What is C19 TERS?
The State of National Disaster declared by the South African government, and the National Lockdown that was enforced, meant that many people were not able to go to work. It also meant that many businesses stopped operating, which impacted people’s income. In response the National Lockdown, the SA government, through the Department of Labour, set up the COVID-19 Temporary Employee / Employer Scheme (C19 TERS) for the period of March 2020 to 15 March 2021 to assist employers. The C19 TERS benefit pays a limited portion of the salaries of employees where the employer had to close operations (completely or partially) due to the lockdown.
What UIF TERS ‘Bank Error’ Codes Mean
This communication is to inform you that your bank details cannot be verified, and that urgent attention is
required to ensure accurate information is provided for validation processing.
We humbly request that those practitioners who have been retained to assist employers, share this
correspondence with the employers directly so that they remain updated and can take the appropriate actions
required, where necessary. The attached guide includes information to assist with updated bank information
accurately on the TERS portal. Please pay close attention & complete the process accurately to avoid delay.
ACCOUNT INFORMATION PROVIDED CANNOT BE VERIFIED
The UIF has attempted to verify your banking details via our service provider on multiple occasions but the
account cannot be verified due to inaccurate or insufficient information captured on the TERS portal.
Common reasons an account cannot be verified include:
Branch code is incorrect
Account number is incorrect
Bank name, account number or entity registration number has been provided in “Bank Profile Name”
field instead of the legal name of the entity as was used to open the bank account
Users are requested to take extra care when capturing information to ensure there are no spelling/typing errors
Unless you provide accurate and complete banking details, verification cannot be conducted, and the
UIF will be unable to make any TERS payments
We request that you visit your bank to investigate your account information and to seek guidance on what the
right information is, that should be captured into the TERS portal, such that it would pass either an automated
or manual bank verification process.
Alternatively, you have the option to update the TERS portal with the banking details of an alternative, verifiable
bank account for the entity.
How to Fix UIF TERS Error 77
Step 1: Verify Your Banking Details
Check:
- Account number
- Branch code
- Bank name
- Account type
Ensure everything is correct.
Step 2: Ensure Account Is in Your Name
The Unemployment Insurance Fund usually rejects:
- Family member accounts
- Friend accounts
- Business accounts (for employee claims)
Step 3: Compare Your Names Carefully
Your:
- Bank account name
- ID name
- UIF records
must match exactly.
Step 4: Update Banking Details on UIF System
If details are incorrect:
- Log into uFiling
- Update banking information
- Resubmit details
Step 5: Submit Supporting Banking Documents
UIF may request:
- Bank statement
- Stamped bank letter
Proof of account ownership
Step 6: Contact Your Bank
Ask your bank to confirm:
- Account is active
- Account can receive EFT payments
- Verification details match your ID
Step 7: Contact UIF Support
If Error 77 continues:
- Contact UIF support
- Visit labour centre
- Request manual banking verification


