Grants for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Child Support Grant, the Orphan Top-Up or Foster Care
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Many children in South Africa live with a grandmother or grandfather while the parents work far away, have died or cannot care for them. The law lets the person who actually looks after the child apply for the grant, even if that person is not the parent. This guide explains the three options, which one fits your family, and what to take to the SASSA office.
The Three Grants a Grandparent Can Get
| Child Support Grant | Child Support Grant Top-Up | Foster Child Grant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount in 2026 | R580 a month per child | R290 extra, R870 in total | R1,300 a month per child (since 1 October 2026) |
| Who it is for | Any primary caregiver of a child under 18 | A relative caring for a child whose parents have died | A foster parent chosen by a children’s court |
| Income test | Yes | Yes, the same as the Child Support Grant | No income test is listed on the government’s service page |
| Court order needed | No | No | Yes |
| Where you start | SASSA office | SASSA office | A social worker, then the children’s court, then SASSA |
The amounts usually change every April, after the national Budget in February.
Option 1: The Child Support Grant
The Child Support Grant is paid to the primary caregiver, the person who mainly looks after the child day to day. The government’s service page names grandparents as an example of a primary caregiver. You do not have to be the parent or the legal guardian.
You qualify if:
- you are a South African citizen, permanent resident or recognised refugee, and you and the child live in South Africa
- the child is under 18 and lives with you
- you are not paid to look after the child, and the child is not in a state institution
- your income is below the limit (see the means test below)
For children who are not your own biological or legally adopted children, such as grandchildren, you can get the grant for at most six children.
Because you are not the parent, SASSA will ask for proof that you are the primary caregiver. Any one of these works:
- an affidavit made at the police station
- an affidavit from the child’s biological parent
- a report from a social worker
- a letter from the principal of the child’s school
For the full application steps, see how to apply for the SASSA Child Support Grant.
The means test in 2026
The Social Assistance Regulations set the yearly income limit at ten times the yearly value of the grant. With the grant at R580 a month, that works out as follows:
| You are | Income limit a year | About a month |
|---|---|---|
| Single, widowed or divorced | R69,600 | R5,800 |
| Married (your income and your spouse’s together) | R139,200 | R11,600 |
SASSA looks at your own income (and your spouse’s, if you are married), not the income of the child’s parents. If you have been deserted by your spouse for at least three months, the regulations treat you as not married for the test.
Option 2: The Top-Up for Orphaned Grandchildren
Since 1 June 2022, relatives who care for an orphaned child can get the Child Support Grant Top-Up. It is half of the Child Support Grant, so in 2026 it adds R290 to the R580, for R870 a month per child.
The Department of Social Development says the top-up is for a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or cousin who cares for a child whose parents have died. It is not a separate grant: you must qualify for the Child Support Grant first, and the same means test applies.
What makes the top-up different from foster care:
- No social worker report and no court order are needed. You apply straight at SASSA.
- You need proof that the parents have died, usually their death certificates.
- If you have only one death certificate because the other parent is unknown, you can make an affidavit about that parent at the SASSA office.
If the child already gets the Child Support Grant through you, ask SASSA to add the top-up. If the child gets nothing yet, apply for both at the same time.
A child under 18 who is looking after orphaned brothers and sisters must see a social worker first. The social worker does an assessment under section 137 of the Children’s Act before the child goes to SASSA.
Option 3: The Foster Child Grant
The Foster Child Grant is for a child placed in your care by a children’s court because the child is orphaned, abandoned, at risk, abused or neglected. It pays R1,300 a month per child since 1 October 2026, more than the Child Support Grant and Top-Up together.
The difference is the process. A social worker must assess the family, and the children’s court must make a foster care order before SASSA can pay. The order is reviewed when it expires, currently every two years, and SASSA gives three months’ notice before a review. Once approved, the grant is paid from the date the court placed the child with you.
For the steps, see how to apply for the SASSA Foster Child Grant.
Which Grant Should You Choose?
| Your situation | Best place to start |
|---|---|
| The parents are alive but the child lives with you | Child Support Grant |
| Both parents have died and you want help quickly | Child Support Grant plus Top-Up at SASSA |
| The child was abused, neglected or abandoned, or you need legal authority over the child | Speak to a social worker about foster care |
| The child has a serious disability and needs full-time care | Ask SASSA about the Care Dependency Grant |
If the child’s parent still collects a grant for a child who now lives with you, tell SASSA when you apply, and bring your proof that you are the primary caregiver.
What to Take to the SASSA Office
- Your 13-digit barcoded ID or smart ID card.
- The child’s birth certificate.
- Proof that you are the child’s primary caregiver (one of the affidavits or letters above).
- Proof of your income, such as a payslip, pension slip or bank statement.
- Your marriage certificate, if you are married.
- The parents’ death certificates, or a missing person report, if a parent has died or is missing.
- Proof of any maintenance paid for the child, if there is any.
- For the Foster Child Grant: the court order placing the child with you.
If you or the child has no ID or birth certificate, you can still apply. SASSA accepts a sworn affidavit in its own format, a statement from a respected person in your community, proof that you have applied at Home Affairs, and documents such as a clinic card, baptism certificate or school report. Start the Home Affairs application early.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Go to your nearest SASSA office with the documents. The application form is only available at the office.
- Fill in the form with a SASSA official. Only you or a SASSA official may complete it.
- Keep the receipt. It is your proof of the date you applied.
- Wait for the decision. SASSA can take up to three months. If the Child Support Grant is approved, it is paid from the date you applied.
- If you are refused, SASSA gives the reasons in writing. You can appeal to the Minister of Social Development within 90 days.
Applying is free. Be careful of anyone who asks for money to fill in a form or to “speed up” a grant.
If walking to a pay point is hard for you, the grant can be paid into a bank or Postbank account, or you can appoint a procurator at SASSA to collect it for you. Once approved, payments follow the monthly dates, for example the SASSA payment dates for November 2026.
When the Grant Stops
- At the end of the month in which the child turns 18.
- If the child dies, leaves the country or goes into a state institution.
- If the grant is not collected for three months in a row.
- If the child no longer lives with you. Tell SASSA if this happens, so that the new caregiver can apply.
SASSA can also review the grant. You get three months’ notice before a review or before a life certificate is due.
Grants for Grandparents Questions
Is there a SASSA grant for grandparents raising grandchildren?
There is no grant only for grandparents. A grandparent who looks after a grandchild can apply for the Child Support Grant of R580 a month per child as the primary caregiver, plus a R290 top-up if both parents have died.
How do I apply for the grandparents grant?
Go to your nearest SASSA office with your ID, the child’s birth certificate, proof that you are the child’s primary caregiver and proof of your income. You fill in the form there with a SASSA official and get a receipt.
Can I get the grant if the child’s parents are still alive?
Yes. The Child Support Grant goes to whoever mainly cares for the child. You need proof such as an affidavit from the parent, a police affidavit, a social worker’s report or a letter from the school principal. The top-up is only for children whose parents have died.
How much is the top-up for an orphaned grandchild?
In 2026 the top-up is R290 a month, half of the R580 Child Support Grant, so a relative caring for an orphan gets R870 a month per child.
Do I need a court order to get a grant for my grandchild?
Not for the Child Support Grant or the Top-Up. You only need a children’s court order for the Foster Child Grant.
What is the SASSA contact number?
The SASSA toll-free number is 0800 60 10 11, and the email address is [email protected]. See SASSA contact numbers for more ways to get help.
More: Child Support Grant · Foster Child Grant · Care Dependency Grant · SASSA contact numbers