The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offers various social grants and assistance programs to support vulnerable groups in South Africa. With over 18 million recipients as of 2022, SASSA grants provide essential income and aid to the elderly, disabled, children, and unemployed.
In this comprehensive guide, we dive into the key details, requirements, and processes for obtaining SASSA grants and utilizing the SASSA Status Check portal.
Overview of SASSA Grants
SASSA administers seven major social assistance grants:
- Old Age Grant
- Disability Grant
- War Veterans Grant
- Foster Child Grant
- Care Dependency Grant
- Child Support Grant
- Social Relief of Distress Grant
These grants provide monthly cash transfers to eligible applicants. The table below summarizes key details of each grant:
| Grant | Eligibility | Amount (Rand per month) |
| Old Age Grant | Age 60+; pass income test | Up to R2,010 for over 75s <br> R1,980 for 60-75 years |
| Disability Grant | Medical assessment confirming disability; pass income test | Up to R2,010 |
| War Veterans Grant | Age 60+; pass income test; fought in World War 1, 2 or Korean War | R1,980 |
| Foster Child Grant | Court order to foster a child | R1,080 per child |
| Care Dependency Grant | Care for a disabled child with high care needs | R1,980 per child |
| Child Support Grant | Caregiver of a child under 18 years; pass income test | R480 per child |
| Social Relief of Distress | Temporary assistance; disaster relief | Up to R790 per month |
Key notes:
- All grants, except for the Foster Child Grant, require passing an income or means test
- Grant amounts are updated annually in line with inflation and budget announcements
Who Qualifies for SASSA Grants?
Each SASSA grant program has specific eligibility requirements. But some common criteria include:
- South African citizenship or permanent residence – most grants require you to be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee to qualify. Visitors or foreign nationals usually don’t qualify.
- Income threshold – applicants need to pass a means test to qualify for social grants. You meet the requirements if your income and assets fall below a defined threshold. For example, single old age grant applicants can’t have total income exceeding R89,400 per year.
- Age – certain grants have age requirements like old age and war veterans grants. You need to be over 60 years to qualify.
- Disability – those seeking disability grants require medical assessments and reports to confirm disability, capability loss and need for assistance.
- Caregiving – fostering or caring for a child under 18 years is required for foster care and child support grants. Court orders often needed too.
How to Apply for SASSA Grants
1. Gather documentation – Collect all the necessary documents like ID, birth certificate, proof of income/assets, disability or medical reports etc. required for the grant application.
2. Complete application form – Visit nearest SASSA office and complete application form for desired grant with assistance of the SASSA officer. Form requires personal details, financial situation overview and other specifics.
3. Submit application at SASSA office – Hand in completed application form along with copies of necessary supporting documentation to SASSA official for verification.
4. Interview and verification – SASSA may conduct interview to validate details. Additional documents or assessments may be requested in some grant categories.
5. Outcome – If approved, you receive communication stating successful grant application. Rejected applications list reasons for denial of grant assistance.
6. Payment – If approved, grant payout starts from next payment cycle on regular dates. Payments done monthly through selected payout method.
SASSA Grant Payment Dates and Methods
Payment dates
SASSA grants are paid in the first three days of each month.
Here are the specific payout dates for 2024:
| Month | Payment Dates |
| January | 3, 4, 5 |
| February | 2, 3, 4 |
| March | 4, 5, 6 |
| April | 2, 3, 4 |
| May | 2, 3, 4 |
| June | 3, 4, 5 |
| July | 2, 3, 4 |
| August | 2, 3, 4 |
| September | 3, 4, 5 |
| October | 2, 3, 4 |
| November | 4, 5, 6 |
| December | 3, 4, 5 |
Payment methods
Recipients can choose to receive SASSA grants through:
- Cash at pay points – Queue on payment days at authorized pay points like local shops or community halls to collect grant money
- Bank account deposits – Money transferred to your personal bank account on file
- Mobile money transfers – Payouts through money transfer mobile apps linked to cellphone number
The most secure and convenient methods to receive SASSA grants is through bank accounts and mobile transfers. This avoids long queues at pay points.
SASSA Status Check
The SASSA Status Check portal allows you to instantly check important updates related to SASSA grants including:
- Application status and outcome notifications
- Confirmed payment dates each month
- Payment amount updates
- Errors and issues with payout transfers
To check your SASSA grant status:
- Go to https://www.sassastatuschecklive.co.za/
- Enter your ID number and reference number
- View status updates, notifications and details related to your social grant
Monitoring this regularly allows you to spot any payment issues promptly or stay updated on application decisions easily via your cellphone.
Key Statistics on SASSA Grants
SASSA grant recipients 2022/23
| Grant type | Number of recipients |
| Child support | 13,167,336 |
| Old age | 3,740,398 |
| Disability assistance | 1,073,734 |
| Foster child | 603,576 |
| Care dependency | 207,479 |
| War veterans | 667 |
| Total | 18,793,190 |
SASSA grant expenditure 2022/23
- Total: R226 billion (~$13.3 billion)
- Average per recipient: R12,027 (~$700) per year
The child support grant assists the most recipients, but old age and disability grants comprise the biggest share of total expenditure.
Conclusion
SASSA provides a vital safety net and welfare program supporting childcare, elderly, unemployed and poverty relief across South Africa.
Understanding the grants available, eligibility criteria, application process and payment systems empowers those needing assistance to access it readily. Monitoring your status online provides convenience and transparency over your grants.
With the high unemployment and economic uncertainty facing South Africa currently, SASSA grants help many vulnerable groups and communities to afford basic food, utilities, medicine and living expenses.
