UAE Alternative EOSB Savings Scheme Comparator
Cabinet Resolution No. 96 of 2023 introduced a voluntary funded Alternative End-of-Service Benefits Scheme for UAE mainland employers, with the same 5.83% / 8.33% employer contribution rates already used by the mandatory DIFC DEWS plan. The MoHRE public consultation on a phased mandatory rollout closed on 28 February 2026. This calculator projects the compounded net value of all three options — traditional Article 51 gratuity, the Mainland Savings Scheme, and DIFC DEWS — and computes the break-even year at which the funded scheme overtakes the capped traditional payout.
Your Service & Assumptions
Comparison Across Schemes
Enter your salary, service years, and assumptions to compare the three schemes.
Traditional Article 51 Gratuity
The 24-month wage cap clipped this entitlement. Extra service years no longer accrue.
Mainland Savings Scheme (CR 96/2023)
DIFC DEWS Plan
Best-Yield Scheme
Your voluntary % exceeded the mainland 25% cap. Mainland uses 25%; DIFC uses your full input.
The MoHRE consultation on a phased mandatory rollout of the Mainland scheme closed on 28 February 2026. Most labour-law advisors expect a phased mandatory regime to be announced in mid-to-late 2026.
- Headline Total (Highlighted Scheme)
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Return Rate Sensitivity
| Annual Return | Mainland | DIFC DEWS |
|---|
Projections are indicative. Final figures depend on the fund manager's realised investment return, any MoHRE rule changes following the 2026 consultation, and your actual contribution history.
About the UAE Alternative EOSB Savings Scheme
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51, sets the traditional end-of-service gratuity at 21 days of basic salary per year for the first 5 years of service and 30 days per year thereafter, with a hard cap of 2 years' wage (24 months). The gratuity is calculated on basic salary only and accrues from one year of continuous service.
Cabinet Resolution No. 96 of 2023 introduced the Mainland Alternative End-of-Service Benefits Savings Scheme, a voluntary funded alternative for private-sector and free-zone employers (excluding DIFC and ADGM, which run their own regimes). Employers contribute 5.83% of basic salary monthly for the first 5 years of service and 8.33% thereafter into a regulated fund managed by an MoHRE-approved provider (Lunate, FAB, Daman Investments, or National Bonds). Employees may add voluntary top-ups capped at 25% of total salary.
DIFC DEWS, the Dubai International Financial Centre Employee Workplace Savings plan, has been mandatory for all non-GCC DIFC employees since 1 February 2020. Employer rates match the Mainland scheme (5.83% / 8.33%), but voluntary employee contributions are uncapped — workers can route up to 100% of salary into the scheme and withdraw the voluntary portion up to twice a year (each withdrawal capped at 30%).
The MoHRE public consultation on the Mainland scheme closed on 28 February 2026. Most labour-law advisors expect a phased mandatory rollout announcement in mid-to-late 2026, likely tiered by company size. Until that announcement, mainland employers retain the choice between paying the traditional Article 51 gratuity on termination or enrolling in the funded Savings Scheme.