Does Your Child Qualify for the SASSA Care Dependency Grant? Here’s What They Actually Check

South Africa · Care Dependency Grant · Eligibility

Independent informational guide · Last reviewed July 2026

The Care Dependency Grant supports eligible caregivers of children under 18 who have a severe disability and require full-time and special care.

Eligibility is not determined by a diagnosis alone. SASSA considers the child’s care needs, the applicant’s caregiving role, residency, medical assessment and the applicable means test.

Understanding those requirements before applying can help caregivers prepare the correct documents and avoid preventable delays.

Approval and continued payment remain subject to SASSA assessment and review.

Full eligibility criteria

Who may qualify for the Care Dependency Grant?

SASSA assesses the applicant’s circumstances together with the child’s medical and care needs. The main requirements include:

• ✓ The applicant is the child’s parent, primary caregiver or court-appointed foster parent.
• ✓ The applicant is a South African citizen, permanent resident or recognised refugee.
• ✓ Both the applicant and the child live in South Africa.
• ✓ The child is younger than 18.
• ✓ A medical assessment confirms that the child has a severe disability.
• ✓ The child requires full-time and special care.
• ✓ The applicant and spouse meet the applicable means test, unless the applicant is a foster parent.
• ✓ The child is not being cared for permanently in a state-funded institution.

Financial assessment

How the Care Dependency Grant means test works

The means test reviews the applicant’s income and, where applicable, the combined income of married applicants.

Income limits and grant rules can change. Confirm the current threshold before submitting an application.

Medical assessment

What the medical assessment considers

A state medical officer must assess the child before the grant can be approved.

The assessment considers how the disability affects the child’s daily functioning and whether the child needs continuous supervision, assistance or specialised care.

Preparing the application

Documents that may be requested

The documents required depend on the caregiver’s circumstances. Common examples include:

• ✓ Applicant’s South African identity document or recognised status documentation.
• ✓ Child’s birth certificate.
• ✓ Medical or assessment report confirming the child’s disability.
• ✓ Proof of marital status where applicable.
• ✓ Salary slips, bank statements, pension slips or other proof of income.
• ✓ Proof that the applicant is the child’s primary caregiver when they are not the biological parent.
• ✓ Court placement order when the applicant is the child’s foster parent.

Issues that can affect an application

Check for incomplete or inconsistent information

An application can be delayed or unsuccessful when required information is missing, inconsistent or does not demonstrate that the eligibility rules are met.

• ✗ The medical or assessment documentation is missing or incomplete.
• ✗ Identity or birth records do not match the information submitted.
• ✗ Proof of the caregiving relationship is not supplied when required.
• ✗ Income evidence is missing or the applicable means-test requirement is not met.
• ✗ The child is permanently cared for in a state-funded institution.

If the application is unsuccessful

Read the written reason before responding

SASSA should provide a written reason when an application is not approved.

Applicants who disagree with the decision may appeal to the Minister of Social Development. The official government service page states that the appeal must be made within 90 days of receiving the unsuccessful decision.

When the child turns 18

The Care Dependency Grant does not continue automatically

The Care Dependency Grant lapses when the child turns 18.

The young adult may separately be assessed for the Disability Grant, but that requires a new application and its own medical, age, income and residency requirements.

Frequently asked questions