SASSA Child Support Grant Deadlines You Should Know

The SASSA Child Support Grant is a crucial social welfare program initiated by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) designed to provide financial assistance to primary caregivers of children below the age of 18. Established to help alleviate child poverty and support the well-being of vulnerable families, the grant ensures that basic needs such as nutrition, healthcare, and education are met for millions of children across South Africa.

SASSA Child Support Grant What You Need to Know

The SASSA Child Support Grant is a payment from the government of South Africa to the primary caregiver of a child under 18 years of age. The primary caregiver of a child can be a parent, grandparent, or anyone over 16 years old who is the main person responsible for caring for the child. Each primary caregiver can receive a Child Support Grant for up to 6 children, who are not their legal or biological children. The complete eligibility criteria, application process, and related important things about the SASSA Child Support Grant are given below.

Eligibility Criteria for the SASSA Child Support Grant

The applicant must be the child’s primary caregiver (he/she can be the parent, grandparent, or a child over 16 heading a family).
If the applicant is not the parent of the child, he/she must provide proof of being the child’s primary caregiver. To prove this he/she must:
Submit an affidavit from a police officer.
A social worker’s report.
An affidavit from the biological parent of the child.
A letter from the principal of the school the child is attending.

The applicant must be a South African citizen or permanent resident.
The applicant must not be getting paid for taking care of the child.
The applicant must pass the SASSA Means test.
The child must be under the age of 18 years.
The child must not be admitted and being taken care of in any state institution.
The child must be living with the primary caregiver.
The child must be living in South Africa.

Means Test For SASSA Child Support Grant

SASSA approves the grant applications after performing multiple verification tests and the Means test is one of them. It is the method followed by SASSA to evaluate the assets and income of the applicants to determine whether or not they qualify for the grant. To pass the Means test for the SASSA child support grant, the applicant must not earn more than R61,200 per year if he/she is single and the combined income of the couple must not be more than R122,400 per year if the applicant is married.

Documents Required

The following documents must be gathered before applying for the SASSA Child support grant:

The applicant’s 13-digit bar-coded ID.
The child’s birth certificate.
Proof of any maintenance the applicant receives for the child.
Proof of the applicant’s earnings.
Marriage certificate of the applicant (if applicable).
A court order confirming the applicant’s custody of the child.
The death certificate of the deceased parent or a missing person’s report from police (if applicable).

How to apply for the SASSA Child Support Grant?

As for now, there is no online method of applying for the SASSA Child Support Grant. The applicants must visit the SASSA office in person to apply. The method for applying is given below:

Visit your nearest SASSA office with all the required documents.
Ask the SASSA official there for the SASSA child support grant form.
Fill out the form in the presence of the SASSA official.
Submit the form and get the stamped receipt. Keep this receipt safe as this is the proof of your application.

Application Processing Time

After you have applied, the SASSA will start to verify and process it. This can take up to 90 days. Once your application has been processed, you will get notified by SASSA about the outcome. During this period you need to perform an SASSA status check regularly to keep yourself updated about your application status.

Application Outcomes

After the SASSA has completed the verification process, you will be notified about the outcome of your application. If your application is approved, then you can get your grant payment on a specific day through your preferred method of payment.

If your application for the SASSA child support grant is rejected, then you will get notified by SASSA about the reason your application was unsuccessful in written form. If you disagree with the SASSA’s decision, you can appeal to SASSA. You must appeal within 90 days after your application is rejected.

SASSA Child Support Grant Amount

After the application is approved, the applicants will get R530 each month on the specified day. The applicants can get their grant payment through any method given below:

In cash at a specific pay point on the specified day through the SASSA gold card. Applicants must renew their SASSA card if their card has expired.
Direct electronic deposit into the applicant’s bank account if he/she has chosen the option to receive the grant payment directly into his/her bank account. The applicants can change their SASSA banking details through the Moya App or by visiting the SASSA office.
From a welfare institution working as an administrator of the grant.

SASSA Child Support Grant Review

SASSA can do the grant review of the beneficiaries receiving the SASSA child support grant. This review depends on the income that the beneficiaries declared in their grant application. SASSA will notify you about the date and place of review three months before the grant review occurs.

When is the SASSA child support grant suspended?

The following reasons may result in the suspension of the child’s grant:

Change in the applicant’s circumstances.
SASSA review may determine that the grant should be suspended.
Lack of applicant’s cooperation during the review.
Misrepresentation of the child.
Fraudulent activity detected by SASSA.
The grant was mistakenly approved.
The child is no longer in the applicant’s care.

If your grant was suspended due to any reasons given above and you disagree with the SASSA decision, you can apply to get your grant restored within 90 days of the suspension notice.

Reasons for SASSA Child Support Grant Lapses

The SASSA child support grant will lapse due to the following reasons:

The child passes away.
The child is admitted to a state institution.
The caregiver does not claim the grant for three consecutive months.
The child is absent from the country.
In the month the child turns 18 years of age.

Things to Remember

The SASSA Child Support Grant is a financial aid for the biological parents of the child living in poverty whereas the SASSA Foster Child Grant is for the foster parents taking care of the children in need who were put into their custody by court.
If you cannot collect the grant money yourself, you can appoint a procurator at the SASSA office or give someone the power of attorney to collect grant payment on your behalf.
You can only get the SASSA child support grant for the six biological children you are taking care of.
You are required to fill in a life certificate every year at SASSA offices if you receive your grant payment through the bank, an institution, or a procurator.
Applying for the SASSA child support grant is absolutely free.
Always keep SASSA updated about changes in the child’s personal and changes in your financial conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

According to SASSA, the beneficiaries of the SASSA child support grant will get R530 after their application is approved.

You can check your SASSA child support grant by checking your SASSA status. You can check the SASSA status through the SASSA official website, WhatsApp, SMS, or call.

After you submit your application, you will get a dated stamped receipt from the SASSA office. This receipt is your proof of application.