Disabled people can get a grant

About the disability grant

If you have a physical or mental disability which makes you unfit to work, for a period of longer than six months, then you can apply for a disability grant.

You get a permanent disability grant if your disability will continue for more than a year and a temporary disability grant if your disability will continue for a continuous period of not less than six months and not more than twelve months. A permanent disability grant does not mean you will receive the grant for life, but just that it will continue for longer than 12 months.

How do you know if you qualify?

To qualify, you must:

• be a South African citizen or permanent resident or refugee and living in South Africa at the time of application
• be between 18 and 59 years if you are female or 18 and 60 years if you are male
• not be cared for in a state institution 
• have a 13-digit, bar-coded identity document (ID)
• not earn more than R44 880 if you are single or R89 760 if married. Your assets must not be worth more than R752 400 if you are single or R1 504 800 if you are married. 
• undergo a medical examination where a doctor appointed by the state will assess the degree of your disability
• bring along any previous medical records and reports, when you make the application and when the assessment is done.

The doctor will complete a medical report and will forward the report to South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

The report is valid for three months from the date you are assessed.

Note: If you are under 18 and need permanent care due to your disability, your primary caregiver can apply for the Care Dependency Grant . If you don’t have an ID, you will be required to complete an affidavit and provide proof of having applied for the document from Home Affairs. If you have not applied for the document, you will be required to lodge an application with Home Affairs within three months of applying for the grant.

How much will you get?

The maximum grant from April 2011 is R1 140 per month.

How will you 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) 
• institution not funded by the State – e.g. home for people with disabilities.

When may your grant be suspended?

The following may result in the suspension of your grant:

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

When may your grant lapse?

The grant will lapse when you:

• pass away
• are admitted to a state institution
• do not claim for three consecutive months
• are absent from the country.

Please note: If a beneficiary is admitted to an institution that has a contract with the state to care for and maintain such beneficiary, the social grant is reduced to 25% (R285) of the maximum amount of the social grant with effect from the 4th month following the beneficiary's admission to that institution. The reduced grant is re-instated immediately from the date the beneficiary is discharged from the institution.

What you should do

• Complete a disability grant application form at your nearest South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office in the presence of a SASSA officer
• Submit the following:
  • 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 is not a SASSA official
  • you must bring a sworn statement signed by a reputable person (like a councilor, traditional leader, social worker, minister of religion or school principal) who can verify your name and age
  • the SASSA official will take your fingerprints. You will be referred to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for the ID even as your application is processed. If you don’t get an ID, your grant will be suspended.
  • a medical report and functional assessment report confirming your disability 
  • proof of marital status (if applicable) 
  • proof of residence 
  • proof of income, dividends (if any)
  • proof of assets, including the municipal value of your property
  • proof of private pension (if any) 
  • your three months bank statements
  • refugee status permit and 13-digit refugee ID
  • Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) ('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.
• After submitting your application you will be given a receipt to keep as proof of application.
  

What if your application is not approved?

• The social security office will inform you in writing whether or not your application was successful.
• If your grant is not approved, the social security office will state the reasons why your application was unsuccessful and you can appeal to the Minister of Social Development in writing, explaining why you disagree.
• Appeal within 90 days of receiving notification about the outcome of your application.

Timeframe

• It may take up to three months to process your application.
• If your grant is approved, you will be paid from the day you applied.

How much does it cost

The service is free.

Forms to complete

Application forms are not available online, but you can get them from your nearest social security (SASSA) office.

Who to contact

South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)