Prepare a SASSA, UIF or municipal support application.

What gets checked

• Your identity, residence or recognised status matches official records.
• The grant-specific facts are supported: age, caregiver relationship, court order or medical assessment where relevant.
• Income and assets, including a spouse's where the means test requires it, are fully disclosed.
• The application and every requested supporting document are complete.
• Information can be checked against Home Affairs, banks and other government databases.

Before you apply

1. Use names and identity details exactly as Home Affairs records them.
2. List every source of income and financial support honestly, even when it is irregular or comes from another bank account.
3. Collect the programme's documents and complete the SASSA affidavit for that grant where requested.
4. Keep the application receipt, reference number, submitted-document list and any SMS or email.
5. Keep your cell number, address and financial details current and respond to a review request.

Facts to explain

• Who is applying, and what is their relationship to the child or person needing support?
• What changed, and on what date did it change?
• Who lives in the household and what income or support does each person receive?
• If there is no regular income, what currently pays for food, transport and housing? State the source truthfully.
• Which document proves each important fact, and which document is still unavailable?

If the application is declined

1. Ask for or download the written decision and the exact reason.
2. Compare that reason with the information and documents you submitted; correct an external record first if that record is wrong.
3. Prepare a short factual explanation that answers the stated reason and attach the supporting evidence.
4. For an ordinary social grant, ask a SASSA official to help lodge the appeal or use the current DSD appeal route. For SRD, use the official SRD appeal portal.
5. Act quickly. The Social Assistance Act provides a 90-day appeal period after learning of the decision; confirm the current route and deadline shown on your decision.

Official routes

What gets checked

• The worker was registered as a UIF contributor and contributions or declarations can be matched.
• The event is covered by the benefit: unemployment, reduced work time, illness, maternity, parental leave, adoption or a contributor's death.
• Employment dates, earnings and the reason work ended agree with the employer's UI-19 and salary schedule.
• Banking details belong to the claimant and pass verification.
• The correct application and continuation forms and event-specific evidence are complete.

Before you apply

1. Ask the employer for a completed UI-19 and salary schedule and check the employment dates, pay and termination reason before submission.
2. Prepare the identity document, UI-2.8 banking form and the correct benefit application form.
3. For unemployment, complete work-seeker information and keep proof where the official route requests it.
4. Add the event-specific evidence: medical certificate, birth record, adoption order or death and relationship documents where applicable.
5. Keep the claim confirmation, reference number and every continuation-of-benefit request.

Facts to explain

• Who was the last employer, and what were the exact first and last working dates?
• Why did work stop or income reduce? Use the real event and the same wording supported by the employer record.
• What was the normal pay and what, if anything, was paid during the benefit period?
• Which UIF declarations or forms are still missing from the employer?
• What date was the claim submitted and what response or reference was received?

If the application is declined

1. Get the claims-officer decision, reason and claim reference.
2. Check UI-19, salary, contribution, banking and event records against that reason.
3. Correct a wrong employer declaration or missing document before appealing where possible.
4. Use the appeal channel stated on the current UIF decision. Start with UIF Online or a Labour Centre to confirm where to submit the Notice of Appeal, then attach the decision and evidence that answers its reason.
5. UIF regulations provide a 90-day period for an appeal against a claims decision; confirm the deadline and channel shown on the current notice.

Official routes

What gets checked

• The home is inside the municipality and the application uses that municipality's current policy.
• The applicant's relationship to the property, municipal account or household fits the local route.
• Household income and all adults living at the address are disclosed as the policy requires.
• Property ownership, property value and other fixed property are checked where the policy uses them.
• Identity, address, municipal account, bank and income documents are complete.

Before you apply

1. Use the policy and application form for the municipality where the home is located.
2. Collect IDs for the people the form asks about, proof of address, the municipal account and household income evidence.
3. If unemployed, use the affidavit or bank-statement route stated by that municipality; requirements differ by city.
4. Explain who owns, rents or lawfully occupies the home and whose name appears on the municipal account.
5. Ask whether support must be renewed and what changes must be reported.

Facts to explain

• Who lives at the address, and what is each person's relationship to the applicant?
• Who owns or rents the property and whose name is on the municipal account?
• What income, grants, maintenance or irregular support comes into the household each month?
• Which municipal services are billed, prepaid or supplied by a landlord?
• What changed recently that made the bill unaffordable? Give the real date and event.

If the application is declined

1. Ask the municipality for the written reason, policy clause and review or appeal route.
2. Compare the decision with the exact policy year shown on the programme page.
3. Correct missing household, account, income, property or occupancy evidence.
4. Write a short factual response to the stated reason and attach the proof; do not use a copied hardship story.
5. Deadlines and review bodies differ between municipalities, so use the route printed on the decision or current policy.