Article 17 of the Saudi Social Security Law
المادة 17 من نظام الضمان الاجتماعي · الباب الثالث: آلية الاحتساب والاستحقاق
The article lists eight cases in which payment of the pension stops, including failure of an entitlement condition, incorrect data, delay in updating data, waiver, and death.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتوقف صرف المعاش في الحالات الآتية:
1- إذا تخلف شرط من شروط الاستحقاق.
2- إذا ثبت للوزارة أن البيانات المقدمة عن المستقل أو الأسرة غير صحيحة.
3- إذا تأخر المستفيد في تحديث بياناته الشخصية التي تطلبها الوزارة، مدةً تزيد على (ثلاثين) يوماً من تاريخ إبلاغه بطلب تحديثها.
4- إذا ثبت أن المستفيد القابل للتأهيل لم يلتزم بخطة تأهيله.
5- إذا ثبت أن المستفيد القادر على العمل لا يبحث عن عمل أو لم يتقدم إلى منصات التوظيف المعتمدة في الوزارة، وما في حكمها، أو لم يقبل عروض العمل والتدريب المناسبة، وذلك وفق ما تحدده اللائحة.
6- إذا كان المستفيد يقيم إقامة دائمة في أحد المراكز الإيوائية أو العلاجية.
7- إذا تنازل المستفيد عن المعاش.
8- وفاة المستفيد.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 17 explained in plain English
This article specifies the cases in which payment of the social security pension stops, which are eight:
- Failure of a condition of entitlement.
- Proof that the data provided on the independent person or family are incorrect.
- Delay in updating the personal data the Ministry requests for more than 30 days from the date the beneficiary is notified of the request to update them, and these are working days under the definition of "day" in Article 1.
- Proof that a beneficiary who can be rehabilitated has not complied with his rehabilitation plan.
- Proof that a beneficiary able to work is not looking for work, or has not applied to the employment platforms approved by the Ministry and the like, or has not accepted suitable work and training offers, as the Regulations specify.
- The beneficiary permanently residing in a residential or treatment center, which under Article 1 means social and health care homes, hospitals, prisons, and the like.
- The beneficiary's waiver of the pension.
- The beneficiary's death.
Note that the period in the third case runs from the date of notifying the beneficiary of the request to update, and that the sixth case is limited to residence being permanent. The fourth and fifth cases also relate to the classification categories provided for in Article 18 (not able to be rehabilitated, able to be rehabilitated, and able to work).
The article's wording is "payment stops", and it did not address here the procedures for resuming payment. Anyone whose pension has stopped and who wants to object would do well to learn the means of grievance the Law provides and, where needed, consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and social security laws.
Practical example
The Ministry asked Khalid, a social security beneficiary in Tabuk, to update his personal data, and he was notified of that. But he ignored the request for more than 30 working days from the date he was notified, so payment of his pension stops under the third case of this article.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 17 of the Saudi Social Security Law
Why was the social security pension stopped?
Reasons for stopping include: failure of an entitlement condition, incorrect data, delay in updating it for more than 30 days from notification, not complying with the rehabilitation plan, an able person not looking for work, permanent residence in a residential or treatment center, waiver, or death.
Does refusing a job stop social security?
If it is proven that a beneficiary able to work has not accepted suitable work and training offers, payment of the pension stops, as the Regulations specify.
How long is the deadline to update social security data before stopping?
Payment stops if the beneficiary delays updating for more than 30 days from the date he is notified of the request to update.
Does entering a hospital stop social security?
Payment stops if the beneficiary permanently resides in a residential or treatment center, which includes hospitals.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.