SASSA Disability Grant 2024: Apply, Eligibility, and Assistance

As you know, SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) has introduced many payment grants to help the citizens in need. There’s an SASSA payment program for disabled people. The Sassa grant is known as one of the first social welfare schemes introduced by the South African government in 1937. This grant is for people suffering from either a physical or a mental disability.

Are there disabled people in your house? Do you want to get them registered with the SASSA Disability Grant? If you have concerns about how to apply for the SASSA Disability grant? You are on the right way. We are here to guide you about the SASSA disability grant deeply.

SASSA Disability Grant

This grant is one of the South African schemes designed specifically for people who are disabled and cannot work for their basic needs like food, clothes, or shelter.

If you are physically disabled and can’t work for consecutive past six months, you can apply for this grant. For mentally disabled people, their guardians or caretakers can apply to give them a better living.

There are two types of grants for disabled people. Your medical reports could decide whether you have a permanent or temporary disability. Let’s discuss them first:

Permanent Disability Grant

In Permanent Disability Grant the word ‘permanent’ doesn’t mean ‘forever’. This grant is for people facing disability for more than a year. So, they will get the Sassa permanent disability grant payments over a year as long as their disability lasts.

Temporary Disability Grant

This grant is for people facing disability for more than six months. They can apply for a temporary disability grant. If their disability lasts even longer their grant will be renewed.

Key Points of SASSA Disability Grant Eligibility Criteria

SASSA wants to make sure that the person getting grant payments should be disabled and facing hardships to survive. They design a list of some terms and conditions, whether the person applying for this grant is eligible or not. They determine the right person by their means test, which describes their health, financial state, age, or some other factors. If your application fulfills all the terms and gets approved you will begin to receive your grant payments.

Let’s get started,

Nationality

Only South African nationality holders can apply for a grant. You should be a citizen of South Africa and have permanent residency to get this grant. You need to have all the documents for identity verification to submit with your grant application.

Eligibility Concerns

If you think you were a citizen of South Africa in the past and also have the nationality but currently you are living in another state or want to apply for this grant. There will be chances for rejection of your application.

Age Validity

The applicant’s age must be between 19 to 59 years. Under 19 and up to 59 people will not be eligible for this grant.

Any Other Grants

The applicant must not be getting any other type of social welfare grant. Not from SASSA or any other social help and care program.

Earnings Criteria

For single applicants, their yearly earnings are less than R86,280 (R7,190 per month) yearly. And for married applicants, both spouses must earn less than R1,72,560 (R14,380 monthly) yearly.

Differentiating Disability Grant Durations

If your disability lasts more than 6 months, you will be eligible for a temporary disability grant. If it crosses 12 months you will be eligible for a permanent disability grant.

Medical Evidence

You need to have complete medical records and reports of your disability. An applicant must submit medical proof.

Inheritance and Assets

If you have assets, it must be less than R1,227,600 if you are single or should not be worth more than R2,455,200 combined if you are a married person.

SASSA Means Test

Lastly, you should qualify for the SASSA means test. If you are married it’s also important for your spouse as well to qualify with the means test.

SASSA Means Test for Disability Grant

SASSA means test evaluates the earning details as we mentioned in the eligibility criteria. Some people get confused after listening to ‘SASSA MEANS TEST’. It calculates the monthly income, assets, property details, and bank account verification is also needed. Doing this means testing SASSA verifies all the documents and checks their property-related history to make sure either applicants are actually facing health and financial hardships or just want to get more money for fun. According to their last updates:

Income Portfolio

They have decided few terms for single and married people:

Single: The earnings of a single person must be less than R96,840 yearly.
Married: Combined income of both spouses must be less than R193 680 yearly.

Assets Portal

The assets of South African citizens should be:

Single: A single person’s assets must be less than the worth of R1 372 800.
Married: Combined assets of both spouse’s assets must be less than R2 745 600.

Every Type of grant has different criteria for its means test to evaluate financial eligibility.

Sassa Disability Grant Application Forms Pdf

If you need to arrange all the required documents before visiting the Sassa office then you can download the Sassa disability grant application form

View Sassa Disability Form

Download Sassa Disablitiy Form

Documents Needed for Disability Grant Application

If you or the person you want to apply for fulfills all the terms and conditions for the Disability SASSA grant. As per my experience, you need to have the following original documents.

For identity documentation, you need to have a National ID card with a 13-digit barcode and mobile number. In case you don’t have an ID card SASSA will take your fingerprint to process your application. You will be sent to the Department of Home Affairs to request your ID while processing your application. If you fail to get the ID, your application will be suspended by SASSA.

In another way, You must be required to bring a sworn statement signed by a person with a solid reputation. Such as a counselor, traditional leader, religious minister, social worker, or school principal. who have the capability of verifying your name and age.

You need to submit proof of address. Any proof like your utility bills or receipt of your paid rent.
Marital status proofs like a marriage certificate if you are married and a divorce decree if you get divorced.
Medical report and a functional assessment report from a medical practitioner recognized by SASSA.
If you are getting any personal pensions, you need to bring proof of them.
If you are unemployed, you need to provide evidence of your Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) or a discharge certificate issued by your former employer.
Bank statements for the last 3 months will also be needed.
All the details of your assets and their worth you own.
If your spouse has passed away within the past 5 years, you need to provide a copy of your spouse’s death certificate, along with their will, the initial and final liquidation and distribution accounts.

How to Apply for an SASSA Disability Grant?

After completing your documents the next step is to apply for an SASSA disability grant. You can apply for the grant free of cost. They will charge you any service fee. Is the Sassa disability grant online application form available? No, you need to apply after visiting the Sassa Office. Here’s the step-by-step procedure about how to apply for this grant:

Step 01. Medical Examination

To apply for a disability grant, the first step is to go through a medical examination. SASSA will approve the practitioner’s diagnosis for your medical condition. After examination, they will confirm whether the person is eligible for a temporary or permanent disability grant.

Step 02. Visite SASSA Office

After the medical examination, you’ll need to visit your nearest SASSA office to apply. Initially, ask the SASSA officer there for the Sassa disability grant application form.

Step 03. Fill the Form

After getting the application form you need to fill it out in the presence of SASSA officers. If there’s anything you can’t understand they will help you out in completing the form.

Step 04. Documents Submission:

After filling out the form you need to make sure to submit all the essential documents required for application.

Step 05. Getting Receipt

Don’t forget to take the receipt with a stamped date from the SASSA officer after submitting your application.

Alternatives for the Sassa Grant Application Process:

Here are a few other ways to apply for the Sasas grant:

Interview: If you find it hard to fill out yourself, then the officer will be here to help you in completing the application form. They will also take your interview and submit your documents accordingly. After taking the interview they will inform you if you qualified for the grant or not. If you qualify they will give you the receipt with the date stamped and the name of the officer who assists your application.
Applied on Behalf of a Disabled Person: If the applicant is badly disabled and unable to visit the SASSA office, any trusted friend or a family member can apply on his/her behalf. The person applying on behalf of a disabled person should take a letter along with a doctor explaining the reason why the applicant cannot visit the SASSA office.

Processing Time taken by SASSA Disability Grant Application

It normally takes about 3 months or 90 days to process an application for a disabled person’s grant. The payments of grants will start after the approval of applications. Once the application is processed and your grant is approved, you will receive the call from SASSA and you can get the payments from the date you submitted your application. In case of application rejection, SASSA will send a letter with an explanation of why your application grant was not approved.

Amount Paid by SASSA Disability Grant

As of the latest information of October 1, 2023, the monthly payment for the SASSA Disability grant is R2,090 per month individually. The payment amount of this grant is calculated based on a sliding scale, where those with lower incomes receive higher grant amounts because the purpose of this grant is to help disabled people with low incomes.

If the number of disabled applicants increases the payment amount will decrease. The grant amount is expected to increase to R10 per person per month from 1 April 2024.

SASSA Disability Grant Status Check Online

After submitting your grant application, you will need to check your application status regularly. You can easily trace by using a status check and know the current status of your application if it is approved or declined. In case of application approval, you need to check the status of payment details frequently. You can check the status by following methods:

Checking your Status From (SSCBD Website)

Through SASSA WhatsApp 082-046-8553

Through the Moya APP Using Data Free Method

Through SMS To SASSA Number 082-046-8553

Contacting on SASSA Toll-Free No. 0800-601011

What if the SASSA Disability Grant Application Status Failed

If your Disability Grant SASSA application is not approved but you think that the decision was made wrong, you need to request the SASSA to reconsider your application. If the reconsideration request is also denied and still you are not satisfied with the decision of SASSA, you have the right to appeal to the Ministry of Social Development at the National Department of Social Development. Your Sassa appeal must be submitted within 90 days from the day of the reply received from Sassa.

The Ministry of Social Development will further review your appeal to make the right decision. If they agree with you, they will reverse SASSA’s decision and you will start receiving your grant payments. If the appeal is denied then you’ll receive a written explanation of the appeal board decision.

Some Common Reasons for Application Rejection

Here are some reasons why Sassa rejects the applicant’s applications.

Personal Verification Issues

If you enter wrong or fake personal information that doesn’t match the records in the Department of Home Affairs, Sassa will not accept your application.

Lost of medical record

If you lost your medical records and Sassa does not find any of your medical history. You will need to wait for more than 6 months to reapply for this grant.

Age Below 19 Years

Suppose the applicant’s age is 18 years or less than 18 years, below the required age. You will not be eligible for getting this grant. Sassa will not accept your application.

Age Above 59 Years

If the applicant’s age is 60 years or above 60 years, you will not meet the required age. You will not be eligible for getting this grant. Sassa will not accept your application.

Alternative Income or Assets

If you are getting a reasonable amount of monthly income and your bank balance is R624 or above this range. Sassa will not accept your application.

UIF, NSFAS Funds, or Other Social Grants:

If you are receiving payments from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), or applied for other SASSA grant payment projects. Sassa will not accept your application.

Knowing the specific reason for your application rejection will help you to take the right steps for the reconsideration of your reapplication.

SASSA Contact Details

In case you want to know Sassa disability grant balance check methods and you do not find them after following all the methods mentioned above then you can contact the Sassa support team.

SASSA Contact Number: 0800 60 10 11

SASSA Whatsapp Number: 0820468553

SASSA Email Address: [email protected]

Explore a list of SASSA offices across the country: SASSA offices near you

Conclusion

I believe this guide has provided you with all the information about the SASSA Disability Grant and the detailed method to apply for it. We have also discussed the rejection of the application and its reasons. Although the service is free, it may take up to three months to verify your application. However, you will start getting the grant from the month your application gets approval.

FAQs

Sassa qualifies individuals who are South African citizens or permanent residents, in need of social assistance due to poverty or vulnerability, and meet the specific criteria for each grant type, such as age, disability, or dependency. Eligibility is determined based on means testing and adherence to Sassa’s guidelines and regulations.

In 2024, the disability grant amount in South Africa was approximately R1,890 per month for individuals aged 18 to 59. For those aged 60 and above, it was about R1,910 per month. These amounts are subject to change based on government policies and adjustments.

Sassa disability payments are intended to provide financial support to individuals who are unable to work due to a disability, helping them meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare. This assistance aims to alleviate the financial burden caused by the disability and improve the quality of life for recipients.

To check the disability status:

Visit the SASSA Website or contact your nearest Sassa office. Provide your identification details and inquire about your disability grant application or payment status.
You can also check through the Sassa mobile app or by calling the Sassa toll-free helpline.