SASSA, the South African Social Security Agency, provides grants to eligible people in South Africa. These grants are designed to improve the standard of living in our society; they assist those who are most vulnerable to poverty and in need of state support.
Applying for a grant from SASSA is relatively simple, and online services are available for certain applications. The correct route depends on the grant. Use SASSA’s services portal
STEP 1: WHO QUALIFIES?
An important question to consider when researching your eligibility for a social grant in South Africa is to know who can apply for a SASSA grant?
List 1
- Meet the citizenship or residency-category requirements for the grant you apply for.
- Reside in South Africa as required for that grant.
- Meet the applicable means test where one is required. Income and assets are assessed under the grant’s rules; having some income or property does not automatically disqualify every applicant.
List 2
In most cases, individuals are also required to:
- Meet the age, care or disability requirements for the specific grant.
- Check whether the rules allow you to receive that grant alongside another benefit.
- Check any conditions relating to care in a state-funded institution.
Eligibility depends on the grant you apply for. Use the lists above as a guide and check the current requirements for that grant. The amounts below are the published standard monthly amounts from April 2026; beneficiary categories and supplements can differ.
War Veterans Grant (R2,420 per month)
Who can apply?
Only individual who have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War and do not receive the Older Persons Grant
Older Persons Grant (standard amount: R2,400 per month)
Who can apply?
Individuals that are 60 years and older
Grant-in-Aid (R580 per month)
Who can apply?
Individuals who receive an Older Persons, Disability or War Veterans Grant and need regular attendance by another person because of a physical or mental disability. The grant’s other eligibility conditions also apply.
Child Support Grant (R580 per month per child)
Who can apply?
The primary care giver of a child (and their spouse) that requires financial assistance to care for the child
Care Dependency Grant (R2,400 per month)
Who can apply?
Parents/carers who have the Medical Assessment Report filled in by a SASSA approved medical practitioner that confirms that the child they care for is permanently and severely disabled and is not cared for in a state-sponsored institution.
Disability Grant (R2,400 per month)
Who can apply?
Individuals aged 18–59 who meet the Disability Grant requirements and submit a medical assessment confirming the impact of the disability. The medical assessment must not be older than three months at the date of application; this does not mean the disability itself must be less than three months old.
Foster Child Grant (R1,290 per month)
Who can apply?
Foster parents with a foster child in their care and in possession of a valid court order confirming it
Social Relief of Distress Grant
(The amount is dependant on the results of the ‘means test’)
Who can apply?
Individuals who are temporarily in need of assistance to meet their or their family’s most basic needs for 3 months and in exceptional circumstances 6 months, and who have one of the following:
- Are waiting for approval of another social grant
- Have a medical condition and are unfit to undertake remunerative work for less than 6 months
- Do not receive maintenance from another source
- Families with a breadwinner admitted to an institution (prison, psychiatric hospital, state-run old age institution etc)
- Are affected by a disaster as defined by the Disaster Management Act or Fund Receiving Act
- Are not receiving assistance from any other organisation
- Will be in dire circumstances if the grant is not approved
Special Social Relief of Distress Grant (R370 per month)
Who can apply?
Applicants who meet the current SRD age, residence, identity, financial and other eligibility rules. Check the official SRD portal for the conditions that apply to you. The announced R370 extension runs through 31 March 2027.
STEP 2: HOW TO APPLY TO SASSA?
At your closest SASSA office:
Disability Grant
Grant In-aid
War Veteran’s Grant
Social Relief of Distress Grant
Care Dependency Grant
- Stand in the queue at your closest SASSA office
- Fill in the forms in the presence of a SASSA officer
- Have your ID documents/birth certificates or letter/affidavit certified by a Commissioner of Oaths (Police Officer at the closest police station) confirming your identity with you and have the essential forms specific to your grant like the Medical Assessment Forms etc with you. If you do not have these forms, the SASSA officer will give them to you and explain what to do with them to qualify
- If you are too sick/unable to go to a SASSA office yourself, you can send someone to apply on your behalf
- Pay no money
- Receive a receipt with a tracking number from the SASSA officer
Online:
Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant
Child Support Grant
Older Persons (Pensioner) Grant
Foster Child Grants
- Use SASSA’s services portal for the online grant services available there.
- For the R370 SRD grant, use srd.sassa.gov.za and follow the route for your applicant category.
- If you need help, use the official contact details on SASSA’s website or visit a SASSA office.
Having an active email account is preferable, though a cellphone number will be sufficient to receive notifications from SASSA.
For the R370 SRD grant, complete the information and consent steps requested on the official portal. Follow any further verification instructions. Processing times vary; an application does not guarantee approval or payment within ten days.
There you have it!
If your application is successful, SASSA will provide the applicable payment information. Older Persons, Disability and Children’s grants have separate dates in the published payment schedule. They are not permanently fixed to the 4th and 6th of every month, and SRD payments must be checked separately.