Types of grants and their qualifying requirements

Qualifying Requirements Social Grants
 

Grant for Older Persons
The applicant:

• Must be a South African citizen / permanent resident;
• Must be resident in South Africa;
• If a male, must be 60 years or older;
• If a female, 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 or herself.

NB:  All South African Males aged 61 and 62 years will qualify for Grant for Older Person from April 2009; 
Males aged 60 years will qualify for Grant for Older Persons from April 2010; provided they meet the above criteria
 

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 if a female and 18 to 62 years of age if a male;
• 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.
   

Child Grants: 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 Africa citizen, permanent resident or refugee;
• Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s).
   

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.

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 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 be under the age of 15 years;
• 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.
   

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.
   

Proof of Identity

Applicants who do not have 13 digit bar coded Identity Book,
or birth certificate for children involved in the application can still apply for a grant.
Please obtain information from your nearest SASSA office on the alternative documents which are accepted for grant applications.