Disability grants

If you have a physical or mental disability which makes you unfit to work and unable to support yourself then the disability grant will assist you. If approved, you’ll get a pre-determined amount of money during your disability period.

The maximum amount that can be paid through the disability grant is R1860 and if your grant is approved, you’ll be paid from the date on which you applied.

There are 2 types of grants you can apply for:

• A temporary disability grant

This grant is for a person whose disability will last for a continuous period of not less than 6 months and not more than 12 months.

• A permanent disability grant

This is for someone who’ll be disabled for more than 12 months, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get the grant for life. It simply means that it will continue for longer than 12 months.

To qualify for a disability grant, you’ll need to:

• be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee and living in South Africa at the time of application,
• be between 18 and 59 years old,
• not be cared for in a state institution,
• have a valid South African identity document (ID),
• provide a medical / assessment report, which isn’t older than 3 months at the date of application, confirming the disability,
• meet the requirements of the means test, and
• not be a recipient of another grant.

You can apply for a disability grant at your nearest SASSA office. If you’re too old or sick to travel to an office near you, a family member or friend can apply on your behalf.

You’ll be required to present the following documents when applying for a disability grant:

• Your 13-digit bar-coded identity document (ID). If you don't have an ID:
  • You must complete an affidavit on a standard SASSA format in the presence of a Commissioner of Oaths who's not a SASSA official.
  • You must bring a sworn statement signed by a reputable person who can verify your name and age.
  • The SASSA official will take your fingerprints.
  • You'll be referred to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for the ID while your application is processed. If you don’t get an ID, your grant will be suspended.
• A medical report and functional assessment report, by a medical practitioner recognised by SASSA, confirming your disability.
• Proof of marital status (if applicable).
• Proof of residence.
• Proof of income or dividends (if any).
• Proof of assets, including the municipal value of your property.
• Proof of private pension (if any).
• Your bank statements for the past three months.
• Refugee status permit and 13-digit refugee ID.
• Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) document ('blue book') or discharge certificate from your previous employer if you were employed.
• A copy of the will and the first and final liquidation and distribution accounts, if your spouse died within the last five years.

Your application form will be completed in the presence of an officer from SASSA. When your application is completed, you’ll be given a receipt as proof of your application (make sure you keep your receipt in a safe place).

There’s no cost involved in applying for a disability grant.

What if your application isn’t approved?

• If your application isn’t approved by SASSA, you must be given valid reasons why the application has been declined in writing.
• You have the right to ask SASSA to reconsider your application if you’re unhappy with their decision.
• This appeal must be lodged with SASSA within 90 days of you being informed of the outcome of your initial application.

How will you be paid?

When you make the application, you should say how you would like the money to be paid. A grant will be paid to you through one of the following methods:

• Cash at a specific pay point on a particular day. 
• Electronic deposit into your bank account, including Postbank (the bank may charge you for the service). 
• An institution not funded by the state – for example, a home for people with disabilities.

You can decide to change the payment method at any time by filling in a form at a SASSA office, but the change will only happen a month later.

Grant reviews

A review is carried out to check that your circumstances haven’t changed since you applied for the grant or were last reviewed.

SASSA must notify you in writing at least 3 months before the date of your review indicating where and when your review will take place and what might happen as a result of it. If you’re bed-ridden, home visits are arranged to accommodate you.

Once the review has been completed, make sure that you receive a receipt of compliance from the SASSA official.

The following may result in the suspension of a grant:

• When your circumstances change,
• pending the outcome of a review,
• if you fail to co-operate when your grant is reviewed,
• when you commit fraud or misrepresent yourself, and   
• if there was a mistake when your grant was approved.

Remember that it's your responsibility to inform the department of any changes in your circumstances and means. This includes changes in either your physical or postal addresses and/or banking details. Failure to do so may result in the suspension of your grant.

The disability grant will be cancelled:

• if you die,
• if you’re admitted to a state institution,
• if your income or assets improve so much that you no longer qualify in terms of the means test, or
• in the case of a temporary disability grant, when the period of the temporary disability had lapsed.

Remember that it's your responsibility to inform the department of any changes in your circumstances and means. This includes changes in either your physical or postal addresses and/or banking details. Failure to do so may result in the suspension of your grant.

Disability grant during Covid-19

Temporary disability grants that expired in March 2020:

SASSA has provided a solution to temporary disability grants which lapsed or expired in March 2020 resulting in some beneficiaries not being paid.

To deal with this unintended consequence of the lockdown, SASSA is providing social relief of distress in the form of food parcels to beneficiaries whose disability grants expired in April 2020 as an interim measure to cushion the impact of the termination of the grant benefit.

Measures have been introduced for the vulnerable, destitute and needy throughout South Africa.

Please contact the SASSA toll free number: 0800 60 10 11, or Email: GrantEnquiriesWC@sassa.gov.za for more details. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter 

General enquiries can be directed to SASSA Western Cape Regional office:

Tel: 021 469 0200

Email: grantsenquiriesWC@sassa.gov.za

You can also visit your nearest SASSA office or call SASSA’s toll-free helpline on 0800 601 011 for more information on:

• pay-out dates,
• qualifying rules for all government grants,
• district office addresses and contact numbers,
• for help with what has happened to your application, or
• how you can also report any fraud or corruption.