r350 unemployment grant 2024-2025

r350 unemployment grant 2024-2025

The South African Social Security Agency is now accepting applications for the R350 Covid-19 Special Social Relief of Distress Grant for people who are unemployed (Sassa).

Here is everything you need to know about the procedure:

Requirements:

• Applicants must be:
• – above the age of 18;
• – unemployed;
• – not receiving any income;
• – not receiving any social grant;
• not getting any unemployment insurance benefits and does not meet the eligibility requirements for unemployment insurance benefits
• – not receiving a National Student Financial Aid Scheme stipend; and
• – You are not a resident of a government-funded or subsidized institution.

Prospective candidates must supply the following mandatory information in order for their applications to be processed:

• – Identity Number;
• – Name and Surname as captured in the ID (and initials);
• – Gender and Disability;
• – Banking details – Bank name and account number;
• – Contact details – Cell phone number;
• – Proof of residential address;

When does it begin to pay off, and how long is it valid?

• On May 15, the first R350 special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants will be distributed.
• The grants, which will last six months and will be valued R2 100 apiece, are accessible to any South Africans over the age of 18 who do not have any other source of income and do not receive any other type of government assistance.

Ways to apply:

1. WhatsApp message to 082 046 8553 (no longer the Department of Health WhatsApp line on 060 012 3456, on which initial tests were conducted)
2. Email to SRD@sassa.gov.za, which automatically sends back a form to fill in
3. A USSD code, by dialling *134*7737# from a cell phone

Sassa is due to have a special section on its website, at https://www.sassa.gov.za/Pages/COVID-19_SRD_Grant.aspx

Contact number:

• If your application is rejected, it could be because you have just changed your cell phone number.
• The payment system detects fraud by cross-referencing an applicant’s cell phone number with other government databases.
• If an applicant previously submitted one cell phone number to an institution such as the SA Revenue Service or the Unemployment Insurance Fund and now attempts to apply using a different number, the system will reject the application.

Address:

• You do not need to submit address evidence, but you must offer one.

How is it paid out?

• Recipients who do not have bank accounts will have a choice of banks from which to obtain cash through an ATM.
• Money will be delivered to persons without bank accounts through the big banks’ cash-sending functions.
• To withdraw money, these systems, such as eWallet for First National Bank and CashSend for Absa, require simple information provided to a cell phone number, with no card or other identity verification necessary.

For the time being, there are no store vouchers.

Other government subsidies

• https://www.gov.za/coronavirus/socialgrants

FAQ: I’m unemployed and applied for the COVID-19 grant at SASSA, but my application was denied with the response ‘Registered at SARS for PAYE’ or ‘Receiving an income’.

• It should be mentioned that SASSA makes the decision on whether or not to pay the grant. To be eligible for the award, you must be unemployed (without a source of income) and not receiving UIF or any other type of assistance, according to SASSA. If you believe this is incorrect, please contact SASSA at srd@sassa.gov.za.