Here’s how you can qualify for a SASSA Children’s grant

South Africans caring for children may qualify for financial assistance through the SASSA Child Support Grant, designed to help primary caregivers meet the costs of raising children.

The grant is available to qualifying caregivers who meet SASSA’s income and other requirements.

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Who qualifies for the Child Support Grant?

To qualify, the applicant must be the child’s primary caregiver. This can include a parent, grandparent or, in certain circumstances, a child aged 16 or older who heads a family.

Caregivers who are not the child’s parent must provide proof that they are responsible for the child.

This can include an affidavit from a police official, a social worker’s report, an affidavit from the biological parent or a letter from the child’s school principal.

The applicant must be a South African citizen or permanent resident and must live in South Africa with the child.

The income limits are:

• Single caregiver: No more than R52 800 per year (R4 400 per month)
• Married caregiver: Combined income must not exceed R105 600 per year

The child must be under 18, live with the primary caregiver and not be cared for in a state institution.

A caregiver cannot receive the grant for more than six children who are not their biological or legally adopted children.

How much is the Child Support Grant?

The Child Support Grant is R580 per month per child, with a ‘top-up’ of R290.

How is the grant paid?

SASSA can pay the grant through:

• Cash at a designated pay point;
• Electronic payment into a bank or Postbank account; or
• An institution appointed to administer the grant.

If the caregiver cannot collect the grant personally, they can appoint a procurator through SASSA or give another person power of attorney to collect it on their behalf.

When can the grant be suspended?

SASSA may suspend the Child Support Grant if the caregiver’s circumstances change or following the outcome of a review.

It can also be suspended if the caregiver fails to cooperate during a review, commits fraud or misrepresents information, if the grant was approved in error, or if the child is no longer in the caregiver’s care.

The grant can lapse if the child dies, is admitted to a state institution, is outside South Africa, or if the caregiver fails to collect the grant for three consecutive months.

It also ends at the end of the month in which the child turns 18.

How to apply for the Child Support Grant

Applicants must visit their nearest SASSA office and complete the application form in the presence of a SASSA official.

Applicants should bring their 13-digit bar-coded ID and the child’s birth certificate, as well as supporting documents where applicable.

These may include proof of maintenance received for the child, proof of income, a marriage certificate, a divorce court order confirming custody, or documentation showing that a parent has died or is missing.

If the applicant or child does not have the required identity or birth documentation, SASSA provides an alternative process involving an affidavit and supporting evidence.

Once the application has been completed, SASSA will provide a receipt that should be kept as proof of the application.

How long does the application take?

SASSA says an application can take up to three months to process.

If approved, the grant will be paid from the date the application was submitted.

The application is free, and application forms are obtained from SASSA offices rather than downloaded online.

If an application is rejected, SASSA must provide the applicant with written reasons. Applicants who disagree with the decision can appeal to the Minister of Social Development within 90 days of being notified of the unsuccessful application.