SASSA Child Grant Online Application, Requirements & its Amount
Raising kids in this inflation is no ordinary job. From their schooling to healthcare, everything costs an arm and a leg, which is a struggle for those who are earning less than the average income in South Africa.
The South African Social Security Agency has launched multiple grants for the citizens of the country. One of those grants is the child support grant.
The monetary aid makes it possible for caregivers and parents to offer their children a decent life.
SASSA has made eligibility criteria for this grant. If the applicant meets certain requirements and criteria of the department, then they will get access to the money.
How Much is the SASSA Child Grant in 2024?
The SASSA child support grant from April 2024 is R530 per month per child. If a family applies for two kids, they will receive R1000 monthly. However, to receive this amount, the applicants must meet the criteria.
SASSA Child Grant Application Requirements | Who Qualifies for it?
Not every citizen of South Africa with kids can apply for the grant. There is a strict eligibility criteria. Only those who meet the entire criteria will receive the grant money.
- The first requirement is that the applicant must be a registered citizen of South Africa. A foreigner living in the country can not apply for or are eligible for the child support grant of SASSA. However, if you are a permanent resident of the country or a refugee, then you are also eligible for receiving the grant.
- The second requirement is that the child should be under the age of 18. Whether the applicant has one kid or two kids, the children in question need to be less than 18 years old. When a child turns 18, the grant becomes suspended.
- The applicant also needs to have a phone number which is registered under their own name. In addition to that, the applicant also needs to present their income proof, as the grant is only for poor citizens.
- The maximum income of single parents is R60,000 annually. However, if both parents are earning, then their combined earnings should not exceed R120,000 per year.
- Another important requirement for qualifying for the child support grant is that the parent or guardian must not receive any monetary aid for their kid. If they are receiving help from any other source, then they are not eligible for this grant.
- This takes us to another critical factor, which is non-negotiable. The child must be registered in a school if they are of school-going age. It is the responsibility of the parents to send the kid to an educational institute to qualify for the child support grant.
What Documents do I need to Apply for the SASSA Child Grant?
Before you start to fill out the application, you need to gather some documents.
- The first is the guardian’s identity card when applying for the grant. If the child has both parents, then the identity card of both parents is required.
- The second document that the department asks for is proof of income, which is the payslip for their current job. This proves to the officers reviewing the request whether the person meets the maximum annual earning criteria or not. If the person is retired from their job, then the pension slip needs to be attached to the application form.
- The Department also requires the birth certificate of the children. This proves the age of the children, or the child, which allows the officers to judge whether the age requirements are being met or not.
- Another document that you need to attach to your application is proof of residence. Furthermore, the applicant also needs to attach their bank statement with the application as the funds are transferred directly into a bank account.
- The last thing is, if the child’s parents are deceased and the guardian is applying for the grant, then they need to attach documents proving their guardianship.
- Moreover, the parents’ death certificates also need to be provided during the application process.
Can a Father Apply for the SASSA Child Grant?
A father can also apply for the child grant if he is the only caretaker of the kid. Father would need to follow all requirements such as his income shouldn’t be above R5,000/mo.
SASSA Child Grant Application Online Process
If you do not wish to visit an office, or it is too far, then you can also apply for the grant online.
- Visit Sassa’s website on your device. If you are registered on the website, then you can apply for the grant directly.
- However, if you are not registered with SASSA, you must register yourself first.
- Click on the ‘Register’ button and a form will appear on the screen. Fill out the registration form with all the details they are requesting.
- After adding all the information, you need to click on the OK button to receive your OTP. You will receive this password on your mobile phone.
- Once you receive the message with OTP, you need to add it to the registration form to complete the process.
- Now login to the website with your newly registered account details. Then look for the grants option or ‘apply for a grant’.
- The entire list of Sassa grants will open, you need to select the one you are looking for i.e., a child support grant.
- The application form for the grant will open on the screen. You need to fill out this form with all the accurate information.
- You also need to add your affidavit issued by SASSA along with the rest of the application document.
- All documents should be attached to the application form in PDF format. Once you have uploaded everything, click the done button and your application will be submitted.
Once you have submitted your application form on the website or the office of Sassa, the Department will begin to review your application.
Office Application (extra method)
Once you have gathered all the required documents, then you need to visit the nearest Sassa office. Ask them for the child support grant application form on the counter. When you receive the form, you must sit down and fill it out accurately.
You can also download the application form in pdf, Affidavit for CSG, and here is how to fill it.
It is critical that you provide all the information that the form asks for, and it should be accurate. Otherwise, the department will most likely reject your application. You can ask for the help of a Sassa officer if you have any problems.
Once you have filled out the application form, you need to attach all the documents with the form. Submit it to a Sassa officer, and your application review process will start.
Post Application Process
The major thing to keep in mind for the Sassa child support grant is to provide them with accurate information. Giving false information to the Department will not only suspend your grant, but it may also become cause the applicant not to qualify for any grants in the future.
In addition to that, any fraudulent activities are not tolerated by Sassa, so make sure to not participate in any such activities. Moreover, the applicant can apply for the grant for a maximum of 6 kids at a time. Each applicant will receive R500 per month per child.
Grant Review Process
Grant reviews are done after the grant has been allotted to the individuals. This is done to make sure that the applicants continue to meet the criteria of the grant or not. Grant reviews are done by the Department of Sassa, which notifies the applicant 3 months prior to the review.
A letter or notification is sent from Sassa to the applicants to notify them about the review. If there is a change in the circumstances of the applicant, then the grant is suspended immediately.
However, if their situation has not changed and they meet the criteria of the grant, then they continue to receive the amount.
Grant Suspension
When an individual qualifies for the child support grant and their application is approved, they begin to receive the amount from the date of application. However, even after the approval of the grant, it can be suspended for various reasons.
Moreover, if the family’s financial situation changes in any way, then their grant will be suspended immediately. This means the annual earnings of the single parent or both parents surpass the maximum income amount set by the Department.
In addition, if the guardians do not cooperate during the review of the grant or they find any proof of false information, then the grant will also be suspended. Another major cause behind grant suspension is when the guardian or the parents do not claim the money for 3 months in a row.
When the third month hits without the parent claiming the grant money, the grant will be suspended.
Furthermore, the grant will also be suspended if the applicant changes their residential address and does not notify the department.
As the Department of Sassa sends out mail to the registered address mentioned in the application, a change in address will make it impossible for them to reach the applicants. Therefore, if you are changing your residence, then make sure to inform the Department.
When the grant of an applicant is suspended, they have a 90-day period to apply for the restoration of the grant.
In this period, the application for restoration will be reviewed, and they may start to receive the money again. However, when the 90-day period is over, the applicant can no longer have their grant money restored.
Grant Lapse
The first primary reason for the lapse is that the child turns 18. As it is for kids that are under the age of 18, when the child turns 18, it will cause the grant to lapse.
If the child is taken out of the country and they are no longer a resident of South Africa, then the grant can also be lapsed. If the child dies, that is also grounds for the lapse of the child support grant.
In addition to that, if the child is admitted to any state institution or starts to receive financial aid from other sources, then it will also cause a grant lapse.
However, it will not lapse immediately but after six months of admission to the institute. To be more precise, it will lapse on the first day of the seventh month.
How long does it take for a child support grant to be approved?
Usually, Sassa’s child support grant is approved within 30 to 60 days. However, the maximum time limit for the Department to approve the application is up to 3 months. When the grant is approved, the applicant receives the amount from the date of their application.
What are the requirements for a child support grant?
The major requirement for the child support grant is that the child must be under the age of 18. Moreover, the applicant and the child need to be registered citizens of South Africa, residing in the country. The parent of the child also needs to meet the income requirement, which is R60,000 for a single parent and R120,000 for both parents’ annual earnings.
7 Reasons why SASSA Child Grant is not Paid
There are a lot of reasons why your SASSA child grant might have been suspended. However, it is super important to understand the reasons because otherwise, you won’t be able to devise your next step.
- To start off, it could be because your child has turned eighteen. The child grant is only granted to minors who are below the age of eighteen. So, if your child is eighteen, you will eventually stop receiving funds.
- You may also stop receiving the child grant funds in case of the death of the child. Or it could also be because your child has been admitted to a government institute.
- Another possible reason could be that the caretaker of the child in question has failed to collect the payment for three consecutive months.
- Apart from that, another possible reason why you might have stopped receiving your payments is that the child has shifted abroad. In simple words, he/she is no longer residing in South Africa.
- Furthermore, in case you are no longer in the custody of the child, you will also stop receiving payments on the child’s behalf.
- Other than that, you must also cooperate with SASSA when the grant review is being conducted by SASSA; otherwise, you will stop getting payments altogether.
- Plus, if you are guilty of providing any false or misleading information in the SASSA application for a child support grant, you will stop getting payments the moment they catch you.
Parents and guardians receive child support grants to ensure the well-being and development of their children.
Staying informed about the current balance of your child’s grant is essential to maximizing this assistance.
How do you check the SASSA balance for a child grant?
The following methods can be used to check the SASSA balance for a Child Grant:
- Check your balance online by logging in to your SASSA account on the SASSA website.
- Using SASSA cash pay-points, which are free.
- You can dial the USSD code *120*3737# from your registered phone.
- Contact the Call Center at 0800600160 (toll-free from a landline)
- Free of charge at participating stores (Normal transaction costs apply to non-participating stores)
- Another way of checking the SASSA grant balance is through the ATM service
Note that steps and methods may vary, so the most accurate and up-to-date information is available on the SASSA website or by contacting SASSA directly.
You can request a SASSA Card balance inquiry on a Child Grant through the following methods.
A crucial aspect of managing your family’s finances is staying up-to-date on your SASSA child grant balance. You can choose between online and offline methods according to your preferences and needs. Making informed financial decisions for the well-being of your children is possible when you follow the steps outlined in this guide.
Can I check my child’s grant balance without an internet connection?
It is possible to check your balance without an internet connection by using the USSD code *120*3737# provided by SASSA.
Is the SASSA mobile app available for both Android and iOS devices?
Apps for Android and iOS are available for download from the SASSA website.
Can I check the balance for multiple children’s grants in one SASSA account?
No, It is not possible to link multiple child grants to your SASSA account and check their balances in one SASSA account.
Is there a fee for using the USSD code to check my balance?
You can dial the USSD code *120*3737# from your registered phone to check your SASSA child grant balance for free.
The child support grant is one of the many grants issued by Sassa to provide relief to the citizens of South Africa. However, not every person is eligible for the grant.
Read the article above to find out the detailed child support grant application process. Moreover, you will also find other important information, such as eligibility criteria and documents required for the application.