Social security in Mauritius
There are various social security systems in Mauritius. In contrast to other African countries, the social security system is well developed. It is administered by the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Senior Citizens Welfare and Reform Institutions. Comprehensive security for all residents is sought in pension law. The support and pensions are increased annually in July at least to compensate for inflation. The Mauritian social security system offers, in relation to the average income, many better benefits than the “reformed” German one.
Public healthcare system
The population is treated free of charge in government-owned hospitals and medical practices. Statutory health insurance that collects contributions is therefore not necessary.
Education
The state school system of the primary and secondary level and also the university is free of charge.
Osh
Under the terms of the Labor Act of 1975, employees who have been employed for 12 months or more are entitled to 21 days of continued pay.
Maternity Protection
Expectant mothers who have been employed for at least 12 months are entitled to full wages six weeks before and after the birth. Those in need are cared for as part of the family allowances .
Work accidents, occupational disability
A first law regulating protection in the workplace was passed in 1931. The current law dates from 1976. The benefits are financed by the pension insurance.
All employees are insured unless they work exclusively on Sundays and public holidays. A casualty receives 100% of his wages from the company in the first two weeks of incapacity for work, then from pension insurance for a maximum of 36 months as a temporary disability benefit 80%. Medical treatment costs are fully covered, plus up to 4,000 MRs of private expenses.
Due to an accident at work, depending on the degree of disability, which is determined by the medical officer, with a GdB of 100%, eighty percent of the last salary. If permanent care is required, there is 342 MR for staff ( constant-attendance allowance ). In the case of minor disabilities, the pension is calculated using the formula: 65% of income times GdB. If the injured person is 52-60 years old, they can instead opt for a one-off payment that depends on the GdB. A one-off payment is always made if a disability of less than 20% is determined.
If an employee dies while working, a widow receives 50% of the wage; a widower 60%, but only if he is disabled himself. Orphans receive 7.5% of the wages of the higher-income parent until they are 15 (18 for students).
social care
Families in need (annual income below 10,000 MR) with more than three children received support in accordance with the provisions on family allowances of 1961. There was 50 MR. The better rates for (subordinate) social aid have been in effect since 2003 . Charitable organizations are also subsidized through the social assistance program .
Social assistance amounts to MR 690 each for the applicant and his or her spouse. Depending on their age, children receive MR 205-465 (disabled up to MR 690). Half of the rental costs, up to a max. 520 MR taken over. In the case of severe illness, supplements of up to 405 MR are possible. Funeral costs (one-time 2160 MR) and medical trips are covered. Social Aid recipients and unemployed people also receive a food aid grant of 50 MR. There is bad weather allowance for fishermen.
unemployment
Unemployment benefits were set out in the 1983 Unemployment Hardship Relief Act . They are fully tax financed, neither companies nor employees have to make contributions.
Persons who are able, seeking and willing to work and who have little or no additional income and who have been registered with the employment exchange for at least 30 days receive a hardship relief benefit of 220 MR. Married double. There is also a child allowance, which is 85-145 MR depending on age. Rental costs are covered at 50% up to a maximum of 170 MR.
Old-age pensions
In 1941 the governor appointed a Social Insurance Committee during colonial times . It proposed the introduction of a contributory old-age pension for the poor. The contributions, of 6 cents per working day, should each come from the government, the worker and the company. A first pension law was not passed until 1951. The income test was abolished in 1958 and pension expenditure that year reached 1% of GNP. The retirement age was also lowered to 60 for men in 1960. The pension amount of 22 MR set in 1958 remained unchanged until 1971.
The current pension law dates from 1976 ( National Pensions Act, in force July 1978). It introduced the income-related pension insurance based on compulsory contributions, which still exists today in parallel with the basic pension system.
The Ministry of Social Security, ... also controls the pension insurance. A National Pensions Board, made up of government, employee, and capital representatives, has an advisory role. The Treasury Department is responsible for investing the National Pensions Fund . There are separate pension funds for employees in the state sector. Adjusted for inflation, pensions rose 2.6-fold since the reform from 1976 to 2001.
Basic pension
All residents are entitled to a basic pension ( Universal Basic Pension ). Applicants between 60 and 90 years of age were subject to the means test until 1976 . The basic pension is tax financed, no contributions have to be paid. It is paid 13 times a year. All pensions are fully subject to income tax; due to the corresponding tax exemptions, only about 5% of pensioners pay income tax. Pensioners can use local public transport free of charge. The retirement age has been increased gradually over 10 years to 65 years since 2008.
Expectations
Nationals who are at least 60 years of age must have lived in Mauritius for twelve years since they turned 18. The residency qualification does not apply to applicants over 70. Foreign nationals must have lived in the country for at least 15 years since their 40th birthday, including the last three years before submitting the application. Employment after retirement is permitted. Payment abroad is only made if there is a corresponding agreement.
An increased pension ( enhanced basic old-age pension ) is paid to severely disabled, permanent care recipients and the blind. In 1999 these accounted for 11% of all pensioners and 39% of those over 80 years of age. Carers of the disabled (GdB at least 60) receive an expense allowance ( carer's allowance ) of 1330 MR. Residents of psychiatric hospitals and similar government-owned institutions, if they were entitled to a pension, received an inmate allowance of 325 MR.
Disability pension ( disability pension ) is paid to all 15- to 59-year-old citizens in the country or resident aliens who have medical officers have a disability of 60%, which will last a year at least to certify. Here, too, carers receive an expense allowance, parents of disabled children under 15 only if their income does not exceed 100,000 MR. The pension for permanently disabled persons is 1900 MR.
Widow's pensions are granted to women under 60. Non-nationals must have lived in Mauritius five in the past ten years. In the event of remarriage, the pension is suspended.
There is a child allowance for the first three children under 15 (pupils up to 20) of an EU pensioner or widow. Full orphans receive an orphan pension up to 15 (20 for pupils) of 1050 MR, their guardian receives a guardian allowance of 465 MR, but only for one child.
Pension amount
The basic pension level is around 18% of the national median income. The pension increases with age and is monthly (2014) for 60 to 69 year olds: 3623 MR, 70-89: 3623 MR, 90-99: 10789 MR, over 100: 12300 MR. Disabled people receive a supplement of 1270 MR. Pensioners whose annual income exceeds MR 208,000, if they are under 90, the rate is reduced to half. The child allowance is 615 MR for those under the age of 10 and 660 MR for older ones. Payment is made, without further ID verification, to the person who presents a corresponding authorization ID, which facilitates occasional fraud.
Contribution-financed pension
In principle, all citizens of Mauritius and all employees in the public or private sector who have reached the age of 18 have access to the contributory earnings-related pension ( social insurance ). For foreigners resident in the country, there is a 2-year waiting period for benefits. Casual and part-time workers are also included. Self-employed and freelancers can make voluntary contributions. There are also supplementary pension schemes for public sector employees and some private firms. The pension amount is calculated, similar to the German system, on the basis of the pension points acquired, the value of which is officially determined (2006: 1 point = 7.5 MR). The minimum pension is 320 MR. Company pensions , regulated by the Private Occupational Pension Scheme Act, are tax-privileged. The contribution-financed pension is paid in addition to the basic pension. The pension level of a skilled worker who has paid average contributions is around half the average income.
financing
The earnings-related pension is financed by contributions from employees (one third) in the amount of 3 to 5% of their monthly earnings, provided that the income exceeds 1095 MR (655 MR for domestic staff). Unemployed and self-employed can voluntarily pay 55-390 MR, they receive an additional 50% from the state treasury. The income threshold in 2006 was MR 8640. Firms pay a general rate of 6 to 8.5% of their wage bill (two thirds), which increases to 10½% for sugar processing companies. The company's contribution obligation is not tied to a minimum size or number of employees. In 2006 around 11,000 businesses paid almost 250,000 wage-related contributions.
Eligible
All 60-year-old insured persons are entitled, provided they have paid contributions in the previous year. A minimum contribution period is not necessary. Employees in the sugar sector can retire earlier with reduced performance (men: 55, women: 50). Disability pension is granted under the same conditions as for the basic pension.
Widows and orphans have entitlements similar to the conditions of the basic pension, but under certain conditions the benefits can also be transferred abroad. Orphans with orphans receive 15% of the deceased's pension. For widows up to 60, the pension depends on the average number of pension points earned; it is reduced by a third after 12 months if there are no children in the household. Widows over 60 receive 100% of the deceased's pension. If they marry again, the widow's pension will be discontinued, but they will receive a one-off payment of twelve monthly pensions.
Civil servants' pensions
As was the custom in British India , officials who had completed 33⅓ years of service were retired at ⅔ of their last salary when they were 50-60 years old, according to the rules of 1859. They do not have to make any contributions for their pensions. So-called "parastatals", e.g. B. Teachers in private schools were treated as civil servants. Since 1988 they too have had to pay 9% (3% themselves, 6% from the public purse) of their income as a contribution.
National Savings Fund
Public and private employers pay up to a certain limit 2.5% of wages to the National Savings Fund , whose funds are invested in accordance with the decisions of the Investment Committee, which consists of experts and employee representatives. Each of the approximately 350,000 contributors saves an individual pension.
Social housing
The home ownership rate in Mauritius is 85%, so there is little need for publicly subsidized housing. However, since 1988 about one-tenth of the amounts raised in the National Pension Fund have been made available for low-cost loans under the Housing Loan Scheme .
literature
- Abel-Smith, Brian; Lynes, Tony; Report on a National Pension Scheme for Mauritius, April, 1976; Government Printer
- Gopee, Ramesh; The adequacy of current social security benefits; International Social Security Association, Meeting of Directors of Social Security Organizations in English-Speaking Africa; Mahe, Seychelles, 3-6 October 2006
- Willmore, Larry; Universal pensions in Mauritius: Lessons for the rest of us; 4th International Research Conference on Social Security, Antwerp, 5-7 May 2003
- Social Security Programs Throughout the World ( SSPTW ): Africa, 2005, pp. 118-22
Individual evidence
- ↑ all figures as of 2005. 1 US $ = 28.24 MRs. (2005), 31.7 MR (2006). GNP (2003): US $ 4,200. Average income 2004: 12,100 MR pm
- ↑ Retirement age 65, maximum pension: 15 Rs. Maximum income 15 Rs. Monthly. 1953 (there were 19,000 pensioners) modified: women over 60, maximum pension 20, additional income 30 Rs.
- ↑ Willmore, Larry; Universal pensions in Mauritius: Lessons for the rest of us; 4th International Research Conference on Social Security, Antwerp, 5-7 May 2003
- ↑ 2002: 15% on the first 25,000 MR, then 25%; Willmore (2003)