Social Security Law

Purpose and scope

• Addresses poverty and guarantees a minimum income for beneficiaries' basic needs, while helping those able to work (Article 2); it replaced the earlier Social Security Law (Article 25).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• A pension is due to a Saudi permanently resident in the Kingdom whose assessed income is below the minimum, who meets the wealth criteria and the health, education and rehabilitation requirements (Article 9).
• Exceptions to the nationality condition include a non-Saudi woman married to a Saudi and a non-Saudi widow or divorcee with Saudi children (Article 10).
• If a provider has more than one family, each counts as separate with its own pension (Article 12); the pension is the minimum less the assessed income (Article 14).
• The applicant is told within twenty days whether the claim is accepted or refused with reasons (Article 6), and payment starts the month after acceptance (Article 16).
• A beneficiary must report any change affecting entitlement within fifteen days (Article 7).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Payment stops in cases such as a condition no longer being met, false information, failing for over thirty days to update data, a rehabilitable beneficiary not following the plan, or an able beneficiary not seeking work or refusing suitable offers (Article 17).
• A provider who does not spend the pension on dependants: a fine of up to five thousand riyals, up to three months in prison, or both (Article 20).
• Obtaining social security money without right: a fine of up to ten thousand riyals, up to one year in prison, or both, with repayment (Article 20).

Procedures and key deadlines

• A complaint may be made to the ministry committee about no reply in time, refusal or suspension, or a demand to repay amounts paid (Article 22).
• Committee decisions may be challenged before the administrative court under its law (Article 22).
• The Public Prosecution investigates and prosecutes offences under the law before the competent court (Article 21).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.