Child Support Grant 2026/2027: Amount, Eligibility and How It Works

South Africa · Child Support Grant · SASSA

Independent informational guide · Last reviewed July 2026

Millions of caregivers in South Africa receive this grant every month, subject to SASSA’s assessment of the eligibility criteria.

The Child Support Grant is a monthly payment from the South African government designed to help caregivers provide for children in their care.

It is the most widely received social grant in the country — the value is R580 per child per month, effective from April 2026. If you care for more than one child, you may be able to receive it for each one who qualifies.

Amount effective from April 2026. A top-up applies for orphaned or abandoned children — confirm the current top-up amount with SASSA.

Who can receive it

The grant is paid to the child’s primary caregiver — not necessarily the biological parent. According to the official criteria:

• ✓ The child must be under 18 years old
• ✓ The caregiver must be a South African citizen or permanent resident, living in South Africa
• ✓ The caregiver’s income (and spouse’s, if married) must be below the means test threshold
• ✓ The child must not be cared for in a state institution
• ✓ The caregiver must be the primary person responsible for the child, and must not be paid to look after them

As a general reference, the means test limits reported by SASSA are around R61,200 a year (about R5,100 a month) if the caregiver is single, or R122,400 a year (about R10,200 a month) combined if married. A caregiver cannot claim for more than six children who are not their biological or legally adopted children. These figures are adjusted periodically, so it’s worth confirming the current thresholds with SASSA.

Documents generally requested

• ✓ 13-digit bar-coded ID and the child’s birth certificate (or the affidavit process if unavailable)
• ✓ Proof of any maintenance received for the child, or proof of efforts to obtain it
• ✓ Proof of earnings, and marriage certificate if applicable
• ✓ If not the child’s parent, proof of the caregiving relationship (affidavit, social worker’s report, or letter from the school)
• ✓ Court order or death certificate, where a parent is divorced, deceased or missing

The application is completed in person at a SASSA office, in the presence of a SASSA officer. Application forms are not available online. Keep the receipt you’re given as proof of application.

How the money is paid

SASSA pays the grant through one of these methods, chosen during the application and changeable later at a SASSA office:

• ✓ Direct deposit into the caregiver’s bank account
• ✓ A SASSA card used to withdraw cash or pay for purchases
• ✓ Cash at a designated pay point (e.g. post offices, retailers)
• ✓ Via an institution acting as administrator of the grant

Reviews, suspension and lapse

SASSA can review a grant based on the income declared at application, and gives at least three months’ notice before a review or life certificate is due. A grant may be suspended if circumstances change, following the outcome of a review, if the caregiver does not cooperate with a review, in cases of fraud or misrepresentation, if there was a mistake in the approval, or if the child is no longer in the caregiver’s care.

The grant lapses if the child passes away, is admitted to a state institution, is absent from South Africa, is not claimed for three consecutive months, or at the end of the month the child turns 18.

If the application is not approved

If an application is unsuccessful, SASSA will state the reasons in writing. An applicant who disagrees may appeal to the Minister of Social Development within 90 days of being notified. Processing may take up to three months, and if approved, payment is backdated to the date of application.

Frequently asked questions