For many people in South Africa, Sassa grant payments are a crucial source of income and financial support. If you are a South African citizen who qualifies for a Sassa social grant, then applying is the first step in receiving assistance.
Here are some of the main social grants available in South Africa:
- Older person's grant (old age pension)
- Child support grant
- Care dependency grant
- Grant in aid (if you live on a social grant but need someone to take care of you)
- War veteran's grant
- Foster child grant
- Disability grant
If you qualify for one of these permanent social grants and your application is approved, you will generally receive payments on an ongoing monthly basis for as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
Although it may take a few months for your application to be processed and approved, you will be paid from the date on which you applied.
What does Sassa “Date of Award” mean?
The "Date of Award" refers to the specific date on which a grant application is approved by Sassa. It signifies the official start date for receiving the social grant payments.
When you apply for a social grant through the agency, your application goes through a review process to determine your eligibility for the grant. Once your application is approved, Sassa assigns a Date of Award, which is the date from which you will start receiving the grant payments.
Sassa explains:
Date Of Award Of Grants: If your grant is approved, you will be paid from the date on which you submitted a complete application, unless you have applied for a foster child grant. Foster child grants are paid from the date of the court order.
The Date of Award is significant because it establishes the beginning of your entitlement and indicates that Sassa will pay you from the date on which you submitted your application.
For example, if you’ve submitted your application and Sassa took three months to approve and finalise it, you will receive grant payments for each month since your application submission date.
In the case where your social grant application was rejected, you will then have 90 days to appeal the decision and submit your appeal application to Sassa for it to be reviewed.
To find out more about Sassa grants, including the R350 grant, head to our Sassa section.
