The SASSA Child Support Grant helps a primary caregiver support a child who is younger than 18. This page explains who qualifies, how the means test works, what documents matter most, how the application works, what the current grant amount is, and what can cause the grant to be reviewed, suspended, or stopped.
This is one of the core child-related grants in the SASSA system. For the wider parent guide that compares this route with the other main grant families, use the SASSA grants guide.
This page is an independent informational utility. It is not affiliated with SASSA or the South African government. Always confirm final requirements and submit official actions on verified official portals.
What the Child Support Grant Is
The Child Support Grant is a monthly SASSA social grant for a primary caregiver who is looking after a child younger than 18 and meets the means test.
The current grant amount is R580 per month per child. It is meant to help with the basic cost of caring for a child, not to replace all household income.
Important difference:
This is different from the Foster Child Grant, which is built around a court-ordered foster placement, and from the Care Dependency Grant, which is built around severe disability and full-time special care.
Who Qualifies for the Child Support Grant
The official rules combine caregiver role, child age, residence, and the means test.
- You must be the primary caregiver of the child concerned.
- You must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or refugee.
- Both you and the child must reside in South Africa.
- The child must be younger than 18.
- You and your spouse must meet the means test.
- The child must not be cared for in a state institution.
Child Support Grant Means Test Checker
The Child Support Grant uses an income means test. The current published thresholds are:
| Applicant status | Annual income limit | Monthly quick view |
|---|---|---|
| Single | R67,200 | R5,600 |
| Married | R134,400 combined | R11,200 combined |
Use this quick checker with your monthly household income. It is only a guide, not a final SASSA decision.
Required Documents
This grant becomes much easier to manage when you separate the case into identity, child documents, means-test documents, and residence proof.
Identity and relationship documents
- Your ID or accepted identity document
- If you are married, your spouse’s identity document
- Proof of marital status where applicable
- If you are a refugee, a valid refugee permit or accepted refugee identity document
Child and household documents
- The child’s birth certificate
- Proof that you are the primary caregiver where the office requests it
- If the child is of school-going age, proof of school attendance may be requested
- Failure to produce school proof should not by itself cause refusal of the child support grant
Means-test and residence documents
- Proof of income for you and your spouse where applicable
- Proof of assets and income where the office requests the full means-test pack
- Three months of bank statements where relevant
- Proof of bank account
- Proof of address or residence
- Proof of contributions such as tax, UIF, pension fund, or medical aid where applicable
Missing ID or birth certificate?
SASSA’s grant booklet says applicants who do not yet have a 13-digit ID, smart ID, or birth certificate for the child can still approach SASSA and get guidance on the alternative documents accepted for grant applications.
How to Apply
The official booklet says child support grant applications can be done at the nearest SASSA office, and that applications for child support grants can also be done online through the SASSA services portal.
- Apply through the nearest SASSA office or continue through the official online flow available to you.
- Take your ID, the child’s birth certificate, and the documents that apply to your means test and caregiver situation.
- Your application form is completed in the presence of a SASSA official unless it is done online.
- Once the application is completed, keep the receipt or reference number as proof that you applied.
- You do not have to pay any money to apply.
If you are too old or too sick to travel, a family member or friend can apply on your behalf with a letter from you authorising the application.
Official application route: Open the SASSA services portal
When Payment Starts
For grants in general, the grant application date is when all required documents are submitted and the application fully meets SASSA requirements.
If the Child Support Grant is approved, payment runs from the date on which you submitted a complete application.
Payments and Reviews
You can choose how you wish to receive the grant. The booklet says the grant can be paid directly into your personal bank account or into the account opened with SASSA’s appointed service provider.
In the normal monthly schedule, children’s grants are paid after older persons and disability grants. For the latest child support payment schedule, see the latest child support grant payment dates.
For the wider 2026/27 grant-funding context behind the current increases, read the Budget Vote 19 SRD funding update.
Review rule:
You must declare your income when you apply. That information helps decide whether the grant must later be reviewed. The booklet says you should be notified 30 days in advance of the review date or the date on which a life certificate is due.
The Six Non-Biological Children Rule
The normal Child Support Grant route says the applicant cannot apply for more than six non-biological children.
This rule is often misunderstood. It does not mean you can never care for more children. It means the standard Child Support Grant route has a cap in that specific non-biological-child context. If your case is really about foster placement, court orders, or orphaned children, another route may fit better.
When the Child Support Grant Top-Up May Matter
The SASSA grants booklet also describes a Child Support Grant Top-Up. That route is for a related caregiver such as a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, or cousin, and in some cases for a child aged 16 to 18 who is heading a household.
It is used where both parents are deceased, or where there is one death certificate and an affidavit is needed because the other parent’s status cannot be confirmed. If your case sounds more like that, do not treat the normal CSG route as the whole story.
Suspension and Lapse Risks
Suspension risks
- changes in circumstances, including financial position or where the child is no longer in your care
- the outcome of a review
- failure to co-operate when the grant is reviewed
- fraud or misrepresentation
- the grant was approved in error
- failure to submit required missing documents
Restoration rule
- If the grant is suspended because it was not collected for more than three consecutive months or because of failure to review, an application for restoration must be made within 30 days of suspension.
Lapse risks
- the beneficiary or primary caregiver dies
- the child dies
- admission to a state institution
- absence from South Africa for longer than 90 days
- if the child turns 18
- if the grant is not collected for three consecutive months
- if you cease to be a refugee where that status matters
If the Application Is Unsuccessful
You must be informed in writing of the reasons for the refusal of the grant application, as well as your right to appeal the decision if you disagree with the outcome.
Appeal help: Use the SASSA appeals guide if you need the appeal route explained clearly.
Compare Related Child Grants
Child grant cases are often confused with foster-care, orphan-care, and severe-disability routes. This quick comparison keeps the paths separate.
| Grant route | Best fit when… | What matters most |
|---|---|---|
| Child Support Grant | You are the primary caregiver of a child under 18 and you meet the means test. | Primary-caregiver role, child age, residence, and income means test. |
| Child Support Grant Top-Up | The child is orphaned and the caregiver is a qualifying relative or a qualifying child-headed household case. | Death certificates, relationship to the child, household context, and the means test. |
| Foster Child Grant | The child has been legally placed in your care by a court as a foster parent. | Court order, legal foster-care status, and child remaining in your care. |
| Care Dependency Grant | The child has a severe disability and needs full-time special care. | Medical assessment, disability severity, caregiver category, and means-test context where applicable. |
Help and Contact
If you are not sure whether the issue is with the means test, documents, caregiver status, or the office process, use the contact page below before you keep guessing.
Official References
FAQs
Who can qualify for the Child Support Grant?
A primary caregiver can qualify if they are a South African citizen, permanent resident, or refugee, both caregiver and child live in South Africa, the child is under 18, the means test is met, and the child is not in a state institution.
How much is the Child Support Grant in 2026?
The current grant amount is R580 per month per child.
What are the current published means-test thresholds?
The current published thresholds are R67,200 a year if single and R134,400 a year combined if married.
Can I apply online?
Yes. The SASSA grants booklet says child support grant applications can be done online through the SASSA services portal, although office-based help is still useful when documents are missing or the caregiver situation is complex.
Can I apply for more than six non-biological children?
No. The normal Child Support Grant route says you cannot apply for more than six non-biological children.
Can SASSA refuse the grant just because school proof was not produced?
No. The booklet says school attendance proof may be requested for a school-going child, but failure to produce it should not by itself result in refusal of the Child Support Grant.
When does payment start if the grant is approved?
Payment runs from the date on which you submitted a complete application that fully met SASSA requirements.