List of Grants of SASSA | Eligibility Criteria & Apply Online
South Africa has a high level of social assistance system in the developing world. Over 18 million are receiving some type of social grant every month, or almost one out of three citizens is reliant on government aid to be able to survive. If you are already a SASSA Beneficiary, then you must SASSA Status Check for next payment dates.
These grants have a key role in alleviating abject poverty and protecting households against unemployment and increased living standards. A large percentage of the public expenditure is on social grants. Social assistance is one of the largest items in the national budget, with the government spending hundreds of billions of rand on it every year.
Most of the beneficiaries are child related grants and old age grants, which portrays the high dependency rates of young people and the old age of South Africa. The Child Support Grant alone covers more than 13 million children; whilst the Older Persons Grant covers millions of pensioners who frequently have extended families.
FAQs
Understand Rules of SASSA
The South African Social Security Agency, also known as SASSA, is the body charged with the responsibility of administering social assistance in place of the government. Its mission is to alleviate poverty and vulnerability by ensuring that the eligible citizens get monthly financial aid.
SASSA does not establish social grants, it processes grants that are established by the state, which means that grants are paid to the beneficiaries in a fair, secure and timely manner. By 2025-2026, SASSA operates both permanent social grants and temporary relief grants, covering millions of individuals around the country.
Permanent SASSA Grants
The permanent social grants are given monthly to people with some eligibility criteria. These grants are not meant to be short-term, but long-term support.
Older Persons Grant
One of the most significant social grants in South Africa is the Older Persons Grant commonly known as old-age pension. It is offered to the South African citizens, permanent residents, and refugees who have reached the age of 60 years of age and passed the means test.
The grant assists the aged people to meet their basic needs like food, transport, utilities and healthcare. The pension is the main income source in most families as it does not only sustain the beneficiary, but also other family members such as unemployed adult children and grandchildren.
Disability Grant
Disability Grant is provided to adults between 18-59 years of age who are unable to work because of a physical or mental disability. The applicants should be assessed medically to confirm that the disability is not able to earn them an income.
The grant may be temporary or permanent depending on the medical condition. It is very important in providing dignity and basic survival to the people who would not have been included in the labour market.
Child Support Grant
The Child Support Grant is given to the main parent of a child below the age of 18 years. The caregiver should not have to be the biological parent, he or she should be the one taking care of the child daily.
This grant has the highest number of beneficiaries in the country in spite of being modest in value. It promotes children’s access to food, education and healthcare, and has been broadly attributed to the reduction of child poverty and the school attendance rates.
Foster Child
The Foster Child Grant can be offered to caregivers who have the court order of a child that was legally fostered by them. It is not means-tested as the Child Support Grant and has much more value because of the extra responsibilities of fostering care.
This grant assists the abandoned, abused, or orphaned children so that they can have a stable and safe home with foster parents.
Care Dependency
Care Dependency Grant is awarded to the parents of children under the age of 18 years and who are physically or mentally challenged to the extent that they need full time care. The child would need a medical examination to determine his or her condition.
The award is a financial aid and emotional support to families with children with disabilities, who have a high financial and emotional burden, to offset the medical expenses as well as specialised equipment and day-to-day care services.
Grant in Aid
Grant-in-Aid is not a separate grant, but an allowance. It is paid to beneficiaries who already have an Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant, or War Veterans Grant and are in need of fulltime assistance from another person.
This grant assists in compensating those taking care of the patient and also makes sure that the vulnerable people are taken care of properly in their day to day lives without losing independence.
War Veterans
The War Veterans Grant is awarded to the war veterans who have served in a certain war in history and mainly during the Second World War and the Korean War. The number of recipients is currently very low because of the age of the beneficiaries who are eligible.
This grant recognizes the sacrifice and service of the veterans and offers financial aid at the old age.
Temporary Grant (SRD 370)
Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant is a non-recurring grant that targets unemployed adults between the ages of 18 and 59 years of age who have no income and no other kind of government benefits. See the eligibility criteria of SASSA SRD 370 grant and apply now if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Firstly, the SRD grant was initially introduced in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has been extended several times since the economic situation remains challenging. By 2025-2026, it still remains a safety net to millions of unemployed South Africans.
Even though it is temporary, the SRD grant is now one of the most talked about and visited types of social assistance in the country.
Importance of SRD 370
Social grants do not just mean monthly payment. They form the foundation of the social protection system of South Africa. In most societies, grant income subsidises whole families, boosts local communities, and alleviates abject poverty.
Grants enhance food security, allow children to remain at school, access healthcare, and add dignity to the lives of the non-working. In the absence of such grants, inequality and hardship would be much worse.
Conclusion
SASSA grants are very important as they offer much needed financial assistance to the most vulnerable South Africa population, which includes older people, people with disabilities, children, foster families, war veterans, and unemployed persons with no income.
The Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant, Child Support Grant, Foster Child Grant, Care Dependency Grant, and War Veterans Grant are permanent grants where an individual receives continuous help provided that he or she meets certain requirements.
Further assistance is offered under Grant-in-Aid benefit to beneficiaries who need full-time care and the Social Relief of Distress grant is only temporary and helps to sustain basic living standards in millions of households when they are going through tough times.