Definition

SSS adopts the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of disability as ”any restriction or lack (resulting from impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being”.

Disability Benefit is a cash benefit granted either as a monthly pension or lump sum amount to a member who becomes permanently disabled, either totally or partially.

Qualifying Conditions

A member who suffers from partial or permanent total disability, with at least one (1) monthly contribution paid to the SSS prior to the semester of contingency, may qualify to the benefit.

Permanent Partial Disabilities – a complete and permanent loss o r use of any of the following body parts:

• One thumb
• One index finger
• One middle finger
• One ring finger
• One little finger
• One big toe
• One hand
• One arm
• One foot
• One leg
• One ear
• Both ears
• Hearing of one ear
• Hearing of both ears
• Sight of one eye

Removal of the following female generative organs are also considered permanent partial disabilities, provided that the female member must be below 45 years old at the time of operation to be entitled to any award (Per SSC Res#1433):

• Loss of uterus alone
• Loss of uterus and one ovary
• Loss of uterus and both ovaries
• Loss of one ovary
• Loss of both ovaries

Permanent Total Disabilities – a complete and permanent loss of the following:

• Complete loss of sight of both eyes
• Loss of two limbs at or above the ankles or wrists
• Permanent complete paralysis of two limbs
• Brain injury resulting to incurable imbecility or insanity
• Such cases as determined and approved by the SSS

Benefit Details

Types of Disability Benefit

1. Monthly Pension – It is a cash benefit paid to a disabled member who has paid at least 36 monthly contributions to the SSS prior to the semester of disability.
2. Lump sum amount – Lump sum amount is granted to members who have not met the required 36 monthly contributions to qualify for pension. If the disability benefit is assessed as payable for less than 12 months, it is also given in lump sum.

Monthly Pension

The amount of the monthly pension will be based on the member’s number of paid contributions, monthly salary credit and the years of membership prior to the semester of contingency. 

The minimum monthly disability pension is P1,000 for members with less than 10 credited years of service (CYS); P1,200 if with at least 10 CYS and P2, 400 if with at least 20 CYS.

Benefit Payment

The disability benefit shall be mandatorily disbursed through the qualified payee’s Unified Multi-purpose Identification (UMID) card enrolled as Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card. In the absence of this, payment shall be made thru the Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet), electronic wallets (E-Wallets), or accredited remittance transfer companies (RTCs)/cash payout outlets (CPOs).

Hence, qualified payees shall be required to enroll the following details in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) and upload a proof of account (POA), government-issued ID card/document in JPEG or PDF format, and selfie photo holding the ID card/document and the uploaded POA of the disbursement account being enrolled in the My.SSS Facility in the SSS website:

See also How to enroll an account in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module

Members shall be notified by SSS thru email or SMS upon crediting of their disability benefit claims to their PESONet bank/E-wallet accounts, or if payment is already available through RTCs/CPOs. Member may also view the status of the disbursement through the Inquiry Module of the My.SSS account.

Crediting of benefit payments shall be made within five (5) to seven (7) banking days from date of settlement of the claim.  

However, in case of unsuccessful crediting of the benefit to the enrolled disbursement account of the member, the member shall be required to update details of his/her existing disbursement account information or enroll a new disbursement account in the DAEM and shall request re-disbursement of the disability benefits through the Benefit Re-disbursement Module in the member’s My.SSS account. For representative payee, the request for re-disbursement of disability benefit shall be submitted OTC at any SSS branch office.

See also How to request for Benefit Re-disbursement

Lump Sum Amount

There are two basic formula for calculating the lump sum amount. 

For permanent total disability, the lump sum benefit is equivalent to the monthly pension multiplied by the number of monthly contributions paid to the SSS prior to the semester of contingency, or twelve (12) times the monthly pension, whichever is higher.

For permanent partial disability, the lump sum is equivalent to the monthly pension multiplied by the number of monthly contributions, prior to the semester of contingency, multiplied by the percentage of disability in relation to the whole body; or the monthly pension times 12 times the percentage of disability, whichever is higher. 

For example, the Member’s degree of disability is determined to be 20% of the body and the number of contributions paid by the Member is equivalent to 24 months prior to the semester of contingency:

1. P1,000 (monthly pension) x 24 (monthly contributions) x 20% (percentage of disability) = P4,800; or
2. P1,000 (monthly pension) x 12 x 20% (percentage of disability) = P2,400 

The lump sum benefit to be given to the Member would be P4,800, which is the higher amount based on the two computations

Other benefits

Aside from the monthly pension, a disability benefit pensioner also receives a P1,000 additional benefit starting January 2017. This is on top of the P500 supplemental disability allowance paid to the total or partial disability pensioners to provide additional financial assistance to meet the extra needs arising from his disability.

A total disability pensioner is also entitled to a 13th month pension payable every December. For a partial disability pensioner, 13th month pension shall be paid provided that the pension duration is at least twelve (12) months. 

Dependent’s Pension

The dependent legitimate, legitimated, legally adopted and illegitimate children, conceived on or before the date of contingency of a total disability pensioner shall each receive a dependent’s pension equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the member’s monthly pension, or P250, whichever is higher. 

Only five (5) minor children, beginning from the youngest, are entitled to the dependent’s pension. No substitution is allowed. Where there are legitimate and illegitimate minor children, the legitimate, legitimated or legally adopted ones shall be preferred. 

On the other hand, the dependent children of a member receiving pensions due to partial disability are not entitled to the dependent’s pension. 

The dependent’s pension stops when the child reaches 21 years of age, gets married, gets employed, or dies. However, the dependent’s pension may be granted for life to a child over 21 years old, is incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to physical or mental disability which is congenital in nature or acquired during age of minority. 

NOTE: 

• In case of re-employment, resumption of self-employment, recovery from permanent total disability, or failure to present self for examination even after receiving notice from SSS:

The monthly pension of the member and the dependent’s pension shall be cancelled upon the re-employment or resumption of self-employment or the recovery of the disabled member from permanent total disability and shall be suspended for failure of the member to present oneself for examination at least once a year under the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) Program.

See also How to Comply to ACOP

• In case of death of a disability pensioner

Upon the death of the permanent total disability pensioner, the primary beneficiaries as of the date of disability, shall be entitled to 100 percent of the monthly pension and the dependents to the dependent’s pension, excluding the supplemental allowance.

If the totally disabled pensioner has no primary beneficiaries and dies within sixty (60) months from the start of the monthly pension, the secondary beneficiaries shall be entitled to a lump sum benefit equivalent to the total monthly pensions corresponding to the balance of the five-year guaranteed period excluding the supplemental allowance.

In case of a member who is on partial disability pension retire or die, his disability pension shall cease once the disability period approved by SSS based on the degree of his disability has been consumed or upon his retirement or death.

How to Apply

BASIC DOCUMENTS

1. Disability Claim Application (DisCA) Form (downloadable at www.sss.gov.ph)
2. Member’s/Claimant’s Photo and Signature Form (provided by the SSS Branch for initial claims only)
3. SSS Medical Certificate Form accomplished by attending physician within six (6) months from the date of filing of claim
4. Supporting medical records (certified true copy)
5. Member or Filer’s SS card or other valid ID cards/documents such as:

Primary ID cards/documents

1. 1. Social Security (SS) card
   2. Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID) card
   3. Valid Passport
   4. Driver’s License
   5. Voter’s ID
   6. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
   7. Postal ID
   8. National ID
   9. Any government-issued ID cards/documents

Other Supporting Documents:

Important Reminders:

1. Disability Claim applications may be filed through the member’s representative to the nearest SSS branch due to the following conditions:

• •   Member is either wheelchair-borne, in respiratory distress, with IV fluid or other debilitating conditions; or
  •   Member is confined in an institution such as hospital, correctional institution, penitentiary, rehabilitation center; or
  •   Member is residing abroad.

2. The SSS Medical Specialist may require the submission of additional medical records/documents necessary for the evaluation of the claim.

Where and when to file

Application for disability benefit must be filed at any SSS branch within ten (10) years from the occurrence of Disability. In cases where the Medical Specialist is not available due to unforeseen events, or there is no permanently assigned Medical Specialist in the branch, the Senior Clerk/Junior Nurse shall receive and screen the claim application, and advice the member/representative to verify the status of the claim online. The Medical Specialist may conduct further verification and physical examination through Medical Fieldwork Service.

In the meantime, and in consideration of the Alert Level status of the community in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, applications for Disability Benefit may be filed via Dropbox in all SSS branches nationwide. All documents and valid IDs must be photocopied and submitted in an enclosed envelope with the member’s complete name and contact details written outside. A notice will be sent to the provided contact information upon evaluation of the submitted application.