AIDSbuzz

• You are a South African citizen or a permanent resident.
• You live in South Africa.
• You are over the age of 18 and are not able to work because of your mental or physical disabilities.
• You have a government hospital medical report describing your disabilities.
• You will be disabled for six months or longer.
• You accept medical treatment or help.
• You are not already receiving another type of grant (you can, however, receive Child Support and Foster Care Grants if you are able to function as the primary caregiver of a child or children).
• You and your partner meet the requirements of the Means Test

When you turn 60 (if you are a woman) or 65 (if you a man), your Disability Grant will be converted into an Older Persons Grant. This will be the same amount of money.
 

The Means Test

Ask your social worker or community organisation to help you work out if you meet the requirements of the Means Test, because it is more complicated than for the Child Support Grant.

If you are single (you are not married or you do not have a partner), your income must be less than R1 502 a month, and your assets must be less than R266 400. Assets are things that you own, such as a car, a television and an oven. If you own a house and live in it (you do not rent it out), then this house is NOT counted as part of your assets.

If you are married or have a partner, your income added to your partner’s income must not be more than R2 782 a month. Your assets must amount to less than R532 800. The rule about your house is the same as if you were single.

Before you go to the Welfare Office make sure that you have the following documents with you:

• Your Identity Document (ID) book (with the 13-number bar code).
• Financial statements for the Means Test. You need to take proof of your income such as bank account statements for the last three months or pay slips, and papers about any savings you have.
• Your UIF book or certificate, if you are unemployed.
• Your medical report. You will also be examined and by the state doctor at the Welfare Office so that your disability can be assessed.
• Papers about your marital status. If you are single, you need papers to say that you are single (these papers are called affidavits); if you are married, you need your marriage certificate; if you are divorced, you need your divorce order; if you are a widow or widower, you need to bring the death certificate of your partner.

If you do not have all of these papers, contact your social worker, local advice office or one of the NPOs in the AIDSbuzz Directory that help with Social Grants. You can also phone the Department’s free hotline 0800 601 011 for advice.