking for employment. It is not paid to self-employed persons, voluntarily insured persons, summer students or persons who are partially employed, i.e., on reduced work days.
Rate: 50% of the unemployed worker’s average weekly insurable income.
Period: Paid so long as unemployment continues to a maximum period of 13 weeks within a 52 week period.
To Qualify: Must be younger than age 65 years of age and able to satisfy the Department of Labour’s conditions for registration. In addition, at the date unemployment began, must have been able to satisfy three contribution conditions:
1. Paid at least 52 contributions into the National Insurance Programme since it started in 1974; AND
2 Paid and/or been credited with at least 13 contributions in the 26 weeks immediately before the week in which you were last employed: AND
3. Paid and/or been credited with at least 7 contributions in the 13 weeks immediately before the week in which you were last employed.