A person who legally adopts a child less than 2 years old and who leaves work to look after that child, can now claim adoption benefits from the Fund from the date of adoption.

Only one of the adopting parents can apply for benefits.

Benefits are paid from the date on which the Court grants an order for adoption. To get adoption benefits the employee must satisfy the following conditions:

• The employee has been contributing to the fund and money has been deducted from his/her salary for uif every month
• The child must be adopted in terms of the child care act of 1983
• The period not working must be spent caring for the child
• The adopted child must be below 2 years old
• The claim for benefits must be made within 6 months of the order of adoption being issued
• The claim must be made on the proper form.

If the employee has been paid by the employer during the period when he or she is off caring for the adopted child, then the benefits paid by the Fund will be the difference between what the employer paid and the benefit that the employee would have been entitled to.