False Statements and Information
Claimants should be aware that any person who for the purpose of obtaining any benefit or other payment under the Act, whether for himself/herself or for some other person, or for any other purpose connected with the Act, knowingly makes any false statement that they are liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
Every benefit has qualifying conditions that need to be met. You can get detailed information on each benefit on this web site or in brochures available at Social Security.
TIME TO FILE CLAIM
The claimant and not the employer is responsible to submit a benefit claim to Social Security.
The claimant is advised to submit claim within the four day required timeline. Failure to comply might result in portions of the benefit being disqualified.
Thereafter the claimant must submit the claim with the required documentation within one month for the claim to be considered at the time.
Subject to meeting the required qualifying conditions a completed sickness and injury claim that is submitted within the required deadline will be paid within two and half working days.
BENEFITS IN BRIEF
Contributors of the scheme, retired or still working hard, we all need to know that whatever life brings, we will be prepared. Cash benefits are intended to partially compensate for loss of wages when you are unable to work or to the beneficiaries of the deceased contributor.
1. Sickness Benefit
This benefit is paid for a maximum of 273 days, including Sundays in any continuous period, once you are medically certified as being unable to work. It is paid weekly from the first day of illness as shown on the medical certificate.
2. Maternity Benefit
(A) Maternity Allowance
This benefit is paid to an insured woman when on maternity leave. The allowance is paid for a maximum of 14 weeks, but not earlier than 7 weeks before the expected date of childbirth.
(B) Maternity Grant
This grant is payable to an insured woman or to an insured man if his wife (including common law) has given birth, and she is not entitled to the maternity benefit.
3. Retirement Benefit
(A) Retirement Pension
This benefit may be payable between ages 60 to 64 if you retire from insurable employment, or at age 65 whether you retire or not.
(B) Retirement Grant
If you don't qualify for a Retirement Pension, then you may receive a one-time Retirement Grant.
4. Invalidity Benefit
(A) Invalidity Pension
This benefit is paid to an insured contributor who has been medically certified by a Medical Board appointed by Social Security, to be unable to work due to a specific disease which is likely to be permanent, and who has been sick for not less than 13 consecutive weeks immediately before the week in which the benefit is claimed. This benefit is payable up to age 60 and then is converted to Retirement. The claimant is paid the higher of the two pensions.
(B) Invalidity Grant
This benefit is payable to an invalid person who has been medically certified by a Medical Board appointed by SSB, does not qualify for an Invalidity Pension, but who has paid a minimum of 26 contributions.
5. Survivors Benefit
(A) Survivor's Pension
The Survivor's Benefit is paid upon death by natural cause of an insured contributor. This benefit may be payable to the qualifying survivors.
(B) Survivors' Grant
If a pension is not awarded because the insured contributor was not entitled to either a retirement or an invalidity pension at the time of death, but he or she had at least 26 paid contributions, then a grant is payable to the survivors.
6. Funeral Grant (for death by natural cause)
A funeral grant may be paid in the event of the death of an insured contributor or his/her spouse or children, on presentation of the documents required.
7. Injury Benefit
This benefit is payable to insured contributors who are injured on the job or while going from home to work or from work to home, or develop PRESCRIBED DISEASES as per the Third Schedule of the Social Security Act. The insurable worker is covered from the first day on the job. If needed, the following benefits are also payable to insured contributors under provisions of the Injury Benefit: Cash Benefit, Medical Care, Disablement Benefit or Grant, Constant Attendance Allowance, Funeral Grant (Death caused by Employment Injury) and Death Benefit.
8. Medical Care
If you receive an employment injury (work-related accident or prescribed disease), full medical care is paid for by Social Security provided that prior approval is obtained from Social Security. Injured insured contributor have a choice of receiving medical treatment from approved medical providers. Medical treatment abroad is also provided if the necessary treatment is not available in Belize. Expenses for medical treatment obtained abroad without approval from Social Security may not be refunded. The employer is responsible to take the injured employee to an approved general practitioner as soon as the accident occurs.
9. Disablement Benefit
(A) Disablement Pension
If you are injured on the job or while going from home to work or from work to home, or develop a disease and subsequently you are assessed by a Medical Board at 25% disabled or more, you may qualify for a Disablement Pension.
(B) Disablement Grant
If you are assessed by a Medical Board at less than 25% disabled, you will receive a Disablement Grant in the form of a lump sum payment.
10. Constant Attendance Allowance
If you require the assistance of someone to attend to your daily care because you have been assessed to be 100% disabled as a result of an Employment Injury, by a medical board, your Disablement Pension will be increased by 25%; this extra benefit is called Constant Attendance Allowance.
11. Funeral Grant (for death caused by employment injury)
This Benefit is payable to the spouse or person bearing the expenses of the funeral of the deceased insured contributor, who died as a result of an employment injury. The amount of Funeral Grant payable is $1,500.
12. Death Benefit (benefit for survivors)
This pension benefit is paid to survivors of a deceased insured contributor who died as a result of Employment Injury (work-related accident or prescribed disease). Survivors may include spouse, children up to 16, or up to 21 years of age if attending full time education, or parents of the deceased if there is no surviving spouse or children.