How Much Financial Support Does SASSA Provide Per Child? (2025 Guide)

When it comes to raising a child with a limited income in South Africa, people have to face several challenges. Basically, providing the basic needs like managing expenses of food, school, clothing, and daily use commodities to your family is extremely hard; therefore, the government of South Africa provides grants to the people with low income. 

But the majority of the people are unfamiliar with how much financial support SASSA provides per child in 2025. There are three types of child grants: child support, foster care, and care dependency programs, each of them is designed for a special group of individuals having certain financial or health conditions. 

These financial aids are not just numbers; they directly affect the well-being of the children in the country. If you have applied for a child grant, you should know the amount you will receive per child in 2025, so come with me to explore how much financial support SASSA provides per child. 

Quick Answer

Child Support Grant: It is one of the most common grants designed for people who have low income, and the amount per child is R560 per month in 2025. 

Foster Child Grant: The amount of the grant is R1,250 per month in 2025.

Care Dependency: The amount of the grant per child is R2,310 monthly in 2025.

Overview of SASSA Child Grants

There are three grants designed for children with special conditions, including child support, foster grant, and the care dependency assistance program. Furthermore, SASSA allows you to get an additional amount known as “top-up” and grant-in-aid. Here is a brief overview of all these programs: 

1. Child Support Grant: It is for people who have financial conditions. The grant is for children under 18 years old and is designed to cover daily living costs such as food, school, and clothing. 
2. Child Support Grant Top-up: SASSA provides R280 per child if the child is an orphan or has special circumstances. 
3. Foster Child Grant: It is for children under foster care by court order. The grant amount is RR1,250 provided to the foster parents in order to fulfill the needs of school, food, and clothing. 
4. Care Dependency Grant: SASSA provides support to the people who have special disability conditions that require permanent care. The amount of the grant is R2,310 per month.
5. Grant-in-aid: It is an amount an individual can claim on behalf of a disabled child; the amount is R560 per month. 

Comparison Table (2025)

How Are Payments Made?

You have seen the payment amounts of each grant that is designed for the kids, but you might be unable to understand how the payments are made. Basically, there are different ways SASSA sends money to its recipients, such as through retail partners, banks, and you can use the SASSA card to withdraw payment. 

1. Bank Deposit: SASSA allows you to choose a payment method. If you select a bank deposit, you will be able to get the grant amount directly through the bank. To withdraw the money, you can use a cheque or an ATM card. 
2. SASSA/ Postbank: If you do not have an account, you can select the PostBank method that allows you to collect the grant payment by visiting the PostBank branch. In this way, you do not need to use any card nor have to create an account. 
3. SASSA Black Card: You can use the SASSA black card to withdraw the money. You can use the card at any ATM for a withdrawal. 
4. Retail Partners: You can visit the retail shop to collect the grant money, such as Checkers, Pick n Pay, or Usave. 

Why the Amount May Vary for Caregivers?

There are several factors involved, that’s why the amount may vary for caregivers. Basically, SASSA provides grants based on the conditions of an individual. For instance, if a person is unable to provide the basic needs to his family, he can get R560 per month on behalf of his child from SASSA. 

On the other hand, if a child is physically or mentally disabled, his parents or primary caregivers can apply on his behalf to fulfill his medical expenses and other daily life needs. Therefore, the grant for a child depends upon his eligibility criteria as well as circumstances. Furthermore, if caregivers are unable to provide the basic needs to the child due to the low amount of the grant, they can apply for the top-up or grant-in-aid. It will help them get the additional amount and be able to improve their quality of life. 

Factors That Impact: 

• Number of children supported
• Type of grant approved
• Eligibility reviews

Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for Child Support Grant

If you are looking for a method to apply for the child grant, first, you need to see the eligibility criteria. The criteria are based on the type of grant, like those looking after a foster child should submit for the foster child grant. Here is a general eligibility criterion for all child support grants: 

Caregiver Requirements:

• The caregiver must be a South African citizen or a permanent refugee. 
• The caregiver must reside in South Africa. 
• The individual applying on behalf of a child must be their primary caregiver. 
• The caregiver must meet the means test criteria. 

Child Requirements: 

• A child must be under 18 years old. 
• The child must live with the caregiver. 
• The child must not be served by any state institution. 

Documentation Required: 

• You need to provide the ID document as a caregiver. 
• You need to provide the birth certificate of the child. 
• You need to submit a utility bill as proof of residency. 
• You have to provide proof of income. 
• If you are applying on behalf of a foster child, or you are a guardian appointed by a state institute, then submit the court orders. 
• If you are applying on behalf of a disabled/dependent child, you have to submit a medical assessment by a professional confirming disability. 

Application Submission: 

Step 1: You cannot apply for the child support, foster child, dependency, or disability grant online, so visit the nearest SASSA office. 

Step 2: Go to the reception and address the purpose of your visit. 

Step 3: Provide the documents, and you will be sent to the relevant grant department. 

Step 4: Fill out the application form and then provide the fingerprints plus photos. 

Step 5: Submit the application form and get feedback.

Step 6: You will receive an SMS that your application has been received. 

FAQs

How much is the SASSA child grant in 2025?

The child support grant is R560 in 2025. This amount is paid per child, not per caregiver, so if a caregiver looks after more than one child having special conditions, you can apply on behalf of each. 

Is the SASSA child grant per child or per caregiver?

According to the latest policies of SASSA, the child support grant will be paid per child, not caregiver. Therefore, if you are a parent/guardian/foster parent/primary caregiver struggling to fulfil the basic needs of more than one child, you can apply for a grant on behalf of each child.

How much is the child support grant top-up?

Some people require an additional amount to pay the fees of their children, provide clothing, or manage basic needs. In such conditions, you can apply for the child support top-up, which is R260 in 2025. 

Do foster children get the same as CSG?

No, foster children do not qualify for the CSG. Instead, the foster parents can apply for the foster child grant, which is R1,180 per child in 2025. 

Can a child receive both CSG and Foster Grant?

No, a child cannot get more than one grant at the same time, as per the rules of SASSA. 

When does SASSA increase the child grant amount?

The increment in the amount of the grant depends on the government budget allocation to SASSA. Normally, the increases in grant amounts are twice a year, in April and October. 

Final Words 

Managing the expenses of a family is not an easy task; one has to take extraordinary measures, such as having more than one job, to fulfill the needs of children. If you are facing challenges, you can apply for the child support grant that is designed to assist individuals in order to provide a quality of life to their families. You can apply for a foster child, child support, or disability/dependency grant based on your circumstances and eligibility criteria. 

Things To Remember

Provide authentic documents while applying for grants. 

Check the status of the application regularly after submission. 

Use an active bank account to receive grant payment. 

Contact SASSA in case you encounter any issues. 

SASSA Contact Details 

Toll-Free Helpline: 0800 60 10 11

Email: grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za

Official Website: www.sassa.gov.za

Follow the step by step guide to apply for the grant so you can support your family effortlessly. A small, consistent action today can secure tomorrow for your child.