The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has outlined who can claim a member’s savings if they die without a spouse or children, explaining how the benefits are handled when the immediate family is not available.
According to the Fund, the savings can still be claimed by eligible relatives, even when the deceased had no spouse or children.
NSSF says a surviving husband or wife is the first to qualify for the benefits. The deceased member’s children can also inherit the savings regardless of their age or gender, where the spouse is no longer alive.
However, if the member dies without a spouse or children, their parents become eligible to claim the money.
Where both parents are deceased, the member’s brothers or sisters can claim the benefits.
“The parents of the deceased qualify if they had no spouse or children. Brothers or sisters, where the deceased was single, had no children and both parents are deceased,” the Fund stated.
Who Can Claim the Money if Relatives Are Unavailable?
NSSF has also explained the options available when the listed categories of beneficiaries cannot claim the savings.
A guardian can apply for benefits on behalf of a deceased member’s children who are minors.
The Fund also allows an applicant holding Letters of Administration to claim the benefits where all the categories of dependants have been exhausted.
Documents Needed to Claim NSSF Savings
People seeking to claim the savings of a deceased relative must provide the required documents to support their application.
NSSF requires the original death certificate and a photocopy of the deceased member’s national identity card.
Applicants must also present their own identification documents, including a national ID card or passport.
They are further required to obtain a letter from the County Administration confirming the deceased member’s dependants.
The deceased person’s NSSF membership number must also be provided to help the Fund process the claim.
Once the documents have been submitted, applicants are issued with the relevant application forms and guided through the remaining steps.
NSSF says benefits are processed within 15 working days after it receives a complete application with all the required documents.
