SASSA was created in 2005 to distribute social grants on behalf of the Department of Social Development. This was done to improve the standards of living in the country and these grants are given to people who are vulnerable to poverty and/or in need of support from the government, such as the elderly, people living with disabilities and those with young children.
A means test is conducted to evaluate people's financial situation and determine whether it is below a certain level to qualify for the grants. They currently offer 8 social grants to South Africans who meet the eligibility to be a social welfare recipient.
The following are social grants offered by SASSA:
Care Dependency Grant
This grant is a source of income support for caregivers who take care of children with severe mental or physical disabilities.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the grant:
- The applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee.
- The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa.
- Child must be under the age of 18 years.
- The applicant must submit a medical / assessment report confirming permanent, severe disability.
- The applicant and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test (except for foster parents.
- The care-dependent child/children must not be permanently cared for in a State Institution.
Find more information on the Care Dependency Grant here.
Child Support Grant
This grant is aimed at lower-income households to help parents with the costs of the basic needs of their child, as taking care of a child can be very costly. It is meant to bridge the gap in the cost of living.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the grant:
- The primary care giver must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee.
- Both the applicant and the child must reside in South Africa.
- The applicant must be the primary care giver of the child/ children concerned.
- The applicant and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test.
- The applicant cannot apply for more than six non biological or non-legally adopted children.
- Child cannot be cared for in state institution.
Find more information on the Child Support Grant here.
Disability Grant
This grant is aimed at those who live with physical or mental disabilities which makes them permanently or temporarily unable to work, to assist them during this period. Two grants can be applied for within this grant: a temporary disability grant and a permanent disability grant.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the grant:
- be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee and living in South Africa at the time of application,
- be between 18 and 59 years old,
- not be cared for in a state institution,
- have a valid South African identity document (ID),
- provide a medical / assessment report, which isn’t older than 3 months at the date of application, confirming the disability,
- meet the requirements of the means test, and
- not be a recipient of another grant.
Find more information on the Disability Grant here
Foster Child Grant
This grant is paid those who foster children. The foster parent must be approved by a social worker designated by the Department of Social Development or a child protection organisation.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the grant:
- The foster parent with which the child has been legally placed, must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee.
- Both the applicant and the child must reside in South Africa.
- Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s).
Find more information on the Foster Child Grant here.
Old Persons Grant (Old Age Pension)
This grant is a monthly source of income for citizens, permanent residents, and refugees 60 years or older with no other means of financial income. It is meant to help older residents cope financially during their old age when they may not be able to work.
Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for the grant:
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident or refugee.
- Live in South Africa.
- 60 years or older.
- Not living in a state institution.
- Not receiving payments from another social grant for themselves.
- Your spouse must comply with the means test.
Find more information on the Old Age Grant here.
War Veteran's Grant
This grant is for people 60 years or over and have served in the First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945) or the Korean War (1950-1953).
Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for the grant:
- The applicant must be a South African citizen / permanent resident.
- The applicant must be a resident in South Africa.
- The applicant must be 60 years and over or must be disabled.
- The applicant must have fought in the First or Second World War or the Korean War.
- The applicant and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test.
- The applicant must not be maintained or cared for in a State Institution.
- The applicant must not be in receipt of another social grant for themselves.
Find more information on the War Veterans Grant here.
Grant-In-Aid
This grant is given to those who are already receiving an old age, disability or war veteran's grant and are unable to care for themselves to the point where full-time care from someone else is needed. This grant cannot be granted on its own, it must be in addition to those listed previously.
Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for the grant:
- The applicant must be in receipt of a grant for Older Persons, Disability grant or a War Veteran's grant, and require full- time attendance by another person owing to their physical or mental disabilities.
- Must not be cared for in an institution that receives subsidy from the State for the care/housing of such beneficiary.
Find more information on the Grant-in-Aid here.
Social Relief of Distress Grant
This grant is a temporary provision of assistance which is intended for people who are in dire need that they are unable to meet their or their families' most basic needs. This includes the R350 SRD Grant that was issued in 2020 as a result of the effects of the coronavirus on people's livelihoods.
Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for the grant:
- The applicant is awaiting payment of an approved social grant.
- The applicant has been found medically unfit to undertake remunerative work for a period of less than 6 months.
- The bread winner is deceased and application is made within three months of the date of death.
- No maintenance is received from parent, child or spouse obliged in law to pay maintenance, and proof is furnished that efforts made to obtain maintenance have been unsuccessful.
- The bread winner of that person`s family has been admitted to an institution funded by the state (prison, psychiatric hospital, state home for older persons, treatment centre for substance abuse or child and youth care centre).
- The applicant has been affected by a disaster as defines in the Disaster Management Act or the Fund-Raising Act, 1978.
- The person is not receiving assistance from any other organization or.
- Refusal of the application for social relief of distress will cause undue hardships.
Find more information on the Social Relief of Distress Grant here.
