Maternity Leave UIF Calculator
Calculate your UIF maternity benefit — how much you receive each day, the total payout over your leave, and what percentage of your salary it replaces.
✓ Fact-checkedUpdated 18 May 2026Sources: BCEA s25·UIF Act Schedule 2·Department of Labour 2026
Key takeaways
- ✓BCEA gives you a minimum of 4 months (121 days) of maternity leave — your employer does not have to pay you, but UIF does.
- ✓UIF replaces 38%–60% of your daily earnings depending on your income — lower earners get a higher replacement rate.
- ✓The UIF earnings ceiling is R17 712/month — benefits are calculated on your actual salary up to this cap.
- ✓UIF maternity benefits are tax-free — no PAYE is deducted from your UIF payments.
⚠ UIF capped at R17 712/month
Total UIF benefit
R 27 283,82
over 121 days
Monthly equivalent
R 6 859,29
27% of gross salary
Income replacement rate
38.7%
of daily earnings
Calculation breakdown
Assumes sufficient UIF credits accumulated (1 credit per 5 days worked, minimum ~3 years). Benefit is tax-free — no PAYE is deducted from UIF payments.
How UIF maternity benefit works
The Department of Labour calculates your daily UIF benefit using the Income Replacement Rate (IRR) formula from Schedule 2 of the Unemployment Insurance Act:
Daily benefit = daily earnings × (IRR ÷ 100)
Daily earnings = monthly salary × 12 ÷ 365, capped at the UIF insurable earnings ceiling (R17 712/month). The benefit is paid directly from the UIF fund — not from your employer — for each calendar day of maternity leave.
Income replacement rates by salary
| Monthly gross | Daily earnings | IRR | Daily benefit | 121-day total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R5 000 | R164.38 | 50.6% | R83.16 | R10 062 |
| R10 000 | R328.77 | 43.6% | R143.19 | R17 326 |
| R17 712 | R582.31 | 38.7% | R225.49 | R27 284 |
| R25 000(capped) | R582.31 | 38.7% | R225.49 | R27 284 |
| R40 000(capped) | R582.31 | 38.7% | R225.49 | R27 284 |
Frequently asked questions
How much UIF do you get on maternity leave in South Africa?
UIF pays between 38% and 60% of your daily earnings (the income replacement rate, or IRR) for each day of maternity leave. Lower earners get a higher IRR — someone earning R10,000/month gets about 49% replaced, while someone at the R17 712/month UIF ceiling gets about 39%. The benefit is paid for the number of days you take leave, up to a maximum of 365 credit days.
How long can you take maternity leave in South Africa?
The BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Section 25) allows a minimum of 4 consecutive months (121 days) of maternity leave. You may take up to 6 weeks of leave before your expected date of delivery. UIF will pay for the duration of your leave, up to your credit days.
Does your employer have to pay you during maternity leave?
No — BCEA maternity leave is unpaid. Your employer is not legally required to top up your salary during maternity leave, though many choose to. Your income during maternity leave is the UIF maternity benefit. Some employers offer a contractual top-up to full or partial salary — check your employment contract.
How do UIF credits work for maternity leave?
You accumulate 1 credit day for every 5 days worked (while contributing to UIF). To take the full 121-day benefit, you need at least 605 working days (about 2.3 years) of UIF contributions. Credits are also used for unemployment and illness benefits, so prior claims reduce available credit.
Is UIF maternity benefit taxed?
No — UIF benefits are exempt from income tax in South Africa (Income Tax Act s10(1)(u)). You receive the full benefit without PAYE deductions. This is one area where the replacement rate in your bank account is slightly better than it appears on paper.
What is the UIF earnings ceiling for maternity leave?
The UIF insurable earnings ceiling is R17 712/month. If you earn more than this, your benefit is calculated as if you earned exactly R17 712/month — the ceiling caps both your UIF contribution and your benefit calculation.
Related tools
UIF calculator →
Unemployment benefit amount and duration
Salary hub →
All salary, tax, and deduction calculators
Salary calculator →
Full PAYE, UIF contribution, and take-home pay
Retrenchment calculator →
Severance, notice, and leave payout
Pro-rata salary calculator →
Partial month pay when starting or leaving
Minimum wage →
National minimum wage rates for 2026
Read next
All guides →Free Alternatives to the Sage South Africa Payroll Calculator
Free alternatives to Sage for South African payroll: a no-sign-up PAYE calculator for employees, plus free payroll software options for small employers.
Read guideTop Salary and Tax Calculators for South Africa in 2026
Six SA salary and tax calculators compared by use case — payslip checks, bonus tax and tax return filing, checked against the 2026/27 SARS tables.
Read guideHow to Calculate PAYE and UIF for a South African Employee in 2026
Apply the 2026/27 SARS tax tables to taxable income, subtract rebates and medical aid credits, then calculate UIF at 1% of capped remuneration.
Read guide