Sassa grants: who qualifies, and how do you apply?

Read on to find out if you are eligible to receive financial assistance from the government.

Types of grants

Social Assistance is provided in the form of:
• Grant for older persons;
• Disability grant;
• War veterans grant;
• Care dependency grant;
• Foster child grant;
• Child support grant;
• Grant-in-aid;
• Social relief of distress.

Qualifying Requirements

Grant for Older Persons
The applicant:
• Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee
• Must be resident in South Africa;
• Must be 60 years or older and 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 for him/ herself;
• Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document or s or the smart ID card.

Disability Grant
The applicant:
• Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee;
• Must be resident in South Africa;
• Must be 18 to 59 years of age;
• Must submit a medical / assessment report confirming disability;
• Medical assessment must not be older than 3 months at date of application, and spouse meet the requirements of the means test;
• Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution;
• Must not be in receipt of another social grant in respect of him or herself.
• Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card.

War Veteran’s Grant
The applicant:
• Must be a South African citizen or permanent resident;
• Must be resident in South Africa;
• Must be 60 years and over or must be disabled;
• Must have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War  and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test;
• Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution;
• Must not be in receipt of another social grant in respect of himself or herself;
• Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card.
Child Grants
Foster Child Grant
• The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa;
• Must provide a court order indicating foster care status;
• The foster parent must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee.
• Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)
• Foster parent must provide a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card
• 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 submit a medical / assessment report confirming the child’s permanent, severe disability;
• Applicant and spouse must meet requirements of the means test (except for foster parents);
• The care-dependent child/children must not be permanently cared for in a state institution;
• Must provide birth certificate for the child;
• The applicant must supply a 13 digit bar coded identity document;
Note: the income of foster parents will not be taken into consideration.

Child Support 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 child must be 18 years of age or younger;
• Must provide a birth certificate for the child;
• Must provide a 13 digit bar coded identity document for the applicant;
• Applicant must be the primary care giver of the child/children concerned;
• The child/children must have been born after 31 December 1993;
• The applicant and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test;
• Cannot apply for more than six non biological children
• Child can not be cared for in state institution.
• It should be noted that one of the intentions of the child support grant is to ensure that children attend and complete schooling. It is therefore a requirement that a school attendance certificate be produced for children aged between 7and 18 years. However, failure to produce this certificate or failure to attend school will not result in the refusal to pay their child support grant.

Where Do You Apply For A Grant?
• You apply at the SASSA Office nearest to where you live;
• If you are too old or sick to travel to the office to apply for a grant, then a familymember or friend can apply on your behalf; with a letter from you as applicant authorising the application;
• Alternatively you may call the SASSA office to request a home visit;
• Your application form will be completed in the presence of an officer from SASSA;
• When your application is completed you will be given a receipt;
• Keep this receipt – it is your only proof of application;
• You do not have to pay any money to apply;
• If your application is not approved by SASSA, you must be informed in writing as to why your application was unsuccessful;
• You have the right to request SASSA to reconsider its decision, if you are unhappy with the decision made. If the reconsidered decision is still unfavourable, you have the right to appeal to the Minister of Social Development. The request for SASSA to reconsider its decision must be made within 90 days of you being informed of the outcome of your application.