First and current law: 1959 (amended 1976).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 46 pounds.
Employees in industry and commerce, and agricultural workers.
Exclusions: Domestic servants, temporary and casual employees, and family labor. Special system for public employees.
Insured person: 7% of earnings (plus optional 1% of wages toward disability benefit for employees who choose to participate in program providing lump-sum benefits for partial and total disability, or death).
Employer: 14% of payroll.
Government: None.
Old-age pension: Age 60 with 180 months of contribution, or age 55 with 240 months. Pension reduced by excess of pension plus current earnings over prior earnings or 500 pounds per month, whichever is greater. Payments abroad discretionary with Social Insurance Institute.
Disability pension: Loss of at least 80% of working capacity.
Contributions throughout last 12 months, or for total of 24 months including the last 3 months.
Disability benefit: Disability exceeds 35% for insured who selected additional benefit.
Survivor pension: Deceased met contribution conditions for disability pension or was pensioner at death.
Old-age pension: 2.22% of average earnings during last 2 years (or 5 successive years in the last 10 if higher), times years of service.
Minimum pension: 419 pounds a month. Maximum, 3,450 pounds a month, or 75% of earnings if less.
Old-age settlement: 11% to 15% of total covered earnings, if ineligible for pension.
Disability pension: 40% of average earnings during last 2 years, or during period of contribution, if shorter.
Minimum pension: 419 pounds a month.
Temporary disability pension: Minimum, 343 pounds a month, plus 25 pounds for each dependent.
Disability benefit: Lump sum equal to 50% of last year's wages of insured. Additional 50% if totally disabled as a result of employment accident.
Survivor pension: 37.5% of disability pension of insured. Payable to unemployed widow at any age or disabled widower.
Orphans: 25% of pension for 1st orphan under age 21 (24 if disabled), or 37.5% if full orphan; 12.5% for 2nd orphan.
Parents: 12.5% of pension each.
Maximum survivor pensions: 75% of disability pension. Minimum, 400 pounds a month for widows, 96 pounds each for other survivors.
Death benefit: Lump sum equal to 100% of last year's wages of insured, payable to survivor. Additional 50% if death caused by employment accident.
Funeral grant: Lump sum of 1 month's earnings; maximum, 100 pounds.
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, general supervision.
Social Insurance Institute, administration of program through regional and district offices; managed by tripartite council and director-general.
First law: 1946.
Current law: 1959 (amended 1976).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Employees in industry, commerce, and agriculture, municipal workers, and public employees. Exclusion: Domestic servants.
Insured person: None.
Employer: 3% of payroll.
Government: None.
Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Temporary disability benefit: 80% of earnings during first month; thereafter, 100% of earnings. Minimum benefit: 2,000 pounds a month. Payable from 1st day after injury for up to 12 months.
Permanent disability pension: 75% of the average monthly wage in previous year, if 80% or more disabled.
Minimum pension: 458 pounds a month.
Partial disability: Percent of full pension proportionate to degree of disability if latter 35% to 79%. Lump sum of 1 year's partial pension if disability less than 35%.
Medical benefits: General and specialist care, surgery, hospitalization, drugs, X-rays, appliances, and rehabilitation.
Survivor pension: 75% of last year's wage of insured, divided among eligible survivors. Minimum pension: 400 pounds a month for widows, 96 pounds each for other survivors.
Pension divided 1/2 for widow and 1/2 for orphans; or if dependent parent, 1/5 to parent, 2/5 to widow, and 2/5 to orphans.
Funeral grant: Lump sum of 1 month's earnings; minimum, 80 pounds.
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, general supervision.
Social Insurance Institute, administration of contributions and benefits.
Please note: This information is more than 4 years old.