Child Support Grant
The Child Support Grant is a monthly SASSA payment that helps the person raising a child cover the child’s basic needs. It is the most widely received grant in South Africa, reaching millions of children. This guide explains who qualifies, how much you get including the top-up, the documents you need, how to apply, and how the grant is reviewed — in plain language.
Last updated: May 2026 · Source: South African Government (gov.za) · National Treasury Budget
What the Child Support Grant Is
The Child Support Grant is paid to the primary caregiver of a child — the person mainly responsible for looking after the child day to day. That can be a parent, a grandparent, or another relative, and it does not matter whether you are the biological parent or whether the child’s parents are married, living together or apart. The grant is meant to help with the cost of the child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing and schooling. It is paid per child, so a caregiver looking after more than one qualifying child receives the grant for each of them.
Who Qualifies
To receive the grant you must be the child’s primary caregiver, a South African citizen or permanent resident, and you and the child must live in South Africa. The child must be under the age of 18, must live with you, and must not be cared for in a state institution. If you are not the child’s parent, you must prove you are the primary caregiver — for example with an affidavit from a police official, a social worker’s report, an affidavit from the biological parent, or a letter from the principal of the child’s school. You cannot receive this grant for more than six children who are not your own biological or legally adopted children.
The grant is also means-tested, so SASSA looks at the income of the caregiver (and their spouse, if married) to decide whether you qualify, with separate limits for single and married applicants. Because these income limits are set in regulations and change over time, confirm the current figure with SASSA or on the official gov.za service page before you apply.
How Much You Get
The Child Support Grant pays R580 a month per child. In certain cases a top-up of R290 is added, which brings the grant to R870 a month for that child — ask at your SASSA office whether your situation qualifies for the top-up. SASSA can pay you in one of three ways: an electronic deposit into your bank or Postbank account, cash collected at an approved pay point on a set day, or a payment to an institution acting as administrator. If you cannot collect the money yourself, you can appoint a procurator at the SASSA office or give someone power of attorney to collect it for you.
How to Apply
You apply in person at your nearest SASSA office. Bring your 13-digit bar-coded ID and the child’s birth certificate, proof of your earnings, proof of any maintenance you receive for the child, your marriage certificate if applicable, and — if you are divorced — the court order giving you custody. If a parent has died or is missing, bring the death certificate or a police missing-person report. If you do not have an ID or the child’s birth certificate, SASSA can accept a sworn statement and proof that you have applied for these documents at Home Affairs. Applying is free, takes up to three months, and if approved you are paid from the date you first applied. If you are turned down, you have 90 days to appeal to the Minister of Social Development. See our How to Apply for a SASSA Grant page for the full process.
Reviews and Keeping the Grant
SASSA may review the grant from time to time, based on the income you declared when you applied, and you will be told three months in advance. If you are paid through a bank, an institution or a procurator, you must complete a life certificate for the child at a SASSA office each year. The grant can be suspended if your circumstances change, if a review goes against you, if you do not co-operate with a review, if there was fraud or misrepresentation, if it was approved in error, or if the child is no longer in your care.
The grant lapses if the child passes away, is admitted to a state institution, is absent from the country, or if you do not claim it for three months in a row — and it ends at the end of the month in which the child turns 18.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Child Support Grant?
It is R580 a month per child. With the top-up, where it applies, the grant comes to R870 a month for that child.
Do I have to be the child’s parent?
No. Any primary caregiver — a grandparent or another relative, for example — can apply, as long as they are mainly responsible for the child. If you are not the parent, you must prove you are the primary caregiver.
Until what age is the grant paid?
The grant is paid until the end of the month in which the child turns 18.
How many children can I claim for?
There is no limit for your own biological or legally adopted children, but you cannot claim for more than six children who are not your own.
📋 Verified — Official sources: gov.za (child support grant) · National Treasury Budget (SAnews)
⚠️ This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. KnowMyGovt is not affiliated with SASSA nor the South African government. Always confirm current requirements and amounts on the official SASSA channels or gov.za.
