SOCSO Benefits Explained 2026: Employment Injury Scheme, Invalidity Scheme, Survivors' Pension, and All PERKESO Protections

A construction worker in Kuala Lumpur falls from scaffolding and fractures his spine. He survives, but he cannot return to his previous job. His employer tells him SOCSO's Employment Injury Scheme covers his medical bills and provides a monthly benefit while he is unable to work — but he does not know the benefit amount, how long it lasts, or what else he is entitled to. His family's financial survival depends on understanding what SOCSO actually pays.

SOCSO (PERKESO) provides two benefit schemes — Employment Injury Scheme and Invalidity Scheme — and within each scheme are multiple benefit types: medical treatment, temporary disablement payments, permanent disablement lump sums or pensions, dependants' benefits, survivors' pensions, funeral benefits, and physical or vocational rehabilitation.

This guide catalogues every SOCSO benefit available in 2026, with the eligibility conditions, benefit amounts, and duration for each. For how to file each claim, see our SOCSO claim process guide .

Part of the SOCSO (PERKESO) Malaysia 2026 Guide — employer & employee contribution rates, benefits, claims, and compliance all in one place.

At a Glance — SOCSO Benefits

• Employment Injury Scheme: Medical treatment (unlimited), temporary disablement (80% of daily wage), permanent disablement (monthly pension or lump sum), dependants' benefit (monthly pension to family), funeral benefit (RM2,000), rehabilitation
• Invalidity Scheme: Invalidity pension (65% of average monthly wage for any-cause permanent disability), survivors' pension (to dependants on death from any cause), invalidity grant (lump sum if contribution condition not met), funeral benefit
• Key eligibility: At least 24 months of SOCSO contributions for Invalidity Scheme claims; no minimum contribution period for Employment Injury claims
• Ceiling: Benefits calculated on insured wage capped at RM5,000/month

SOCSO Benefit Structure Overview

SOCSO provides protection through two main schemes, each containing multiple benefit types:

The Employment Injury Scheme covers workplace accidents, commuting accidents, and occupational diseases. The Invalidity Scheme covers invalidity or death from any cause, not just workplace-related incidents — it is essentially a 24-hour insurance.

Employment Injury Scheme Benefits

The Employment Injury Scheme activates when an employee suffers an injury arising out of and in the course of employment, or contracts an occupational disease specified in the Fifth Schedule of the Employees' Social Security Act 1969. A commuting accident — an accident occurring on the direct route between home and work — also qualifies.

1. Medical Treatment Benefit

What it covers: All necessary medical treatment related to the work injury or occupational disease. This includes GP visits, specialist consultations, hospitalisation, surgery, medication, physiotherapy, and medical devices.

How it works: The employee seeks treatment at any SOCSO-registered clinic or hospital. SOCSO pays the provider directly — the employee does not pay and claim reimbursement. For treatment at a non-registered provider, the employee pays first and claims reimbursement, but pre-authorisation from SOCSO is required.

Duration: For as long as the work-related condition requires medical treatment. There is no time limit or cost cap, provided the treatment is deemed necessary by a SOCSO medical assessor.

2. Temporary Disablement Benefit (TDB)

What it covers: A daily cash payment when the employee is temporarily unable to work due to a work injury or occupational disease. This is equivalent to sick leave pay, paid by SOCSO rather than the employer.

How much: 80% of the employee's average daily wage, subject to a minimum of RM30 per day and a maximum insured wage of RM5,000 per month.

Daily rate calculation: (Monthly wage ÷ 30) × 80%.

For an employee earning RM3,000 per month:

• Daily wage: RM3,000 ÷ 30 = RM100
• TDB rate: RM100 × 80% = RM80 per day

Duration: From the day the employee becomes unable to work until they recover, are certified as permanently disabled, or the benefit has been paid for a continuous period where further improvement is deemed unlikely. TDB is paid for the entire period of certified temporary incapacity, including public holidays and weekends.

Important: The employer is legally required to pay the employee's full salary for the day of the accident itself. SOCSO TDB payments begin from the day after the accident.

3. Permanent Disablement Benefit (PDB)

What it covers: Compensation when a work injury or occupational disease results in permanent disability — either total (100% loss of earning capacity) or partial (a specified percentage).

How much: For total permanent disablement, the benefit is 90% of the average daily wage, paid as a monthly pension for life.

For partial permanent disablement, the benefit equals the total disablement rate multiplied by the assessed disability percentage. Loss of a thumb is typically assessed at 14% of total disability. Loss of an index finger at 8%.

Pension or lump sum? If the assessed disability is 20% or above, the benefit is paid as a lifelong monthly pension, with the option to commute up to 20% of the pension value into a lump sum. If the assessed disability is below 20%, the benefit is paid as a one-time lump sum.

4. Dependants' Benefit

What it covers: A monthly pension paid to the dependants of an employee who dies from a work injury or occupational disease.

Who qualifies as a dependant: The spouse (widow or widower), children under 21 (or under 24 if in full-time education), and in the absence of a spouse or children, the parents or other dependant relatives who were financially dependent on the deceased.

How much: 90% of the deceased employee's average daily wage, paid monthly and distributed among the dependants according to the proportions set out in the Act. The widow or widower receives 60% of the dependants' benefit, and the children share the remaining 40%.

Duration: The spouse's pension is for life or until remarriage (a lump-sum termination payment applies on remarriage). Children's pensions continue until age 21, or 24 if in full-time education.

5. Funeral Benefit

A one-time payment of RM2,000 to the person who bears the funeral expenses when an insured employee dies from a work injury or occupational disease. This is paid in addition to the dependants' benefit.

6. Physical and Vocational Rehabilitation

SOCSO provides rehabilitation services — physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics, and vocational retraining — to help injured employees return to work. This includes the SOCSO Rehabilitation Centre in Melaka and a network of contracted rehabilitation providers. Transportation to rehabilitation appointments is also covered.

Invalidity Scheme Benefits

The Invalidity Scheme covers insured employees under 60 who become invalid (unable to earn at least one-third of their previous earning capacity) from any cause — not just workplace incidents. It also covers death from any cause.

1. Invalidity Pension (Pencen Ilat)

What it covers: A monthly pension when an insured employee under 60 becomes permanently unable to work due to a serious illness or condition of any cause — cancer, heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, mental illness — not just workplace accidents.

Eligibility conditions:

• The employee must be under 60 at the time of invalidity
• The employee must have contributed for at least 24 months (or at least two-thirds of the months since first employment, whichever is lower)
• The invalidity must be certified by a SOCSO Medical Board

How much: 65% of the average monthly wage, with a minimum monthly pension of RM475. For an employee whose average monthly wage was RM2,500, the invalidity pension is RM2,500 × 65% = RM1,625 per month.

Duration: For as long as the invalidity persists, or until age 60 when the benefit transitions from Invalidity Pension to an Old Age equivalent.

2. Invalidity Grant (Bantuan Ilat)

What it covers: A one-off lump sum payment when the employee does not meet the contribution requirement for the full invalidity pension but has contributed for at least 12 months.

The grant is a lump-sum payment calculated as a percentage of the contributions paid, designed to provide some benefit to employees who become invalid before qualifying for the full pension.

3. Survivors' Pension (Pencen Penakat)

What it covers: A monthly pension to the dependants when an insured employee dies from any cause — not just workplace-related — and had met the contribution condition (at least 24 months of contributions, or at least two-thirds of the months since first employment).

This is distinct from the Dependants' Benefit under the Employment Injury Scheme. The Survivors' Pension covers death from any cause; the Dependants' Benefit covers only workplace-related deaths.

How much: 65% of the deceased's average monthly wage, distributed among the surviving dependants — spouse and children — in the same proportions as the Dependants' Benefit.

Duration: Spouse's pension is for life or until remarriage. Children's pension until age 21 (or 24 if studying).

4. Funeral Benefit (Invalidity Scheme)

The same RM2,000 funeral benefit applies when an insured person dies from a non-work-related cause, paid under the Invalidity Scheme.

5. Rehabilitation Benefit (Invalidity Scheme)

Invalidity pension recipients are also eligible for SOCSO rehabilitation services — physical and vocational — to help them regain earning capacity and, where possible, return to work.

How SOCSO Benefits Interact with Other Entitlements

SOCSO vs employer sick leave

An employee who is injured at work and is on medical leave receives SOCSO Temporary Disablement Benefit. The employer is not required to pay full salary during this period (except for the day of the accident itself). However, many employers continue paying full salary and claim the SOCSO TDB as reimbursement — but this requires a written agreement or policy.

SOCSO vs EPF

An employee receiving SOCSO benefits continues to have EPF contributions if the employer continues to pay salary. If the employee is only receiving SOCSO benefits (and no employer salary), EPF contributions cease. SOCSO benefits themselves are not subject to EPF.

SOCSO vs EIS

EIS (Employment Insurance System) covers retrenchment and job loss. If an employee is retrenched and also has a SOCSO-covered injury or invalidity, the two systems are independent — the employee may qualify for benefits from both.

FAQ

Can I claim SOCSO benefits for a work injury that happened years ago but still causes problems?

Yes, provided the current condition is medically linked to the original work injury and the claim was properly documented at the time. A back injury sustained in 2018 that causes chronic pain in 2026 can still be the basis for benefits if the causal link is established and the employer reported the original incident.

What if my employer did not register me with SOCSO?

The employer is legally required to register all eligible employees with SOCSO. If you are not registered and suffer a work injury, SOCSO may still cover you if it can be established that you were in fact an employee at the time. Report the situation to PERKESO immediately — they can pursue the employer for backdated registration and contributions.

Are gig workers and freelancers covered by SOCSO?

Self-employed individuals can voluntarily contribute under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS). This provides Employment Injury Scheme coverage — it covers workplace accidents and occupational diseases but not the Invalidity Scheme. See our SKSPS guide for details.

Is there a maximum SOCSO benefit payout?

SOCSO benefits are calculated based on the insured wage, which is capped at RM5,000 per month. An employee earning RM10,000 still has their benefits calculated on RM5,000. The minimum benefit amounts are also specified — for invalidity pension, the floor is RM475 per month.

Can a foreign worker's family claim SOCSO dependants' benefits if the worker dies in Malaysia?

Yes. SOCSO benefits for foreign workers are the same as for Malaysian workers. If a registered foreign worker dies from a work injury, their dependants — even if residing outside Malaysia — are entitled to the dependants' benefit. The practical challenge is documentation (translated marriage certificates, birth certificates for children), and the remittance of monthly pension payments to a foreign bank account. SOCSO's Foreign Workers Division handles these cases.

SOCSO benefits are statutory entitlements, not discretionary payments. If you meet the conditions, SOCSO must pay. The key is knowing which scheme covers your situation and filing the claim correctly and promptly — ideally within 48 hours of a workplace accident for Employment Injury claims.

To understand how SOCSO fits into your overall payroll picture, use the DuitTools salary calculator for a complete breakdown of EPF, SOCSO, EIS, and PCB on any salary level.