KATHMANDU: The contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF) of Nepal has recorded more than 2.4 million contributors as of Sunday, August 3, 2025, according to the Fund’s latest data.
A total of 2,418,088 contributors are currently enrolled. Of these, 679,007 are from the formal sector, only 727 from the informal sector, and 444 from self-employment. The largest group, 1,809,010 contributors, are Nepali migrant workers abroad.
Since its inception, the Fund has collected Rs 88.13 billion, of which Rs 16.03 billion has already been disbursed as claims.
What is the Social Security Fund?
SSF Deputy Director Rohit Regmi describes the Fund as a comprehensive system to address all types of financial hardships faced by workers. Established six years ago, it allows workers from formal and informal sectors, migrant workers, self-employed individuals, and domestic workers to enroll.
While designed primarily for workers in sectors like manufacturing, brick kilns, and garment factories, the SSF procedure mandates compulsory registration for employees of banks, financial institutions, and various companies.
Under the scheme, workers contribute 11 percent of their monthly income via bank accounts, while employers add 20 percent, making a total monthly deposit of 31 percent of the worker’s basic salary into their SSF account.
According to Regmi, in just six years, the Fund has enrolled around 5% of Nepal’s total population, which he calls a significant achievement, though participation from the informal sector remains extremely low.
Regmi said the Fund’s core principle is solidarity: “The rich support the poor, the healthy support the less healthy, men support women, women support men, the young support the elderly, and the elderly support the young.”
The program aims to ensure income continuity during unemployment, provide medical care for illness, injury, or disability, cover maternity and childcare, and offer relief to dependent families in case of a breadwinner’s death. It also seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by building human capital and boosting future earning capacity. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals envision universal social protection by 2030.
Health and welfare benefits
The SSF offers four benefit schemes, two of which are health-related. The Medical, Health, and Maternity Protection Plan covers both OPD and IPD treatment costs, prescription medicine expenses, routine pregnancy check-ups, maternity costs for up to six weeks, and treatment for newborns up to three months. Under this plan, contributors can claim up to Rs 25,000 per fiscal year for OPD services, while IPD costs of up to Rs 100,000 per fiscal year are paid directly to hospitals.
Maternity leave provisions include 60 days of paid leave plus 60 percent of the monthly salary for up to 38 additional days. Contributors are also entitled to 12 days of sickness leave annually, with extended coverage of up to 79 days at 60 percent salary. For postnatal care, the Fund provides Rs 15,000 for newborns under three months.
The Accident and Disability Protection Plan covers all treatment costs for job-related accidents or occupational diseases. It also provides up to Rs 700,000 for non-work-related accidents and up to Rs 1 million for critical illnesses. In cases of temporary total disability, contributors receive 60 percent of their basic salary until they can return to work, while those with permanent total disability receive the same percentage of their basic salary for life.
According to SSF data, 112,128 contributors have claimed benefits under the health and maternity plan, with payouts totaling Rs 2.19 billion. Likewise, 6,024 contributors have claimed under the accident and disability plan, receiving Rs 2.10 billion.
The SSF’s daily report shows that 107 hospitals across Nepal are enrolled in the program. These include 24 in Koshi Province, 20 in Madhesh Province, 42 in Bagmati Province, 10 in Gandaki Province, nine in Lumbini Province, and two in Sudurpaschim Province. Karnali Province currently has no hospitals participating in the scheme.
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