Care Dependency Grant by South African government.

The South African government always provides financial support to its needy citizens. One such financial aid program is Care Dependency Grant, which is for disabled people or someone who is fighting against severe illness. Are you aware of the care dependency grant? If not, then this article is for you. Let’s learn the purpose, eligibility criteria, application process, and impact of the Care Dependency Grant on the lives of vulnerable individuals and their families.

About Care Dependency Grant

The main purpose of this grant is to financially help the caregivers of individuals who are disabled or have chronic illnesses. Not everyone can afford the additional cost spent on care-dependent individuals, which is why the South African government has taken this step and is providing aid to such financially challenged families.

The goal is to eliminate the financial burden from the shoulders of caregivers and ease their difficulties so they can look after care-dependent individuals without feeling burdened.

Eligibility Criteria

The government has set criteria for Care Dependency Grant, and applicants should meet them to be eligible. The list is short, so let’s jump into it without wasting time.

The applicant must be a parent, foster parent, or a close relative.
They should be permanent residents or citizens of South Africa.
The applicant’s annual income should not exceed the prescribed limits by SASSA, i.e., R249 600 if single and R499 200 if married.
The child must be under 18.
Medical proof of severe disability or chronic illness of the child.

Note

The yearly earning limit does not apply to foster parents, and a state medical officer visits the child before approving the grant application.

If you think you are fulfilling the above-mentioned criteria and eligible for the Care Dependency Grant, continue reading because now we will discuss how you can apply for this grant.

How to Apply for Care Dependency Grant?

The application process is simple. You can apply online or visit a nearby SASSA office to apply for the grant. If you are applying online, you can follow the instructions on the screen.

If not, visit any regional office of SASSA to apply for the Care Dependency Grant. An officer will be there till your application gets completed. The application is not hard to understand; you can ask the officer if you are confused about anything.

Required Documents

I couldn’t apply online, so I simply visited their office and asked about the grant application. I am sharing the list of required documents. So all those applying offline for this grant, don’t forget to bring these along.

Applicant’s ID.
Child’s birth certificate and medical report.
Court orders in case you are a foster parent or caregiver of the child.
Proof of marital status.
Proof of yearly income.
Income proof of the child, if any.

Amount of the Grant

Many of you must be curious to know how much grant you will get if your application is accepted. According to the latest update amount of the Care Dependency Grant, which is R2 080 per child, caregivers will receive monthly until the child turns 18. An increase of R10 is expected in the grant amount by October 2023.

How Will You Receive the Grant?

There are three ways of receiving the Care Dependency Grant. You can use any of them that’s feasible for you. I am mentioning all of them below.

Receive directly into the bank account.
You can also receive it in cash from the approved pay points.
Or from specific administrator institutions of the grant.

FAQs

A parent, foster parent, or primary caregiver is eligible for the care dependency grant if your child or loved one is disabled or suffering from chronic disease.

On average, a caregiver in South Africa gets R7 130 per month.

Before applying for a caregiver grant, ensure you are fulfilling the requirements of the set eligibility criteria, including South African citizenship, unstable financial status, child’s medical report, and age, etc.

In Conclusion

Care Dependency Grant is a special grant designed for the physically disabled or patients with severe chronic disease. Families who have individuals who need 24/7 care and attention can claim this grant. The SASSA department will review the application and release the grant amount if the applicant fulfills the eligibility criteria. We have tried to cover everything about Care Dependency Grant in our article. I hope this helps. Thank you.