Get to know how Child Support Grant works in South Africa and find out if you qualify for the social benefit!
The Child Support Grant South Africa is a lifeline for many struggling families. It provides essential financial support, ensuring that children have access to the resources they need to grow and thrive. By making the grant available to low-income families, the South African government helps reduce poverty and promotes social equity across the nation.
With many families grappling with unemployment and a lack of resources, this grant provides vital support to provide basic necessities for children, that significantly impacts their development. Also, if you want to check out more financial tips on our website, you can click on this link!
What Is a Child Support Grant?
It is government initiative aimed at supporting children in low-income households. Administered by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), this grant is a crucial part of the country’s broader social welfare system, designed to ensure that children receive the necessary financial support for basic needs.
By providing a monthly financial supplement, the Child Support Grant aids parents and caregivers in covering the costs of necessities like food, clothing, and education. As part of the government’s commitment to social upliftment.
How Does Child Support Grant Work in South Africa?
Its goal is to assist primary caregivers – parents or legal guardians – who are responsible for children living in poverty. It is not a loan but rather a monthly cash payment made by the government to help alleviate financial pressures in households with children under 18.
The grant is paid out monthly through various means, including direct bank transfers, electronic vouchers, at SASSA pay points, or at an institution acting as administrator of the grant. If you are unable to collect the money yourself, you can appoint a procurator at the SASSA office, or give someone power of attorney to collect the it on your behalf. The flexibility in payment options allows that the social benefit reaches even those in rural or remote areas where banking infrastructure might be limited.
How Much Do You Get From It?
The value is periodically adjusted to account for economic changes and inflation, so it remains a viable form of financial support for struggling families. As of April 2024, the monthly amount of the Child Support Grant has become R530, or R790, with the additional top-up of R260, per child. Keep in mind that you cannot get this grant for more than six non-biological or legally adopted children.
Who Qualifies for Child Support Grant South Africa?
Not every caregiver is eligible for it. SASSA has set specific criteria that must be met:
- Residency and Citizenship: to qualify for the grant, the applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or a refugee living in South Africa. Both the child and the caregiver must be residing in the country at the time of application;
- Age of the Child: the child for whom the grant is being claimed must be under the age of 18. If the child turns 18, the grant will be discontinued;
- Income Thresholds: for single caregivers, their income must not exceed R52,800 per year (R4,400 per month). For married couples, the combined income must be less than R105,600 per year (R8,800 per month);
- Primary Caregiver Status: the applicant must be the primary caregiver of the child, which could be the biological parent, grandparent, or any legal guardian who is primarily responsible for the child’s day-to-day needs. If you are not the child’s parent, you must provide proof that you are the child’s primary caregiver through an affidavit from a police official, a social worker’s report, an affidavit from the biological parent or a letter from the principal of the school attended by the child;
- Child Status: the child must not be cared for in a state institution and live with the primary caregiver who is not paid to look after the child.
How to Apply
First, the applicant needs to visit their nearest SASSA office. Applicants will fill out an application form and submit the necessary documents to SASSA staff. The application will then be processed, and the caregiver will be notified of the outcome. You’ll need to take the following required documents with you:
- Your 13 digit-bar-coded identity document (ID);
- Child’s birth certificate;
- Proof of any maintenance you receive for the child;
- Proof of your earnings;
- Your marriage certificate (if applicable);
- If you are divorced, the court order saying that you have custody of the child;
- If one or both parents are dead or missing, the death certificate of the deceased or proof that the parent is missing, e.g. a missing person’s report from the police.
If you don’t have an ID or the child’s birth certificate, you must complete an affidavit in a standard SASSA format in the presence of a Commissioner of Oaths who is not a SASSA official. For it, you’ll need to take the following documents:
- A sworn statement by a reputable person (e.g. councillor, traditional leader, social worker, minister of religion) who knows the applicant and child;
- Proof that you have applied for an ID and/or birth certificate at the Department of Home Affairs;
- A temporary ID issued by the Department of Home Affairs (if applicable);
- Baptismal certificate (if available);
- Road to health clinic card (if available);
- School report (if available).
Keep in mind that only you as the applicant or a SASSA official may complete the application form. After you complete the application form in the presence of the SASSA official, you will be given a receipt. Keep it as proof that you applied. It may take up to three months to process your application. If your grant is approved, you will be paid from the date on which you applied.