Grants and benefits
Find the help you need.
Choose a grant or benefit to see who it is for, what you may need and where to apply. The government office makes the final decision.
Municipal coverage
Detailed checks currently cover South Africa’s 8 metros.
Buffalo City, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Johannesburg, Mangaung, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane. If you live elsewhere, the checker still explains how to ask your municipality about indigent support and free basic services.
Studying or training?
NSFAS is not the only option.
Compare national bursaries, provincial government funding, the missing-middle student loan, postgraduate scholarships and all 21 SETAs.
SASSA grants and SRD
8 optionsOlder Person's Grant
Who qualifies for the SASSA Older Person’s Grant?
Monthly income support for qualifying people aged 60 or older.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalWar Veteran's Grant
Monthly support for a qualifying Second World War or Korean War veteran.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalDisability Grant
Who qualifies for the SASSA Disability Grant?
Monthly support subject to a SASSA medical/functional assessment.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalCare Dependency Grant
What is the SASSA Care Dependency Grant?
Support for the caregiver of a child who requires permanent care because of disability.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalFoster Child Grant
Who qualifies for the SASSA Foster Child Grant?
Support where a child is placed with the caregiver by a valid court order.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalChild Support Grant
Who qualifies for the SASSA Child Support Grant?
Support for a qualifying primary caregiver of a child under 18.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalGrant-in-Aid
What is the SASSA Grant-in-Aid?
Additional support for a qualifying grant recipient who needs regular attendance.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualify NationalSocial Relief of Distress Grant
Temporary R370 monthly relief screened through the official SRD system.
Information used from 2026-04-01See who may qualifyUIF money
7 optionsUIF Unemployment Benefit
Who can claim UIF unemployment benefits?
Income replacement after a qualifying involuntary loss of work.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Reduced Work Time Benefit
Partial income replacement after qualifying reduced work time.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Illness Benefit
Income replacement during a qualifying unpaid or partly paid illness absence.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Maternity Benefit
Income replacement during qualifying maternity leave.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Parental Benefit
Income replacement during qualifying parental leave.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Adoption Benefit
Income replacement following a qualifying adoption order.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualify NationalUIF Dependants Benefit
A claim by qualifying dependants after a contributor's death.
Information used from 2022-01-01See who may qualifyHelp with municipal bills
8 optionsBuffalo City Indigent Support
Free basic services and municipal rebates for qualifying households.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-CPTCape Town Indigent Support
Component-based municipal relief for qualifying households.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-EKUEkurhuleni Indigent Support
Registered or deemed-indigent free basic services and relief.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-ETHeThekwini Indigent Support
Tiered free basic services and municipal relief.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-JHBJohannesburg Expanded Social Package
Possible help with water, electricity, rates and other municipal bills for low-income Johannesburg households.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-MANMangaung Indigent Support
Free basic services and municipal account relief.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-NMBNelson Mandela Bay Assistance to the Poor
Municipal free basic services subject to current City confirmation.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify ZA-TSHTshwane Indigent Support
Free basic services for registered or automatically classified households.
Information used from 2026-07-01See who may qualify