The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has set up a R7,500 funeral support benefit to help families who lose a social grant recipient. Funeral costs are going up in South Africa, which makes it harder for families who are already having trouble making ends meet. The new support measure was made to help people who are going through hard and emotional times.
What is the R7,500 funeral support?
The R7,500 funeral support is a one-time payment that helps pay for funeral and burial costs. Most of the time, the payment system doesn’t give cash to beneficiaries because the money has to be used for funeral services in a certain way. The help only applies after a registered SASSA grant beneficiary dies.
Who Can Get the Funeral Benefit?
Only the families of SASSA grant recipients who died while getting benefits can get help with funeral costs. Usually, only close family members like spouses, parents, or adult children can apply. The applicant must show proof of identity, such as a certified death certificate and proof of their relationship to the deceased, as well as the deceased’s SASSA information.
How to Get Help with the Funeral
All applications for funeral benefits must be sent to the local SASSA office. Families should apply for benefits right away after a loved one dies. If they wait, there will be delays. SASSA staff help people fill out their applications while they check their papers. The payment system often sends money to registered funeral service providers instead of family members. This makes sure that the support money is used correctly.
Timeframes and how payments are processed.
SASSA processes funeral support payments after the application is approved because it has its own internal checks that need to be done before payments can be processed. The amount of time it takes to process depends on two things: how busy the system is right now and how far along the document verification is. Applicants should keep copies of all the documents they sent in and call SASSA if they are having trouble.
Important Warnings About Scams
SASSA has told the public to be careful of fake claims and scams that try to get funeral benefits. Families should only use SASSA’s official offices and ways to talk to them. No one should ask for PINs, banking passwords, or fees to help with funeral costs.
