Sassa distributes over 18 million permanent grant payments, including the Older Persons pension grant, Disability grant, War Veterans grant, Care Dependency grant, Foster Child grant, Child Support grant, Child Support grant Top-Up and Grant-in-aid.
General Eligibility Criteria for Sassa Grants
Several general requirements apply across most Sassa grants. Applicants must be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees residing within South Africa. A means test, evaluating income and assets, is a prerequisite for most grants and influences eligibility and payment amount. Furthermore, applicants generally cannot be receiving care in a state-funded institution or simultaneously receiving multiple social grants for themselves.
Older Person’s Grant Requirements
To be eligible for the Older Person’s Grant, applicants must be 60 years or older and be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or refugee living in South Africa. They must not be receiving another social grant for themselves, must meet the means test, and cannot be maintained in a state institution.
Child Support Grant Eligibility
Eligibility for the Child Support Grant requires the primary caregiver and the child(ren) to be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees residing in South Africa. The applicant must be the primary caregiver of children under 18. The applicant and their spouse must satisfy the means test. Applicants are limited to applying for a maximum of six non-biological children, and the child cannot be in state care.
Foster Child Grant Prerequisites
For the Foster Child Grant, the foster parent and child must be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees living in South Africa. The child must be legally placed in the foster parent's care and remain so for the grant's duration.
Disability Grant Conditions
Applicants for the Disability Grant must be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees aged 18 to 59 residing in South Africa. They must provide a medical assessment report, no older than three months at the time of application, confirming the impact of their disability. The applicant and their spouse must meet the means test, and the applicant must not be in a state institution or receiving another social grant.
Care Dependency Grant Qualifications
The Care Dependency Grant requires both the applicant and the child to be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees residing in South Africa. The child must be under 18 and have a permanent, severe disability confirmed by a medical assessment. The applicant and their spouse must meet the means test, except for foster parents whose income is not considered. The care-dependent child(ren) must not be in permanent state care.
Grant-in-Aid Criteria
To qualify for the Grant-in-Aid, applicants must already be receiving an Older Person’s Grant, Disability Grant, or War Veteran’s Grant and require regular assistance with daily living due to physical or mental disabilities. They must not be in a state-subsidised institution. This grant is supplementary and will cease if the primary grant ends.
Applying for May 2025 Sassa Grants
Individuals meeting the eligibility criteria for any of the permanent Sassa grants outlined should submit their application for May 2025.
