Being an anomaly among the developing nations, South Africa recognises the need to create an equitable society by wealth distribution. It does this by having a well-established social welfare system that offers social grants to the less fortunate members of the society. Every month there are more than 18 million SASSA grants payouts in South Africa.
Social grants in South Africa are guided by section 24 through to 29 of the Bills of Rights of the constitution and are directed by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). Are you in need of financial assistance? Here is some useful information for individuals that receive SASSA financial help. If you need one, you can find what you need here to know about the qualifying SASSA grant requirements as well as the procedure for applying for these social grants in South Africa.
Types of SASSA grants 2020
According to the Social Assistance Act 2004, there are seven types of SASSA financial help offered in the country. These include grants for:
- Child support.
- Care dependency
- Foster child
Who qualifies for a SASSA grant?
All of the social, non-refundable government financial aids are ‘means tested’. By means tested, we mean that your income and assets are evaluated, and you will be eligible for the grants if you fall below the given limit. One of the questions most individuals seeking government financial aid always ask is how much must you earn to qualify for a SASSA grant and who qualifies for SASSA grants? SASSA evaluates the income of the applicant as well as their assets to ascertain if they fall within the income assistance threshold. The amount changes with the type of social grant, and below we have given the SASSA grants increase 2020 for each category.
What are the requirements to apply for SASSA grant?
Here are some of the prerequisites needed to qualify for the social financial help depending on the type that one is applying for.
- Child support grant
How much money is a child grant? Previously the monthly SASSA payout for child support was R425, but in the 2020/2021 financial year, it increased to R445. So, who qualifies for child support grant in South Africa?
- The primary caregiver must be a South African native, permanent resident or refugee.
- Both the applicant and the child must be residing in the country, and the kid must be below 18 years of age.
- In case you are not the biological parent of the kid, you need to provide evidence that you are the primary caregiver. This can be an affidavit from a police officer, a social worker report, correspondence from a school’s head, or an affidavit from the biological parent.
- The kid or kids should live under the care of the primary caregiver who is not paid to look after them.
- The applicant should not have a monthly income that exceeds R4,000 per month or R48,000 a year if they are single. If they are married, the combined annual income should not be more than R96,000 or R8,000 per month.
- The child should not be under the care of a state institution.
- If you are an adoptive parent, you cannot apply for more than six non-biological kids unless they are legally adopted.
SASSA child grant application requirements
An applicant should present the following documents and provide the required information regarding them.
1. Their 13-digit bar code smart card ID.
2. The child’s birth certificate (the certificate should have an ID number.).
3. The applicant's proof of income: This could be a bank statement for three months, salary slips, or pension slips.
4. If the applicant is unemployed, they should present the discharge certificate that was issued by their most recent employer. Alternatively, they can show their Insurance Fund (UIF) card.
5. A written proof that the parents or guardians of the child have accorded them the responsibility of taking care of the child or children.
6. Proof that you are the child's primary caregiver.
7. Proof that the applicant tried to get the child's parents or guardian to pay for the child's maintenance.
2. Care Dependency Grant
This type of financial aid is offered to birth parents, foster parents, or primary caregivers of children with disabilities. The payout value per month for care dependency grant in 2020 is R1,860. These requirements should be met for one to qualify for this funding:
- The applicant and the disabled child must be South African citizens, permanent residents or immigrants unless the applicant is the child's foster parent.
- Both the applicant and child must reside in South Africa at the time of applying for the funding.
- The disabled child must be below 18 years.
- The applicant's annual income should be less than R405,600 if they are married and R202,800 if they are not married.
- The applicant should legally be the child's caregiver, so one should have a court order that recognises them as a foster parent or guardian.
- The care-dependent kid(s) must not be permanently cared for in a government institution.
SASSA child grant application requirements
During the application process, the following documents should be presented:
- The child's birth certificate (the certificate should have an identification number.)
- The applicant's 13-digit bar code smart card ID
- The child's functional assessment report to evaluate the child's capabilities
- Foster parents should present a court order that qualifies them to be recognised as foster parents.
- The applicant's proof of marital status (They can present their spouse's death certificate or marriage certificate.)
- Proof of a medical or assessment report showing the kid’s permanent disability and its severity
- The applicant' proof of income
- The child's proof of income It is important to note that you cannot benefit from a care dependency and a child support grant at the same time.
3. Foster Child Grant
The payout for Foster Child government financial aid is R1,040 per month. One has to meet the following requirements to qualify for the funding.
1. As the foster guardian, you need to be a South African national, permanent resident, or refugee.
2. You and the child must be residents of South Africa.
3. The child must be younger than 18 years.
4. You must provide official court documents indicating that legally you are the foster parent.
5. No means test is needed for this financial help as the kid must remain in your care as the foster caregiver.
What do I need to apply for SASSA grant?
These are the documents that will be required during the application process:
- A 13-digit bar code smart card ID. If you are a refugee, you should provide the refugee ID.
- You must present the foster kid’s birth certificate. Alternatively, you can present their baptismal card, academic certificate, health clinic card, or a signed statement by a reputable person who knows you and the child.
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The CoParent App
Working together on child care arrangements post-separation can be tricky if as parents you do not communicate well.
Co-Parent is a proudly South African App aimed to simplify the communication process between parents.
The Co-Parent app has the primary focus to facilitate and improve communication between parents, to ensure the best interests of the child are met.
This is ideal for parents who are divorced, separated, do not live together, or who have busy schedules.