Types of SASSA Social Grants in South Africa

SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) is a South African government agency that provides monthly social grants to people facing financial difficulties. Nearly 18 million people rely on these social grants in South Africa. SASSA provides different types of grants, and each grant has different eligibility criteria and is subjected to a means test.

Types of SASSA Social Grants in South Africa

If you are looking for government grants in South Africa, this article will help you understand the types of grants SASSA offers, difference between each grant and help you select which type of grant you need to apply for. I will discuss each type of government grants provided by SASSA, their eligibility criteria, and what are the monthly payments for each type of grant.

What is a Social Grant?

Social grants refer to the monthly payments paid by SASSA to the permanent residents of South Africa, including its citizens, asylum seekers, and special permit holders.

These grants are provided to only the persons who fulfill the eligibility criteria. Before approval of the grant, SASSA also conducts a means test to verify their income source and assets to ensure that the grant is allocated to those genuinely in need and eligible for assistance.

Types of SASSA Grants in South Africa

There are eight types of government grants in South Africa that are administered by SASSA. The primary criteria for each type of grant is that you must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or a recognized refugee.

If you are interested in applying, please read the criteria for each type to see if you qualify:

1. SRD R350 Grant

The Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) is also known as Temporary Assistance. It was initially released during COVID-19 to provide temporary financial assistance to people who are facing financial difficulties in fulfilling their family needs. But the government is continuing it and now its validity is increased till April 2025.

SRD R350 Grant

The applicant must fulfill the below eligibility criteria to be eligible for SRD grant:

  • If the applicant is waiting for the payment of their approved social grant.
  • If the breadwinner of the family and found to be disabled for less than 6 months.
  • If the household’s breadwinner has died. The family needs to make an application within 12 months following the death.
  • The breadwinner has been admitted to a public or private institution for a minimum one-month period.
  • The breadwinner is not receiving any maintenance from a person who is legally obligated to pay the maintenance to them.
  • In the case of a disaster, as defined in the Disaster Management Act or the Fund Raising Act of 1978.
  • If a person is going through a really tough time and unable to fulfill the basic needs of his family

The monthly payment for the SRD grant is R350. To apply, you will need to visit your nearest SASSA office. Please read the more detailed and complete application process at SRD R350 Grant.

2. Older Persons Grant

If you are over 60 years old and don’t have any source of income to support yourself, then you can apply for a SASSA old age grant.

Old Age Grant

You must fulfill the below eligibility criteria to apply for an old age grant:

  • You must be at least 60 years older.
  • Your spouse should pass the means test criteria.
  • You should not be residing in a State-funded institution.
  • You should not be receiving any other social grant.
  • Provide your 13-digit barcoded ID documents for both you and your spouse. If the ID card and birth certificate are not available, follow the SASSA-prescribed method for identity verification.

The older person’s grant amount is R2,090 per month. You can apply by visiting your local SASSA office. Please read more details and the application process for old age grant here.

3. Disability Grant

The disability grant is provided to persons who are disabled mentally or physically and can not work for more than six months. Whether you are disabled temporarily or permanently, you can apply for a SASSA disability grant.

Disability Grant

The eligibility criteria for disability grants are as follows:

  • Your age must be between 18 to 59 years.
  • You should have a report confirming your disability through a medical or functional assessment.
  • Clinical information or a referral form validating the disability must be provided.
  • You and your spouse must pass the Means Test.
  • You should not be residing in a State-funded institution.
  • You should not be receiving any other social grant.
  • Submit your 13-digit barcoded ID documents for you and your spouse. If the ID card and birth certificate are unavailable, use the SASSA-prescribed method to verify your identity.

The monthly payment for the disability grant is R2,090. You can apply for the grant at your nearest SASSA office. For more details and the application process, read the SASSA disability grant.

4. War Veteran’s Grant

This grant is only available to veterans who fought in World War II or the Korean War. Additionally, you must be at least 60 years old or disabled.

War Veteran's Grant

The eligibility criteria for the War Veterans grant are the following:

  • You and your spouse need to fulfill the Means Test criteria.
  • You should not be living in a State-funded institution.
  • You must not be receiving any other social grant.
  • You should be either 60 years and older or should be disabled.
  • You must have participated in the Second World War or the Korean War.
  • You and your spouse should submit your 13-digit bar-coded ID document. If the ID card and birth certificate are unavailable, you will need to follow the SASSA-prescribed method to prove your identity.

The grant amount for war veteran’s grant is R2110 per month. Please read my SASSA War Veteran’s Grant article for more details and application procedure.

5. Child Support Grant

If you are a biological parent or primary caregiver of a child, and unable to fulfill their basic needs, then you can apply for the child support grant. Your child must be under 18 years.

Child Support Grant

The eligibility criteria for a child support grant are below:

  • Both the applicant and the child must reside within South Africa.
  • You must have the child’s birth certificate.
  • You will need to submit a 13-digit barcoded identity document or smart ID card for both yourself and your spouse. If an ID or birth certificate is unavailable, an alternative identification prescribed by SASSA is acceptable.
  • The applicant must serve as the primary caregiver for the child/children.
  • Both the applicant and spouse must meet the Means Test criteria.
  • You can not take a child support grant for more than 6 children.
  • The child must not be under the care of a state institution.
  • If the child is of school-going age, attendance and proof thereof are mandatory. However, not producing this certificate or failing to attend school will not result in the rejection of the child support grant.

The monthly payment for the child support grant is R510 per child. You will also be provided with a top-up value of R250 per month for each child. So, collectively you will receive 760 monthly payment per child. Please read the Child Support Grant article for more details and the application process.

6. Foster Child Grant

If you are caring for a foster child and struggling to make ends meet in bringing up your foster child, you may be eligible for the SASSA Foster Child Grant. The child must be in foster care through a legal court order.

Foster Child Grant

The eligibility requirements for the Foster Child Grant are as follows:

  • The foster parent will need to provide the court order confirming the child is under their custody.
  • The child must be cared for by the foster parent(s).
  • The foster parent must provide a 13-digit barcoded identity document or a smart ID card for both the applicant and spouse.
  • A child’s birth certificate will be required. If the ID or birth certificate is unavailable, SASSA will perform any other alternate identification process.

The payment of the Foster child grant is R1130 per month. Please read more details and the application process at SASSA Foster Child Grant.

7. Care Dependency Grant

If you are a caregiver of a severely disabled (mentally or physically) child and facing financial difficulties, you are eligible for a Care Dependency grant. The child must be permanently disabled and require special care at home.

Care Dependency Grant

The eligibility criteria to apply for the Care Dependency Grant are below:

  • The child should be below 18 years of age.
  • The applicant should provide the child’s clinical information or a referral form as a baseline for assessment.
  • The child must undergo a medical or functional assessment to confirm disability.
  • The applicant and spouse must fulfill Means Test requirements (excluding foster parents).
  • The care-dependent child/children should not be under permanent care in a State-funded institution.
  • The child’s birth certificate will be required.
  • The applicant must provide a 13-digit barcoded identity document or smart ID card for both themselves and their spouse. In the absence of an ID or birth certificate, an alternative identification prescribed by SASSA is acceptable.
  • If the child is of school-going age, attendance and proof of school attendance are required up to 18 years. However, failure to produce this certificate or attend school will not lead to the refusal of the child support grant.

Once your care dependency grant is approved, you will get an R2,090 monthly payment to care for your disabled child. For more details and the application process, read the article SASSA Care Dependency Grant.

8. Grant-In-Aid

The Grant-In-Aid is only available to the current grant holders who are unable to care for themselves and require full-time care at home. It is only available to Old Age, Disability, and War Veterans grant holders and is provided as the top-up amount to their main grant. The grant amount is provided to hire someone who can provide in-house care to them.

Grant-In-Aid

To apply for the grant-in-aid, the below criteria should be fulfilled:

  • The applicant should already be receiving an Older Persons grant, Disability grant, or a War Veteran’s grant and need regular care from the other person due to physical or mental disabilities.
  • The applicant should not be cared for in an institution subsidized by the State for the housing or care of such beneficiaries.
  • The applicant must undergo a medical or functional assessment to confirm the disability.
  • Clinical information or a referral form should be provided to confirm the disability.
  • If previously rejected on medical grounds, then the applicant should submit a referral form completed by a treating facility or practitioner.

Once your grant-in-aid is approved, you will be provided with a top-up amount of R510 each month with your current grant amount. Please read the SASSA Grant-In-Aid article for more detailed info and the application process.

How to Apply for these SASSA Grants

You can apply for a SASSA grant by visiting their office in person, or you can also apply online. If you want to apply in-person, then you must check the opening timings of your local SASSA office before visiting. Please read the application process for the grant you are applying for by clicking it from the below list:

Once you submit your application, SASSA will take between 30 to 90 days to review your application. The duration depends on the number of applications they are currently receiving and the complexity of your application. Once your application is reviewed and the decision is made, SASSA will notify you via message to your phone number or email.

Most Common Reason for SASSA Grant Rejection

The most common reason for the SASSA grant rejection is that the applicant applies for different type of grant rather than the one for which they are fulfilling the criteria. So, before applying for the SASSA grants, you must understand the eligibility criteria for each type of grant and see what grant category you fall into and what is suitable for you.

The best example is that SASSA rejected a lot of grant requests for disability grant applications. The only reason was that they were falling into the Care Dependency grant, but they applied for the Disability grant as they were not very aware of the grant type they should be applying for.

So, please check the eligibility criteria in detail before applying for a SASSA grant to reduce the chance of rejection. It will help in the quick approval of your grant, and as soon as your grant is approved, you will start receiving payments immediately from the date you applied for the grant.

To know the possible reason for your grant application rejection and how to apply again for your rejected grant, please read the SASSA appeal process.

Conclusion

So, If you are interested in applying for a SASSA grant, a clear understanding of SASSA grant types and their eligibility criteria is important. To make the work easier for you, I’ve outlined all the grants, including details of eligibility requirements, grant amounts, and monthly payments. Remember, you must fulfill the eligibility criteria of the grant you are applying for the successful approval. If you have any other questions about a particular SASSA grant, you can ask in the comments. For more detailed information about SASSA grants, you can visit our SASSA Updates blog.

FAQs

SASSA offers eight types of grants. Each grant has specific eligibility criteria, and the applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or recognized refugee to qualify.

The most common reason for grant rejections is to apply for the wrong type of grant. To avoid this, you must review the eligibility criteria for each grant before applying.

SASSA takes between 30 to 90 days to review your application. It depends on the amount of applications they are receiving and the complexity of your application. To make the process faster, make sure you provide complete and accurate information to avoid delays from your side.

The Grant-In-Aid is available to Old Age, Disability, and War Veterans grant holders who need full-time care at home. To qualify for Grant-In-Aid, the applicant must undergo a medical or functional assessment.

Monthly payments are different for each grant type. I have described the amount in this article, along with each type of grant. Once your grant is approved, you will start receiving payments monthly. The monthly payment dates also vary for each type of grant.

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9 Comments

  5. Hi. I recently deposited a large amount of cash at the ATM. I was saving for a bed. Will SASSA see this cash deposit as income or just a transfer of funds? Been moving my money between bank accounts of the same bank too, will SASSA see these bank transfer transactions as income or my own money?

    Reply

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