A complete guide to the types of social grants from SASSA as well as application procedures, the amounts they pay and the dates they pay with.

Social Assistance Grants: Social Assistance is an income transfer in the form of grants provided by government. A social grant refers to grants paid by the South African Social Security Agency that is, disability grant; a grant for older persons and a war veteran’s grant; foster child grant; care dependency grant; child support grant and a grant-in-aid.

Grant for Older Persons: The applicant: Must be a South African citizen / permanent resident; Must be resident in South Africa; Must be 60 years or older (male and female); and spouse must comply with the means test; Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution; and Must not be in receipt of another social grant for him or herself.

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 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 him or herself.

War Veteran’s Grant: The applicant: Must be a South African citizen / 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; and Must not be in receipt of another Social grant in respect of himself or herself.

Care Dependency Grant: The application must be South African citizen or permanent resident; The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa; Age of child must be under 18 years; Must submit a medical / assessment report confirming permanent, severe  disability; 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.

Foster Child Grant: The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa; 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).

Child Support Grant: The primary care giver must be a South African citizen or permanent resident; Both the applicant and the child must reside in South Africa; 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 cannot be cared for in state institution.

Grant-in-aid: 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 his/her 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.

Social Relief of Distress: Social relief of distress is a temporary provision of assistance intended for persons in such dire material need that they are unable to meet their or their families’ most basic needs. In order to qualify for Social Relief of Distress, the applicant must comply with one or more of the following conditions:

The applicant is awaiting permanent aid; The applicant has been found medically unfit to undertake remunerative work for a period of less than 6 months; The breadwinner is deceased and insufficient means are available;

The applicant has been affected by a disaster, and the specific area has not yet been declared a disaster area; and the applicant has appealed against the suspension of his or her grant;

The person is not a member of a household that is already receiving social assistance; The person is not receiving assistance from any other organization. Social Relief of Distress is issued monthly or for any other period for a maximum period of 3 months. Extension of the period by a further 3 months may be granted in exceptional cases.

Transport expenditure may be paid in exceptional cases where; The applicant is referred for treatment by a medical officer and no other transport arrangements can be made; and

The applicant must travel to a specific destination to accept employment where he or she will not be dependent on further State Aid.

Read More on SASSA Grants and R350 Payments