Child Support Grant top-up: R860 for orphans in relatives' care
On this page (5 sections)
A relative caring for an orphaned child can claim the Child Support Grant top-up — an extra R280* a month on top of the R580 grant, for R860* in total — with no court order and no social worker's report. The only additional proof is that the child is an orphan: the death certificates of both parents. Introduced in June 2022 precisely so that families did not have to go through the foster care courts, it remains one of the least-known payments in the system.
Who qualifies
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| The child | Under 18 and orphaned — both parents deceased |
| You | A relative of the child: grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or cousin |
| Care | The child lives with you and you are the primary caregiver |
| Proof | Death certificates of both parents (an affidavit where a parent is unknown) |
| Court order | Not required |
| Social worker's report | Not required |
How to claim it
- Get the death certificates
Both parents', from the Department of Home Affairs, free of charge. Where a father was never identified, an affidavit explaining that is accepted in place of his certificate.
- Take the ordinary CSG documents as well
Your ID, the child's birth certificate, proof that you are the primary caregiver, and your proof of income. The full checklist.
- Apply at any SASSA office and say the child is an orphan
The top-up is claimed as part of a Child Support Grant application — state at the interview that the child is orphaned and in your care, and hand over the death certificates.
- Already receiving CSG for the child?
You do not start over. Take the death certificates to your office and ask for the grant to be converted to the top-up rate.
Top-up or Foster Child Grant?
| CSG top-up | Foster Child Grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | R860* | R1,290 |
| Court order | No | Yes — children's court placement |
| Social worker's report | No | Yes |
| Typical time to payment | Up to 3 months | Often a year or more |
| Ends when | The child turns 18 | The court order expires unless extended |
| Means test | Income test on you | None |
| Risk of payment stopping | Low | Real — lapsed orders stop payment |
The Foster Child Grant pays R430 a month more. Against that: a court process that commonly runs past a year, a social worker's report, and an order that must be extended before it lapses or payment stops. For most families the top-up is money now and money that keeps arriving; foster care makes sense where the placement itself is needed for the child's protection, not merely for the payment.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Child Support Grant top-up in 2026?
R280* on top of the R580 Child Support Grant, giving R860* a month for an orphaned child in a relative's care. We mark the top-up figure * until we trace it to the Gazette — why we label figures.
Do I need a court order for the top-up?
No. That is the point of it. Death certificates for both parents, plus the ordinary Child Support Grant documents.
Which relatives can claim?
A grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or cousin of the child who is caring for them.
Only one parent has died. Do I qualify?
The top-up is for orphaned children. Where one parent has died and the other is absent, claim the ordinary Child Support Grant — see claiming when you are not the parent — and ask the office to assess the child's circumstances.
The father was never identified.
An affidavit explaining that the father is unknown is accepted in place of his death certificate. Take the mother's certificate and the affidavit to the office.
I am already fostering the child. Should I switch?
No. The Foster Child Grant pays more. The top-up is for families who have not been through the court process — it exists so they do not have to.
Verified information
- Responsible body
- South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)
- Official source
- sassa.gov.za
- Status
- Confirmed, some figures pending
- Date verified
- Confidence
- High confidence
The top-up, its purpose and the death-certificate requirement are confirmed against Department of Social Development and SAnews announcements. The 2026/2027 top-up amount of R280 (R860 in total) is widely reported and marked * until we trace it to the Gazette.
SA Benefits is independent and not affiliated with SASSA or government. Editorial guidance on this page is clearly separated from official information — see how we verify.
What's changed on this page (1)
Published covering the top-up route for relatives caring for orphaned children, including the comparison against foster care that most families are never told about.
Site-wide corrections are logged publicly in the corrections register.
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