SASSA Grant requirements you need to know

SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) provides grants in the form of an income or payment transfer to individuals who qualify under certain requirements. The grants are provided in an aim to improve the individuals’ standard of living and provide a means for income to individuals who would otherwise not be able to provide for themselves. In other words, the grant is provided to a certain category of people who live in poverty and are in need of support from the state.

SASSA is required by the South African Social Security Agency Act of 2004 to “Ensure the provision of comprehensive social security services against vulnerability and poverty within the constitutional legislative framework.”

During March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that a new social grant will be provided to individuals who are impacted by Covid-19 where they have become unemployed. This Social Grant was called the Social Relief of Distress (SRD R350) Grant. This grant provides assistance to individuals who were in need of financial support for a period of three months.

To find out more about the sassa grants or SRD Grant and how to apply online you can read the article here. SRD Status Check

See below list of requirements for the application each of these grants

Sassa Older persons grant:

Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Must be resident of South Africa
Must be 60 years or older
Where applicable – a spouse must comply with the means test
Must not be maintained or cared for in a State institution
Must not be in receipt of another social grant
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)

Disability Grant:

Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Must be resident of South Africa
Must be 18-59 years of age
Must submit official medical report confirming disability
Where applicable – a spouse must comply with the means test
Must not be maintained or cared for in a State institution
Must not be in receipt of another social grant
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)

War Veterans Grant:

Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Must be resident of South Africa
Must be 60 years and over or must be disabled
Must have fought in World War ll or the Korean War
Where applicable – a spouse must comply with the means test
Must not be maintained or cared for in a State institution
Must not be in receipt of another social grant
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)

Two school children having a conversation

Childcare Grant:

Foster Child Grant:

The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa
Must provide a court order indicating foster care status
Forster parent be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)
Must provide a birth certificate for the foster child

Care Dependency 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
Must provide a medical / assessment report confirming the child’s permanent, severe disability
Applicant and spouse must comply with the means test (except foster parents)
The care-dependent child / children must not be permanently cared for in a State Institute
Forster parent be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)
Must provide a birth certificate for the child
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)

Note: When applying for this grant the income of foster parents will not be requested

Child Support Grant

The primary care giver 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
Must provide a medical / assessment report confirming the child’s permanent, severe disability
Applicant and spouse must comply with the means test
The care-dependent child / children must not be permanently cared for in a State Institute
Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)
Must provide a birth certificate for the child
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)
Applicant cannot apply for more than 6 non-biological children
Must provide school enrolment certificate (Children age 7-18 years)

Note: The intention of this grant is to ensure that children attend and complete school. It is therefore a requirement that a school enrolment certificate be submitted for children aged between 7-18 years.

Extended Child Support Grant

The primary care giver 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
Must provide a medical / assessment report confirming the child’s permanent, severe disability
Applicant and spouse must comply with the means test
The care-dependent child / children must not be permanently cared for in a State Institute
Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)
Must provide a birth certificate for the child
Must submit a valid ID Document or a Smart ID card for themselves (and where applicable, their spouse as well)
Applicant cannot apply for more than 6 non-biological children
Must provide school enrolment certificate (Children age 7-18 years)
Death certificates for primary parent(s) with affidavit confirming whereabouts of a primary parent where they are not present in the child’s life

Note: Where the orphan is cared for by a family member, that family member may qualify for this grant. This includes an additional amount to the child support grant. This grant aims to prevent orphans from having to go through the foster care system.

A man in a wheelchair. Next to a mobilephone browsing the sassa.gov site

Grant-In-Aid:

Must be a recipient of an Older Persons, Disability or War Veterans Grant
Requires regular attendance by another person owing to the individual’s physical or mental disabilities
Must not be maintained or cared for in a State institution where the institution receives a subsidy from the state for care / housing

Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
Must submit ID number or Department of Home Affairs refugee permit number
Must provide Banking details
Must be resident of South Africa
Must be between ages of 18-60 years
Must be unemployed
Must not be recipient of employment insurance benefit, NSFAS money or other financial aid
Must not be maintained or cared for in a State institution
Must not be in receipt of another social grant

The Means Test for applicants

In South Africa, the Social Assistance is required to submit a means test, which is a test that evaluates the income and assets of each of the individuals and their spouses. This evaluation determines whether the individual meets the minimum income requirements to qualify for the grant. The means test will vary from one grant type to another.

Note: Grants for older persons, war veterans and disabled are paid on a sliding scale determined by the applicant’s private income. The bigger the income; the smaller the grant payment you will qualify for.

You can still apply if you don’t have an ID Document or Smart ID Card

Applicants who do not have an ID document or Smart ID Card or a birth certificate for children involved in the application for a grant can still apply. You can find out alternative documentation that you may submit for your application by contacting your nearest SASSA Office. Refugees can provide the Section 24 permit as proof of refugee status and identity.

*Information provided can be found on the SASSA website: www.sassa.gov.za or on twitter with the hashtag #saasacares