Types of SASSA Social Grants in South Africa 2024

SASSA Social Grants Introduction

SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) is a government organization that provides social grants to people facing financial difficulties. More than 18.8 million people in South Africa receive SASSA social grants every month. There are 8 types of SASSA grants and each grant has its own eligibility criteria and application process.

Before approving your SASSA grant, SASSA conducts a mean test to verify your income source and assets to ensure that the grant will allocated to the right person. In some cases, SASSA will also conduct your medical examination from the doctor appointed by the SASSA.

What is a Social Grant?

SASSA social grant is the monthly payment by the SASSA to South African citizens, refugees, asylum seekers, or special permit holders seeking financial assistance from the government. You can apply for the SASSA social grants according to your eligibility. Once your grant is approved you will start receiving monthly payments from SASSA.

Types of SASSA Grants in South Africa

There are 8 types of SASSA grants approved by the government in South Africa. To apply for any grant you must be a South African citizen, refugee, asylum seeker, or special permit holder. If you want to apply for a Social grant then find out the eligibility criteria for each grant below:

1. SRD R350 Grant

SRD (Social Relief of Distress) grant is the temporary assistance provided to people who are facing financial difficulties. SRD R350 (current R370) grant was introduced during the Covid-19 and is now extended till April 2025. To apply for the SRD R350 grant you must be eligible for it.

You can apply for an SRD R350 grant due to any of the following reasons:

You can apply for an R350 grant if you are waiting for your children’s social grant approval.
If you are ill or disabled for less than 6 months and cannot work then you can apply.
If the guardian of the family has died then the family can apply within 12 months after his/her death.
In case of crisis or disaster.
Your other social grant is rejected and you are in a desperate situation.
In case you are unable to get maintenance from the other parent of the child.
If the breadwinner has been sent to jail for less than 6 months.
If you are affected by a disaster but the area you are living in is not declared as a disaster area.

The previous Social Relief of Distress amount was R350 which has now increased to R370 per month. The applicants will now get R370/month from April 2024 after the recent SASSA grant increase.

2. Child Support Gant

SASSA child support grant was released for the primary guardians who do not fulfill the basic needs of a child under 18. The primary caregiver of the child can apply for the child support grant for up to 6 children and must have all required documents of the child including birth certificate.

The eligibility criteria for the child support grant are given below:

The applicant and child must reside in South Africa.
The applicant should be a primary caregiver of the child.
The child should be under 18.
You and your spouse must pass the mean test of SASSA.
Children should not be cared for in a state institution.

The current monthly grant for the child support grant is R530/month per child with a top-up amount of R250. The caregivers of the children will now get a total of R780 per month per child.

3. Old Age Pension

If you are over 60 years old and facing financial difficulties to support yourself then you can apply for the old age grant. You must pass old age grant eligibility criteria to qualify for the grant.

The eligibility criteria for the Old age pension are given below:

You must live in South Africa.
You must not receive any other social grants.
You must not be cared for in a state institution.
You and your spouse must pass the SASSA mean test in which your monthly income and assets will be analyzed.

After the recent increase of R90/month by SASSA, the current amount for Old age grants for people aged between 60 to 74 is R2180/month, and for people aged above 75, the grant amount is R2200/month. SASSA’s old-age pension applicants will also see an increase of R10/month in October.

4. Disability Grant

SASSA disability grant is the financial assistance provided to mentally or physically disabled people who cannot work for more than 6 months. You can apply for the disability grant whether you are temporarily or permanently disabled.

The eligibility criteria for the SASSA disability grant are given below:

The applicant should be between 18 and 59 years old.
The applicant must not be cared for in a state institution.
You and your spouse must pass the SASSA disability grant mean test.
You must pass the medical examination where a doctor appointed by SASSA will assess your disability.

Disability grant applicants will get R2180 per month from the month their grant is approved. If your disability lasts more than 1 year then you will get a permanent grant. However, if your disability is more than 6 months but less than 1 year then you will get a temporary disability grant.

5. Foster Care Grant

If you are the foster parent of a child and facing financial difficulties in South Africa then you can apply for a foster care grant. The child must be legally given to you by the court due to being orphaned, abandoned, at risk, abused, or neglected.

The eligibility criteria for the foster care grant are given below:

You and the child must be living in South Africa.
The child must be legally placed in your custody by the court.
The foster child must be under 18 years

The foster care grant amount is R1180 per month after the increase in April 2024.

6. Care Dependency Grant

The caregiver of the mentally or physically disabled child facing financial difficulties can apply for the Care Dependency Grant. The child must be permanently disabled and need someone for full-time care.

The eligibility criteria for the care dependency grant are given below:

The applicant must be a biological parent, primary caregiver, or foster parent of a child.
The child must be under 18 years.
Both the child and applicant must live in South Africa.
The child must not cared for in a state institution.
The child must pass a medical assessment by the doctor appointed by the SASSA.
The applicant must pass the SASSA caregiver grant mean test.

SASSA caregiver amount is R2180/month after the recent increase in April 2024. SASSA will also increase the grant amount by R10/month from October.

7. Grant In Aid

If you are already an applicant for the Old age grant, disability grant, or War veteran grant and need full-time assistance then you can apply for Grant in Aid. You can hire someone for your care with this additional grant by SASSA.

The eligibility criteria for the Grant in Aid are given below:

You are already getting disability, old age, or war veteran grants.
You must not be cared for in a State institution.
You are unable to care for yourself and need someone for full-time care.
You must have a medical report from the doctor.

Once your grant in aid is approved, you will start receiving R510/month additional amount with your main social grant amount.

8. War Veteran Grant

If you served during the Second World War (1939-1945), or the Korean War (1950-53) then you can apply for a War veteran grant. The applicant must be 60 years old or have physical disability. The applicant for the War veteran grant must provide proof that he/she served during the war.

The eligibility criteria for the War veteran grant are given below:

You and your spouse must pass the War Veteran Grant mean test.
You must live in South Africa.
You must be 60 years old or have a disability.
You must not receive any other social grant.
You are not cared for in a state institution.

The war veteran grant will get R2200/month after the increase in April 2024. War veteran grants will also increase by R10/month in October.

How to Apply for SASSA Social Grants

You can apply for a SASSA grant by visiting your nearest SASSA office or online Make sure you have all required documents according to your grant type and you are eligible for that grant. Once you completed your SASSA application process, SASSA requires 30 to 90 days to decide on your application.

If SASSA approves your application then you will start receiving payments from the month your grant is approved. Unfortunately, if your grant is rejected then SASSA will give you reasons why your grant application is rejected.

What to do If SASSA Declined Our Social Grant

If your SASSA social grant is declined but you believe that you are eligible for the grant then you can apply for reconsideration. SASSA will reconsider your eligibility and check if you are still eligible for the grant or not. If you are eligible for the social grant then they will reverse their decision and approve your grant. If your reconsideration request is also rejected then you can not again request to SASSA.

If your reconsideration request is also rejected then you can appeal the SASSA decision the the Minister of Social Development at the national office of the Department of Social Development. They will review your grant application and decide accordingly. If you are eligible then your application will be approved.

SASSA Contact Information

You can contact SASSA through the different channels given below:

Toll-Free Number

0800 60 10 11

Head Office Number

012 400 2322

SASSA Email

[email protected]

SASSA Grant FAQs

SASSA offers 8 types of different grants. These grants are SRD R350 grant, Child support grant, War veteran grant, Disability grant, Old age grant, Grant in aid, Foster care grant, and Care dependency grant.

Each grant has its eligibility criteria and requirements. The primary requirement for each grant is that you must be a South African citizen, refugee, asylum seeker, or special permit holder to apply for an SASSA social grant.

Yes, you can apply for a grant in aid during your main grant application process. Make sure to complete all documents required to apply for a grant in aid.

SASSA takes 1 to 3 months to decide on your application. It may take more time due to a high number of applications.

The document requirements depend on the type of SASSA grant you are applying for. Generally, you will need proof of identity, proof of income, and proof of residence. You may also need additional documents depending on your specific situation.

Types of SASSA Grants Conclusion

SASSA social grants have been giving financial benefits to the South African people since 2005. More than 18.8 million people in South Africa rely on these social grants. SASSA expected that this number will increase to 19.7 million by the year 2026/27. If you need financial assistance from SASSA then you can apply for the SASSA grant according to your grant type and eligibility. In case you have any confusion you can reach out to SASSA directly through their helpline or visit their office.

Types of SASSA Social Grants in South Africa 2024

SASSA Social Grants Introduction