Caring for a child: every grant and support you can claim
On this page (6 sections)
Anyone who is a child's primary caregiver — parent, grandparent, aunt, older sibling — can claim the Child Support Grant (R590*/month per child). Orphans in relatives' care can get the top-up, court-ordered foster placements the Foster Child Grant (R1,290*), and children with severe disabilities the Care Dependency Grant (±R2,400*). School costs have their own relief: no-fee schools, fee exemption and daily school meals.
Which child grant fits your situation?
| Situation | Grant | Amount | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| You're the child's main caregiver (any relation) | Child Support Grant | R590* | Income test; no court order needed |
| Orphaned child in a relative's care | CSG + top-up | R590* + top-up | Proof of orphanhood; no court order |
| Court-ordered foster placement | Foster Child Grant | R1,290* | Children's court order; no means test |
| Child with a severe disability needing permanent care | Care Dependency Grant | ±R2,400* | Medical assessment |
What you'll need
- Your ID and each child's birth certificate — missing documents are the #1 blocker; fix them first via ID documents.
- Proof of income (or affidavit of none) for the income test — most low-income caregivers pass easily.
- For non-parents: simple proof you're the primary caregiver (affidavit, school letter, clinic card).
- Apply free at a SASSA office — the process.
School costs: three separate reliefs
- No-fee schools — quintile 1–3 schools charge nothing; most schools in low-income areas are no-fee.
- Fee exemption at fee-charging schools — a statutory right calculated from your income; schools must consider applications and may not refuse enrolment over fees.
- School nutrition — daily meals at qualifying schools, automatic, no application.
Full guides for all three arrive with the education cluster — track them on the roadmap.
Your own support stacks on top
Grants for children don't reduce yours: if you're unemployed, claim SRD for yourself too; register the household as indigent; and use food support in hard months. A grandmother raising two grandchildren can legitimately hold: her pension + 2× CSG + free basic services.
Frequently asked questions
The child has no birth certificate. Can I still apply?
SASSA can accept an application while you regularise the certificate at Home Affairs — but don't delay: start the birth certificate process immediately; the grant can't pay indefinitely without it.
Foster Child vs CSG top-up for an orphaned grandchild?
Foster pays more but needs a children's court process; the top-up is faster with no court. Many families start with CSG + top-up and pursue foster placement after — comparison guide coming in Phase 2.
Does child maintenance from the father count against the means test?
Maintenance received is income in the CSG test, but the thresholds are set so that typical maintenance plus low earnings still passes. Apply and let SASSA calculate.
Verified information
- Responsible body
- Multiple: SASSA, municipalities, provincial departments
- Official source
- gov.za — social benefits
- Status
- Confirmed, some figures pending
- Date verified
- Confidence
- High confidence
Routing guidance assembled from each programme's official rules. Grant amounts marked * await Gazette verification.
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)
First published and checked against official sources. Future changes to figures, deadlines or processes will be listed here rather than silently edited.
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