Sassa Care Dependency Grant [2024]-How To Apply? All Details

Have you ever wished you had a financial boost to take care of your child having an acute mental illness or physical injury? Now stop worrying! Sassa care dependency grant (also called Child Disability Grant) must be the answer to this.

It helps the primary caregiver, foster parents & the child’s parents to get assistance while taking full-time care of the child (Disabled) at home.

All requirements & eligibility details are mentioned below. Still, please note that the child’s age must be below 18 years & he/she must be under supervision at home not at any government institution.

Eligibility Criteria For the Sassa Care Dependency Grant

As every SASSA grant has a specific set of criteria, the same is the case with the SASSA care dependency grant, let’s discover what things make you eligible for the grant.

The person applying for the grant must be the child’s parent, a primary caregiver(by the court), or the foster parent of the child.
Child must be under the age of 18 years of age
The child must be in need of taking complete care e.g he/she is mentally or physically disabled (you must provide proof for that)
The most important requirement is you should be a South African ID holder or registered refugee or permanent resident of South Africa.
The child must not be under supervision or under care of any state-funded institution.
The person applying for the Sassa care dependency grant must comply with the Sassa Means Test
The child & the applicant must reside in South Africa & should provide residency proof.

Income Threshold [SASSA Means Test]

Sassa Means Test is set for different grants differently, based on multiple factors. For the Sassa care dependency grant the applicant should check the criteria.

Your annual income should not exceed R249 600 (R20 800 per month). In case you are married, the annual income9collectively) should not exceed R499 200 (R41 600 per month).

Remember: Foster parents are immune from this condition which means it does not apply to the foster parents they are not assessed by the means test.

How Much Is the SASSA Care Dependency Grant Amount?

As of now & with the latest update about Increase in the Sassa grant amount, every child under the care dependency grant will receive 2180 Rand & hopefully, from the 1st OPct 2024, the grant amount will be 2190 Rand per month. You should keep checking online from Sassa News & Updates or the Sassa Official website.

What is The Sassa Application Fee?

There is no application fee while applying for any of the grants by SASSA It is free of cost. The ultimate goal of SASSA is to support & empower its citizens not to burden the applicants.

How To Apply For the Sassa Care Dependency Grant?

Step 1

You can apply for the grant by visiting your nearest Sassa office, or you may apply online by following the instructions on the Sassa services website.

To submit a physical application follow the below given instructions: Head to your nearest Sassa office and ask the Officer for a Sassa care dependency grant application form (you can download it from our website as well). You are required to fill out the application form in the presence of an SASSA Officer.

Don’t worry if you find it hard to fill the form by yourself, ask the sassa officer to help you with this. They will fill out a form for you.

Follow their instructions and provide the information they ask for. Attach all relevant documents with the application form & submit it.

Step 2

Once you are done with the application form, the Sassa officer will conduct an interview and after that, they will give you a receipt, you are required to keep that receipt safe with you even if you are not qualified.

What If I Can’t Visit the Sassa Office By Myself?

No worries, you can appoint any of your relatives or any friend on your behalf, please make sure to allow him in written form & prove the reason (maybe illness by a doctor) for not being available for application.

How Much Time Does It Take to Complete the Verification Procedure?

Approximately it takes up to three months in case if a number of applications is reasonable but if not then It can exceed more than that. If you don’t get any response in the first three months you can contact them in this regard.

Once it gets approved you will be awarded the grant amount from that onwards. If your grant is declined you should submit a reconsideration form or file an appeal.

What is My Grant Application Declined?

That sounds quite disturbing but don’t worry you still have the option to recover from it if you think this is unfair to you maybe there is a misunderstanding or any error on your end that can be corrected.

First, you should submit a reconsideration application to SASSA if it still results declined and you believe everything is okay on your end and you are eligible for the grant you can appeal the decision of SASSA to the Department Of Social Development within the first 90 days of rejection.

The higher authorities will review your appeal and if they find any issue on your end they will tell you the reason for the declined application status but if you still think there is no fault on your end then the only option left is the Court Of Law.

On the other side if the appeal board decision is in your favour then they will reverse the SASSA’s decision and you will be awarded by grant from then onwards.

Important Documents Required For Sassa Care Dependency Grant

The Child’s South African ID document, in case it is not available then:
Ask the Sassa Officer to provide you the Affidavit form or you can download it from the Sassa Affidavit Form. Fill out this Affidavit form on the SASSA standard affidavit template, and make sure that the Oath commissioner is present at that time. The Oath Commissioner must not be affiliated with SASSA.
You are required to present a statement of declaration which declares your truth, this should be attested by an authoritative person.
You are required to give your fingerprint while your application is under a verification process. The Department of Home Affairs will issue your ID on your request if you fail to do so later on your application may be suspended by Sassa.

Proof of your divorce in case you are divorced.
Yours and Your Spouse ID Documents
The previous 3 months’ bank statements of your account
If your spouse dies within the last five years you are required to present a death certificate
The child’s medical assessment report was conducted by the medical practitioner of Sassa.
The child’s past medical reports.
All supporting documents
Private pension documents
Marriage Certificate (in the case)
Divorce certificate (in the case)
Death certificate (in the case)
UIF card if receiving UIF
Court order in case of foster parent.
If you are not the parent of the child. An Affidavit from police/ affidavit from biological parent/ letter from the school/ social worker’s report, if you are the child’s primary caregiver

How To Check Your SASSA Care Dependency Grant Status?

The person whose grant application is approved should Check Status regularly to stay up to date with your grant status. You can check your Sassa grant status in multiple ways provided below.

Via our dedicated Sassa Status check Online Form,
Via Moya App (Data free method)
Via Sassa Whatsapp number 082-046-8553
Through Sending an SMS to SASSA 082-046-8553
By Calling Sassa on the relevant branch office number
By calling Sassa Toll-Free No 0800-601011

Payment Method For SASSA Care Dependency Grant

Following are the payment methods for the Sassa Care Dependency Grant.

You can get direct payments in your bank account. If you opt for payments via bank account then it is necessary to fill and submit a Consent Form for Bank Payment of SASSA Grant, also attach all relevant documents like your ID, Bank statement of previous three months & your Bank account details.
Your Sassa payment can be withdrawn from Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, Checkers, Usave, and Spar.
According to the new initiative taken by Sassa Authorities & Post Office Officials from this year onwards, Sassa pay points services will be closed for cash receiving, the applicants have to use the ATMs & banks preferably for their SASSA grant payment withdrawal.

Methods To Check Care Dependency Grant Balance

You can check your Sassa Grant balance by following methods.

By calling Toll-free number 0800 601 011
Through ATM
SASSA WhatsApp number 082 046 8553
Dial USSD code *120*3210# or *120*69277# on your phone

Grant Reviews By SASSA Officials

Sassa keeps check and balance by reviewing the current status of grant applicants. it is usually checked by your income and assets and your life status (alive or not).

For the grant review, you will be notified three months before conducting the review by SASSA. This notice by Sassa will inform you how, when, and where you will be reviewed. You are also required to send your life proof certificate to SASSA before the due date or yearly if specifically, you are receiving a grant via a bank account.

If you are unable to visit the Sassa office they will visit you for review. When the review process is completed don’t forget to take receipt of compliance.

What Is The Review Process For Refugees?

As far as the review process of a refugee is concerned then it depends on his/her expiring status. The day a refugee reaches its expiry status the applicant will be reviewed by Sassa.

What Causes Care Dependency Grant Suspension?

Unethical or fraudulent conduct by the beneficiary.
If found any major mistake in your application.
When the beneficiary does not cooperate with SASSA while reviewing the grant.
When your financial circumstances get stable (not applicable for foster parents).
When the child is restored to health or crossed the age of 18 years.
If the care dependency grant was approved mistakenly.

How To Recover From a Suspended Grant?

If you feel the suspension reasons are not fair or maybe any error occurred, you have the right to appeal. You can appeal to the higher authorities.

When Care Dependency Grant Lapses?

When the beneficiary of the grant dies.
The applicant has failed to provide the child’s life certificate to SASSA
Beneficiary is out of state for more than 3 months and there is no notice by the beneficiary.
When an applicant does not collect payments for 3 months and if time lapses after 3 months then there is a need to apply for a fresh grant.
If the beneficiary is a refugee in that case if he/she ceases to be a refugee.

Tips For Beneficiaries

Keep Sassa updated about the circumstantial changes in your child’s grant.
Stay away from any kind of fraudulent activity
Always cooperate with officials during the review process
If you have changed your contact details please make sure you are updating them in your Application form as well.
Always provide complete and clear information where required.
Update sassa about your residential address and contact detail

Conclusion

Sassa offers multiple grants according to one’s needs. Specifically for children (below the age of 18 years) Sassa offers different grants according to the situation faced by parents. Sassa care dependency grant is one of them. On this page, we have provided important information and solutions to the problems. Keeping in view all these instructions your grant approval chances will increase. For further queries you can comment below or reach us through the Contact Us page, our team will answer you as soon as possible.

FAQS

The children below the age of 18 years who are under the supervision and care of his/her foster parents, parents & primary caregivers.

As of now & according to the latest update about the Increase in the Sassa grant amount, every child under the care dependency grant will receive 2180 Rand & hopefully, from the 1st Oct 2024, the grant amount will be 2190 Rand per month.

You can check your Sassa grant status in multiple ways provided below.

Via our dedicated Sassa Status check Online Form,
Via Moya App (Data free method)
Via Sassa Whatsapp number 082-046-8553
Through Sending an SMS to SASSA 082-046-8553
By Calling Sassa on the relevant branch office number
By calling Sassa Toll-Free No. 0800-601011

From the birth of a child till the age of 18 years.

Visit your nearest Department of Social Development office. Fill out Form 7 and submit a certified copy of your identity document or residence permit.