Type of SASSA Grants
Which SASSA grant is meant for you?
South Africa has different social grants for older people, adults with disabilities, children, foster families and people who need regular care. There is also temporary relief for people facing serious financial hardship. The correct grant depends on your age, household circumstances, health, caregiving responsibilities and financial position.
The main SASSA grants are the Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant, Child Support Grant, Foster Child Grant, Care Dependency Grant, War Veterans Grant and Grant-in-Aid. SASSA also administers Social Relief of Distress assistance and the temporary COVID-19 SRD R370 programme. Each type of assistance has different qualification rules.
SASSA Grant Types at a Glance
| Grant | Main applicant or beneficiary | Current amount | Main qualifying factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Older Persons Grant | Person aged 60 or older |
Up to R2,400 R2,420 for age 75+ |
Age plus means-test and residence requirements |
| Disability Grant | Adult aged 18 to 59 | Up to R2,400 | Disability affecting ability to work, medical assessment and means test |
| Child Support Grant | Primary caregiver of a child | R580 per qualifying child | Caregiver, child and means-test requirements |
| Foster Child Grant | Court-appointed foster parent | R1,290 currently | Valid foster-care court placement |
| Care Dependency Grant | Caregiver of child with severe disability | R2,400 | Child needs permanent or full-time special care |
| Grant-in-Aid | Existing qualifying adult grant beneficiary | R580 | Needs regular full-time care from another person |
| War Veterans Grant | Qualifying Second World War or Korean War veteran | R2,420 | Veteran status plus age or disability requirements |
| Social Relief of Distress | Person or household facing temporary severe hardship | Can be food, voucher or cash depending on the assistance | Immediate material distress |
| COVID-19 SRD | Qualifying working-age applicant with insufficient means | R370 | Separate temporary SRD eligibility rules |
This is an evergreen guide. The current amounts shown here should be updated whenever government changes social grant values, while the URL remains /type-of-sassa-grants/.
1. Older Persons Grant
Age 60 to 74
The Older Persons Grant provides income support to qualifying people aged 60 or older who meet the applicable financial and residence requirements.
Formerly commonly called the old age pension.Age 75 and Older
Qualifying beneficiaries aged 75 or older currently receive the higher maximum Older Persons Grant amount.
The grant remains subject to the applicable means test.The applicant must generally:
- Be at least 60 years old.
- Meet the applicable citizenship, permanent residence or refugee requirements.
- Live in South Africa.
- Meet the means test.
- Not receive another social grant for themselves.
- Not be maintained in a state institution.
Read the full SASSA Older Persons Grant guide .
2. Disability Grant
The SASSA Disability Grant is for qualifying adults whose physical or mental disability affects their ability to work and support themselves.
The applicant must undergo the required medical assessment, and SASSA uses the medical information together with the other eligibility requirements when deciding the application.
The grant can be:
- Temporary where the disability is expected to prevent work for a limited qualifying period.
- Permanent where the disability is expected to continue for a longer period under the applicable assessment.
The current maximum Disability Grant is R2,400 per month.
Read How to Apply for the SASSA Disability Grant .
3. Child Support Grant
The Child Support Grant helps a qualifying primary caregiver meet the basic needs of a child.
The current standard amount is R580 per month per qualifying child.
The application considers factors such as:
- The caregiver’s relationship to and responsibility for the child.
- The child’s age.
- Whether the caregiver and child live in South Africa.
- The applicable means test.
- Whether the child is being maintained in a state institution.
A caregiver does not need to be the child’s biological parent in every case, but must meet SASSA’s primary-caregiver requirements.
Read How to Apply for the SASSA Child Support Grant .
4. Foster Child Grant
The Foster Child Grant is for a child who has been legally placed in someone’s foster care by a court.
A foster child may have been placed in care because the child was:
- Orphaned.
- Abandoned.
- At risk.
- Abused.
- Neglected.
The current amount in August 2026 is R1,290 per month per qualifying foster child.
The increase was provided for in the 2026 Budget. Update the amount on this evergreen page when the new rate takes effect.
A key difference from the Child Support Grant is that the Foster Child Grant requires a legal foster-care placement.
Read the SASSA Foster Child Grant guide .
5. Care Dependency Grant
The Care Dependency Grant assists a qualifying caregiver of a child under 18 who has a severe disability and requires permanent or full-time special care.
The current amount is R2,400 per month.
The child must generally:
- Be under 18.
- Have a severe disability.
- Need permanent or full-time special care.
- Not be permanently cared for in a state institution.
The child’s disability and care needs must be assessed as part of the application process.
Read the SASSA Care Dependency Grant guide .
6. Grant-in-Aid
Grant-in-Aid is different from the other main grants because it is additional support attached to another qualifying adult grant.
It can apply to someone who already receives:
- An Older Persons Grant.
- A Disability Grant.
- A War Veterans Grant.
The person must need regular full-time care from another person because they cannot look after themselves adequately due to their physical or mental condition.
The current Grant-in-Aid amount is R580 per month.
It is an additional social grant paid to the qualifying beneficiary to assist with the cost of the regular care they need.
Read How to Apply for SASSA Grant-in-Aid .
7. War Veterans Grant
The War Veterans Grant is a specialised social grant for qualifying former soldiers who fought in:
- The Second World War, from 1939 to 1945.
- The Korean War, from 1950 to 1953.
The applicant must also meet the applicable age or disability and financial requirements.
The current grant amount is R2,420 per month.
Being a veteran of another military conflict does not by itself place a person within the statutory War Veterans Grant described by the current government service.
Read How to Apply for the SASSA War Veterans Grant .
8. Social Relief of Distress
Ordinary Social Relief of Distress is short-term assistance for people in serious material need who cannot meet their family’s most basic needs.
Examples can include situations where:
- You are waiting for another approved social grant to be processed.
- Your home was affected by a serious crisis such as a fire.
- The household breadwinner died.
- A breadwinner is temporarily medically unable to work.
- A breadwinner is in prison for a short period.
- You have no support and are facing an immediate material crisis.
The assistance can take the form of:
- A food parcel.
- A food voucher.
- Cash in circumstances where that form of assistance is used.
Ordinary Social Relief of Distress is usually granted for a short period, generally up to three months, with a possible further extension where the applicable conditions are met.
Read Social Relief of Distress information .
9. COVID-19 SRD R370
The temporary COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress programme is commonly called the SASSA SRD R370 Grant.
It is aimed at qualifying working-age applicants with insufficient means who satisfy the separate SRD rules.
The current payment amount is R370 per approved month.
The COVID-19 SRD uses its own electronic application, monthly assessment, status, banking and appeal processes. Ordinary Social Relief of Distress is short-term emergency assistance that can include food, vouchers or cash.
For applications, read SASSA SRD R370 Grant Application .
If your application is declined, see SASSA SRD Status Declined and How to Appeal a Declined SRD Application .
Which SASSA Grants Have a Means Test?
A means test checks whether the applicant’s financial position falls within the limits for a particular social grant.
Depending on the grant, SASSA can consider:
- Income.
- Spouse’s income.
- Assets.
- Bank information.
- Pensions and investments.
- Other financial circumstances.
The Child Support Grant, Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant and Care Dependency Grant do not all use the same financial thresholds. Check the individual grant before deciding that your income is too high or low to apply.
Which SASSA Grant Should You Apply For?
Check the Older Persons Grant.
Check the Disability Grant and its medical assessment requirements.
Check the Child Support Grant unless a foster-care or severe-disability grant more accurately matches the child’s situation.
Check the Foster Child Grant.
Check the Care Dependency Grant.
Check Grant-in-Aid.
Check ordinary Social Relief of Distress.
Check the separate COVID-19 SRD application rules.
How to Apply for the Different SASSA Grants
The application route depends on the grant.
Standard social grants
SASSA’s online Services Portal currently provides grant information and online services for several standard grant types, including:
- Older Persons Grant.
- Disability Grant.
- Care Dependency Grant.
- Foster Child Grant.
- Child Support Grant.
- Grant-in-Aid.
Applicants can also use the relevant SASSA office process. Some grant applications require medical assessments, court orders or other evidence that must be dealt with through the applicable SASSA procedure.
SRD R370
The temporary SRD R370 uses the dedicated SASSA SRD website rather than the ordinary grant application process.
Useful SASSA Guides
The main SASSA hub covering applications, payments, grant amounts, status and beneficiary help.
Check an application or grant status and understand where to follow up.
Change payment details for the SRD R370 and deal with banking issues.
What to do when your registered cellphone number needs to be changed.
Common SRD application, status, identity and payment problems.
Answers to common questions about SASSA applications and payments.
Visit the SASSA category for grant applications, SRD assistance, payments, status checks, banking changes and beneficiary updates.
Questions About SASSA Grant Types
What are the different types of SASSA grants?
The main grants are the Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant, Child Support Grant, Foster Child Grant, Care Dependency Grant, War Veterans Grant and Grant-in-Aid. SASSA also provides temporary Social Relief of Distress assistance and administers the current COVID-19 SRD R370 programme.
Which SASSA grant is for people over 60?
The Older Persons Grant is for qualifying people aged 60 or older who meet the applicable residence and financial requirements.
Which SASSA grant is for someone who cannot work because of disability?
An adult aged 18 to 59 may qualify for the Disability Grant where the applicable medical, financial and other requirements are met.
What is the difference between the Child Support Grant and Foster Child Grant?
The Child Support Grant is for a qualifying primary caregiver under the applicable means test. The Foster Child Grant requires the child to have been legally placed in the foster parent’s care by a court.
What is the difference between the Disability Grant and Care Dependency Grant?
The Disability Grant is for a qualifying adult whose disability affects their ability to support themselves. The Care Dependency Grant is paid to a qualifying caregiver for a child under 18 with a severe disability who requires full-time special care.
What is Grant-in-Aid?
Grant-in-Aid is additional support for a qualifying recipient of an Older Persons, Disability or War Veterans Grant who requires regular full-time care from another person.
Is the SRD R370 one of the normal permanent SASSA grants?
No. The COVID-19 SRD R370 is a temporary programme with its own application, monthly assessment, payment and appeal rules.
Is ordinary Social Relief of Distress the same as the SRD R370?
No. Ordinary Social Relief of Distress is short-term emergency assistance that can include food, vouchers or cash. The COVID-19 SRD R370 is a separate temporary programme with an electronic application and monthly eligibility assessment.
How much is the Older Persons Grant?
The current maximum is R2,400 per month for qualifying beneficiaries aged 60 to 74 and R2,420 for qualifying beneficiaries aged 75 or older.
How much is the Disability Grant?
The current maximum Disability Grant is R2,400 per month.
How much is the Child Support Grant?
The current standard Child Support Grant is R580 per month per qualifying child.
How much is the Foster Child Grant?
The Foster Child Grant is R1,290 per month in August 2026. An increase to R1,300 has been provided for from October 2026.
How much is the Care Dependency Grant?
The current Care Dependency Grant is R2,400 per month.
How much is Grant-in-Aid?
The current Grant-in-Aid amount is R580 per month.
Can I qualify for more than one type of SASSA assistance?
It depends on the grant and the person receiving it. For example, Grant-in-Aid is specifically paid in addition to a qualifying Older Persons, Disability or War Veterans Grant. Other rules can restrict a person from receiving multiple grants for themselves.
Do all SASSA grants have the same income limit?
No. Grant-specific financial and means-test rules differ. Always check the requirements for the particular grant you want to apply for.
Can I apply for SASSA grants online?
SASSA operates an online Services Portal for several standard grant types. The SRD R370 uses a separate official SRD website. Some applications or supporting processes may also require assistance at a SASSA office.
SASSA Grant Help
Not sure which grant applies to you?
Explain your age, whether the application is for you or a child, whether disability or full-time care is involved, and whether there is a court foster-care order when speaking to SASSA. This helps identify the correct grant before an application is submitted.
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