The following are the minimum requirements for all of the SASSA grants offered today in South Africa.
If you have any other SASSA questions, see our SASSA FAQ article.
SASSA Old age pension
How do you know if you qualify?
You must:
- be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
- live in South Africa
- not receive any other social grant for yourself
- not be cared for in a state institution
- not earn more than R86 280 if you are single or R172 560 if married.
- not have assets worth more than 1 227 600 if you are single or R2 455 200 if you are married.
- See https://www.gov.za/services/social-benefits-retirement-and-old-age/old-age-pension for more information.
SASSA Child support grant
How do you know if you qualify?
You must:
- Be the child’s primary caregiver (e.g. parent, grandparent or a child over 16 heading a family). Note: If you are not the child’s parent, you must provide proof that you are the child’s primary caregiver through an affidavit from a police official, a social worker’s report, an affidavit from the biological parent or a letter from the principal of the school attended by the child.
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident.
- Not earn more than R52 800 per year if you are single. If you are married, your combined income should not be above R105 600 per year.
The child must:
- be under the age of 18 years
- not be cared for in a state institution
- live with the primary caregiver who is not paid to look after the child.
Both you and the child must live in South Africa.
Note: You cannot get this grant for more than six children who are not your biological or legally adopted children.
see https://www.gov.za/services/child-care-social-benefits/child-support-grant for more information.
SASSA Care dependency grant
How do you know if you qualify?
You must:
- be a parent, primary caregiver or a foster parent appointed by the court
- be a South African citizen or permanent resident
- not earn more than R223 200 a year if you are single. Your combined income should not be above R446 400 a year if you are married.
Note: This income limit does not apply to foster parents.
The child must:
- be younger than 18 years
- not be cared for permanently in a state institution
- have a severe disability and need full-time and special care.
Both you and the child must live in South Africa.
Note: A state medical officer must assess the child before the grant will be approved.
See https://www.gov.za/services/services-residents/parenting/child-care/care-dependency-grant for more information.
SASSA Grant in aid
How do you know if you qualify?
You must:
- already get a disability grant, war veteran’s grant or grant for older persons
- not be able to look after yourself owing to your physical or mental disability, and therefore need full-time care from someone else
- not be cared for in an institution that receives a subsidy from the government for your care or housing.
- see https://www.gov.za/services/social-benefits/grant-aid for more information.
SASSA War veterans grant
How do you know if you qualify?
You must:
- be a South African citizen or permanent resident
- live in South Africa
- be 60 years of age or older or be disabled
- have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War
- not receive any other social grant for yourself
- not be cared for in a state institution
- not earn more than R 86 280 if you are single or R172 560 if married
- not have assets worth more than R 1 227 600 if you are single or R 2 455 200 if you are married.
Note: If you live in the house that you or your spouse own, the value is not taken into account for the purpose of the means test.
see https://www.gov.za/services/social-benefits-retirement-and-old-age/war-veterans-grant for more information.
SASSA Foster child grant
How do you know if you qualify?
To qualify:
- you must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
- you and the child must live in South Africa
- the foster child must be legally placed in your care and the child must remain in your care
- the child must be younger than 18.
- see https://www.gov.za/services/child-care-social-benefits/foster-child-grant for more information.
SASSA Disability grant
How do you know if you qualify?
To qualify, you must:
- be a South African citizen or 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 13-digit, bar-coded identity document (ID)
- not earn more than R86 280 if you are single or R172 560 if married.
- not have assets worth more than R1 227 600 if you are single or R2 455 200 if you are married
- undergo a medical examination where a doctor appointed by the state will assess the degree of your disability
- bring along any previous medical records and reports when you make the application and when the assessment is done.
The doctor will complete a medical report and will forward the report to South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
The report is valid for three months from the date you are assessed.
Note: If you are under 18 and need permanent care due to your disability, your primary caregiver can apply for a Care Dependency Grant. If you don’t have an ID, you will be required to complete an affidavit and provide proof of having applied for the document from the Department of Home Affairs. If you have not applied for an ID, you must do so within three months of applying for the grant.
see https://www.gov.za/services/social-benefits/disability-grant for more information.
if you have any other SASSA questions, see our SASSA FAQ article.
