The grant is accessible for children with disabilities from the time of birth until they turn 18. The child’s disability must be assessed by a doctor appointed by SASSA, and they must be receiving full-time care in the home only, not in any state institution.
The care dependency grant (also known as disability child grant) is financial assistance provided by SASSA to the parents, foster parents, or the primary caregiver of a child with severe physical or mental disabilities who requires special or full-time home care.
What is Means Test for the SASSA Care Dependency Grant?
SASSA means test is the method used to evaluate the income of the care dependency grant applicants to ensure that only deserving individuals receive the grant. To qualify for the means test, your annual income should not cross R249 6000 if you are single. Being married, the collective annual income must not be higher than R499 200.
The means test condition is not applied to foster parents, as it is not necessary for them to qualify for the means test. The applicants for foster child grants can also apply for care dependency grants if their child is severely disabled.
Each grant type has different criteria for its means test to evaluate the applicant’s financial eligibility.
The Eligibility Criteria For Care Dependency Grant
The applicant is required to fulfill the following conditions in order to be eligible for the care dependency grant:
How much is the SASSA Care Dependency Grant Amount?
According to the latest increase on 1 April 2024, each eligible child will receive a monthly R2,180 under the care dependency grant. The grant amount will increase to R2,190 per child per month from 1 October 2024.
How much does that Care Dependency Grant Cost?
Applying for a SASSA care dependency grant is free of cost, and there is no service fee.
Procedure to Apply for the Care Dependency Grant
To apply for the care dependency grant, the child must be assessed first by a doctor assigned by SASSA. After the medical assessment is completed, you can apply for a SASSA care dependency grant in your nearest SASSA office branch by filling out their application form. If you want to apply online, read the instructions on applying online through the SASSA services website.
If you are too old, sick or have any disability issues, you may have a trusted family member or a friend to apply on your behalf. The person applying on your behalf should take a letter from you along with a doctor’s note explaining the reason why you cannot visit the SASSA office yourself.
The application forms are available at SASSA offices, and it needs to be completed in the presence of the SASSA officer. You can fill out the application yourself, but if you are unable to do so, the officer will assist you in completing the application form. The officer will also take your interview (or take the interview from your appointed person) and inform you if you are qualified for the grant.
After completing the application and interview, you will receive the dated stamp receipt with the SASSA officer name who assisted you in the application. Even if you are not qualified, you need to keep this receipt as proof of application.
Required Documents While Applying for Care Dependency Grant
You are required to bring the following documents (original or certified copies) with you to the SASSA office when applying for a care dependency grant:
Processing Time for the Application of the SASSA Care Dependency Grant
The processing time for the care dependency grant application is up to 3 months. Upon the completion of your application processing and the subsequent approval of your grant, you will receive all the payments from the date you submitted your application. In case your application is not accepted, SASSA will issue a letter to you that clarifies the reasons behind the decision and guides you on how to start the appeal process.
SASSA Care Dependency Grant Balance Check
The SASSA balance check service allows you to check the remaining balance of your grant. By checking your balance, you can stay updated with your funds to manage your finances and make informed decisions about your grant money. After your care dependency grant application is approved and you start receiving grant payments, you may need to check your balance regularly by following methods:
SASSA Care Dependency Grant Reviews
SASSA reserves the right to conduct a review of your grant, and it is based on the income you declared during the application process. The reviews are conducted to ensure that you still meet the means test criteria of the grant and that your circumstances are not improved yet. It is also to verify if you are still alive. To make the review process easier, you should always keep your application up to date whenever your circumstances change.
SASSA will send you a written notice before the three months of review or the deadline to submit your life certificate (proof that you are still alive). The written notification will also provide details about the date and location of the review.
For individuals who receive their grant through a bank, institution, or agent, you must annually submit the life certificate to the SASSA office. If you are bedridden, SASSA officials will visit your home to conduct the review. Once the review is completed, you will be given a compliance receipt including your application reference number.
The review process for refugee applicants will be initiated when their refugee status reaches its expiration.
Grant Suspension Reasons
The following reasons may lead to the grant suspension:
Restoration of the Grant
If you believe that your grant was suspended in error or if you have a disagreement with SASSA’s decision, you have the option to submit an appeal to the Ministry of Social Development at the National Department of Social Development within 90 days of the suspension.
Reasons for Lapsing of the Care Dependency Grant:
Your care dependency grant will lapse if one of the following conditions occurs:
Responsibilities of the Beneficiaries
Being a SASSA grant holder, you also need to fulfill some responsibilities:
You must keep the SASSA updated in the above scenarios to avoid any interruption or suspension in your grants, as SASSA sends notices and updates to the address you submitted in the application. If your address or contact information is updated and you did not inform the SASSA, it may cause the suspension of your grants, as SASSA will not be able to contact you.