Social Security

Social security refers to protection measures or programs which are meant to promote the welfare of the population and protect against economic and social distress.

The social security scheme in Kenya is in the form of National Social security Fund (NSSF) and a health insurance scheme which is the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). The Government of Kenya has made the two schemes mandatory for all employers and employees. Self employed individuals may also subscribe to the schemes.

Under the schemes, members are able to access: retirement or age benefits, withdrawal benefits, survivor’s benefits, invalidity benefits, funeral grants and healthcare.

  • National Social Security FundEmployers are required to register with the NSSF per the NSSF Act. Once the registrar is certified that the the requirements have been been met, membership certificate and code is issued. The employer ought to remit the employees contributions to the fund using the code.
    All employees are required to be registered with NSSF per Sec 19 of the NSSF ACT. Self employed individuals are also given the option of registering with the Fund. A membership card is issued once the registration is successful. The self employed individuals are then supposed to submit monthly contributions to the fund while the employer does it for the employed.
  • Register as an employer
  • Register an employee or as an individual member
  • National Hospital Insurance FundIts a statutory requirement for all employers to register with NHIF and upon registration they are issued with an employers code. They are then obligated to submit their employee’s monthly contributions to NHIF using the employers code.
    NHIF registers all eligible members both employed and self employed and upon registration one is issued with NHIF membership card. For the employed the employer submits their monthly contributions while the self employed submits their contributions monthly. Membership is compulsory for the employed and voluntary for the self employed.
  • Register as an employer
  • Register an employee or as an individual member