...In this section_ Introduction Sickness Benefits Maternity Grant/Benefit Unemployment Benefit Employment Injury Funeral Grant Survivors' Grant/Pension Non-contributory Old Age Pension Old Age Contributory Grant/Pension Invalidity Grant/Benefit      Related links

To qualify for a grant you must:

1. be under the pensionable age
2. be permanently incapable of working because of a specific disease or bodily or mental disablement
3. have at least 50 contributions paid or credited to your account. To qualify for a pension, in addition to the first two requirements above, you need to have at least 150 contributions paid to your account.

How is the grant worked out?

It's a lump sum equal to 6 weeks' average insurable weekly earnings for each 50 contributions paid or credited to your account.

How is the pension calculated?

The annual rate is 40% of your average annual insurable earnings. It is supplemented by 1% of the total insurable earnings on which contributions were based subsequent to the first 500 contributions paid or credited, but subject to a maximum of 60% of average annual insurable earnings, and a minimum pension of $170 a week.

How long does the pension last?

As long as your period of invalidity. But if invalidity continues until you reach pensionable age your pension is converted into an Old Age Contributory Pension of an equal amount.

For more information download the NIS Guide to Benefits booklet which you can view in Adobe Acrobat. If you don't have Acrobat, click here to download it.

Have more questions or need to clearly understand the terms used? Take a look through the FAQ or the Glossary in the Information Zone.