What is Care dependency grant
Get a grant to take care of a child who has a severe disability and is in need of full-time and special care.The care dependency grant covers disabled children from birth until they turn 18.
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:
- To become eligible for the grant, you should either be a South African citizen, a recognized refugee or have a permanent residency status.
- You need to be a parent, a legally appointed primary caregiver, or a foster parent of a child below 18 years old.
- The child should not be receiving long-term care in a state institution.
- Residency in South Africa is necessary for both you and your child.
- You are required to provide evidence that the child has a severe disability and is being cared for full-time at home.
- You and your spouse (if married) should satisfy the means test requirements.
Your annual income should not surpass R249 600 (R20 800 per month). Being married, the collective annual income must not be higher than R499 200 (R41 600 per month). This condition does not apply to the foster parents.
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.
How much is the SASSA Care Dependency Grant Amount Per Month?
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.
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:
- Identity Documents:
- Your original 13-digit bar-coded ID (Identity Document).
- If you are a recognized refugee, you need to provide your status permit and refugee ID.
- Birth certificate of the child with a valid ID number.
- If you don’t have ID or child’s birth certificate:
- You must fill out the SASSA standard affidavit form, and that form should be completed in front of an Oaths Commissioner who is not affiliated with SASSA. A SASSA official will provide you with the form, or you can download the SASSA affidavit from here.
- You should have documentation from the Department of Home Affairs confirming that you have initiated an application for an ID and/or birth certificate.
- A temporary identity document card provided by the Department of Home Affairs. (if applicable).
- Baptismal certificate, if you have it.
- A school certificate, if available
- Road to Health Clinic (RTHC) Card, if you can provide it.
- Proof of your marital status:
- Marriage Certificate: if you are married.
- Divorce Decree: In case of a dissolved marriage.
- Death Certificate: if your spouse is deceased.
- For married individuals, provide any documents that reveal both you and your spouse’s earnings. This condition is not applicable to foster parents.
- Payslips if you have employed or bank statements for the last 3 months.
- UIF card if you are receiving UIF benefits.
- For individuals who were employed, provide a copy of leaving certificate from your prior employer or a membership proof of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
- Pension receipt if you are receiving a pension.
- Proof of any financial support you received specifically for the child or if you have tried but are unable to get any financial support for the child from the biological parents.
- Income proof of the child.
- If you are not the child’s biological parent, you must provide the proof (any one of the following) that you are the primary caretaker of the child:
- Affidavit from a police station.
- Report from the social worker.
- Written permission from the biological parent of a child indicating that you should take care of a child.
- A letter from the child’s school principal that the child attends.
- The court order that officially designates you as the child’s legal foster parent (only applicable to foster parents).
A medical assessment report confirms the child’s disability and that he is receiving permanent care or support in the home.
How to Apply For SASSA Care Dependency Grant
For the SASSA care dependency grant application, follow the given simple steps as it is, I also encourage you to learn SASSA online application process in detail.
- First become a member of SASSA by registering an account on the SASSA portal srd.sassa.gov.za.
- Make an account by providing your ID number and email, and then look for ‘Apply for a grant’ button within the portal.
- Fill out the care dependency grant form either using any form-filling software or by printing it out.
- Fill out the bank consent and affidavit form, remember, the bank consent form can be the same for all grants but not affidavits.
- Attach other documents of the applicant like a medical assessment proving the applicant’s need resources for care, that the applicant can be a child or an adult.
- Manage all filled forms in a single place upload them into your SASSA account and press the ‘submit’ button, all done.
Now keep stalking your application status using SASSA status check online tool.
