EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT APPLYING FOR YOUR OLD AGE PENSION




Who qualifies for the grant?

Women older than 60 and men older than 65 can receive the grant.

If you are not married, you cannot get the grant if your assets are worth more than R 266 400 (a home you own is not taken into account if you live in it). Your income must also be less than R 1 502 per month (R 18 024 per year).

If you are married, you cannot get the grant if your joint assets are worth more than R 532 800 (a home you own is not taken into account if you live in it).

Your joint income must also be less than R 2 782 per month (R 33 384 per year).

You cannot get this grant if you're living in a state old age home, psychiatric hospital or getting care from a state treatment centre.

Who should apply for the grant?

You should personally apply for this grant. If you cannot go to make the application yourself, a friend or family member can bring a letter from you and a doctor's note saying why you can't visit the office yourself. A visit may then be arranged with a social worker.

Where should I apply?

Apply at your local Welfare Office.

How much will the grant pay out?

The grant is currently R 820 per month.

What documents will I need?

• Your bar-coded ID book
  
  
• Information about your marital status:
  - If you are single, an affidavit stating that you are single;
  - If you are married, your marriage certificate;
  - If you are divorced, your divorce order;
  - If your spouse is deceased, your spouse's death certificate.
  
  
• Information about your income and assets:
  - If you are employed, your wage certificate;
  - If you are unemployed, your Unemployment Insurance Fund discharge certificate from your previous employer;
  - If you have a private pension, proof of the private pension;
  - If you have a bank account, your bank statements for three consecutive months;
  - If you have investments, information on the interest and dividends you earn;

What happens after I apply?

When you make the application, you should say how you'd like the money to be paid. This can be done on specific days at a pay point, or you can get the money paid into your bank account.

You can change the payment method at any time by filling in a form at your local Welfare Office. The changes will only happen a month later.

It will take about thirty working days for your application to be processed.

If your application is refused, you'll get a letter explaining why it has been refused and how you can appeal.

If it is approved, you will start getting payments within three months.

The payments will be backdated to the day you applied for the grant.

You can find out what is happening to your application by phoning your local Welfare Office.

When will payments cease?

Payments will cease if you die, if you are admitted to a state institution, or if your income or assets improve so much that you no longer qualify in terms of the means test. You are expected to inform the Department of any changes in your circumstances. If you relocate, you must notify your nearest social service office to inform them.

Remember, if you do not collect your grant for three consecutive months, the payments will stop!