The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has warned those applying for jobs to be careful with their identity numbers as some bogus employers could be the reason they do not qualify for the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant while they are unemployed.
Many individuals who have applied for the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) have noticed that they were declined from receiving the grant due to being registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
This means that Sassa has found that the individual is receiving or is eligible for UIF benefits. This then shows that you are receiving other funds or that you are not unemployed, which would mean you don’t qualify for the R350 grant.
The UIF has now warned individuals who are searching for jobs to be careful when sharing their identity numbers with employers who might illegally use their information to register them with the UIF and claim Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).
The main requirements for the SRD grant is that you do not receive any other sources of income as well as no UIF benefits or other grants, NSFAS included.
If you find that you are registered with UIF and benefit from them, you aren’t eligible for the grant and should not do anything else about it. However, if this is not the case and you indeed are not employed and don’t receive UIF benefits, you are urged to submit a R350 grant appeal.
You should lodge an appeal within 30 days of when your rejection status became available to you.
R350 grant applicants can submit their application appeals by following the steps listed below:
- Visit srd.dsd.gov.za
- Click on the green bar that says ‘click here to lodge an appeal or check appeal status’
- Enter your ID number
- Enter your cell phone number
- Click ‘send pin’ and wait for the SMS which will contain the verification pin
- Enter the pin and click ‘submit’
- Select the month you are submitting an appeal for
- Select the drop down arrow and choose the reason for your appeal
- Click ‘submit’
Once the appeal is lodged, your employment status will be verified with the UIF and then you will be notified with the outcome of your appeal via the Sassa website.
This appeal will mean that SASSA has to reconsider your application and you will have to give them good reason as to why you believe you should receive the grant.
Sassa has stated that applicants do not have to visit labour centres for assistance with this matter.
