The War Veterans Grant is the smallest and least-known of the South African Social Security Agency's permanent grants, and it is also one of the most generous per person. In September 2026 it pays R2,420 per month — the same as the top band of the Older Persons Grant — to South Africans who fought in the Second World War or the Korean War and who are now 60 or older, or who are disabled. Very few people still qualify, which is exactly why families so often overlook it.
If there is a veteran in your family who served in those campaigns, it is worth checking. This guide explains who qualifies, how to prove military service, how the means test works, what to take to the office and how the grant compares with the Old Age Grant that most older South Africans receive instead.
Who qualifies for the War Veterans Grant
There are three separate tests, and an applicant must satisfy all of them. Failing any one of them means the application will be declined, although in almost every such case the Older Persons Grant or the Disability Grant will be the correct route instead.
The service requirement
This is the test that makes the grant so unusual. The applicant must have performed military service in the Second World War or in the Korean War. No other conflict qualifies. Service in later South African military operations, in the liberation struggle, or in post-1994 peacekeeping deployments does not make a person eligible for this particular grant, whatever other recognition or benefits may apply to them.
Because of the dates involved, the surviving cohort is small and shrinking every year. Anyone who served in the Second World War is now in their late nineties or older, and Korean War veterans are typically in their early nineties. In practice most new enquiries about this grant come from adult children or grandchildren who are managing an elderly relative's affairs and have found old service records among the family papers.
The age or disability requirement
The applicant must be 60 years or older, or must be disabled. Given the age of the qualifying cohort, the age requirement is effectively always met, but the rule is written this way because the grant has existed since long before the veterans reached old age.
Citizenship, residence and the means test
As with all permanent SASSA grants, the applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or recognised refugee, must live in South Africa, and must not be cared for in a state institution that already receives a subsidy for their care. They must also pass the same income and asset means test that applies to the Older Persons Grant. Our means test explainer sets out how SASSA decides what counts.
The means test in detail
The War Veterans Grant uses exactly the same thresholds as the Older Persons Grant, so if you have already worked out whether a relative qualifies for the Old Age Grant, you have already done this calculation.
| Measure | Single applicant | Married applicant (combined) |
|---|---|---|
| Income per year | R107,880 | R215,760 |
| Income per month | R8,990 | R17,980 |
| Assets | R1,524,600 | R3,049,200 |
The home you live in is excluded from the asset test. So is the value of the grant itself. What does count is money in bank accounts and investments, the value of a second property, a business interest, or a paid-up policy that can be surrendered for cash. On the income side, SASSA looks at private and occupational pensions, annuities, rental income, maintenance received and any regular payment from a family trust.
Married applicants are assessed jointly. This catches people out: a veteran with no income of his own may still fail the means test if his spouse has a substantial pension. Bring the spouse's income details to the office rather than hoping the question will not be asked, because it always is.
If you want a quick indication before you travel, use our old age grant calculator — the income and asset limits it applies are identical to the War Veterans limits, so the result tells you where a veteran stands too.
A worked example
Consider Albert, a 97-year-old who served in North Africa during the Second World War. He is widowed, so he is assessed as a single person. He receives a small military pension of R3,400 a month and has R120,000 in a fixed deposit. His income is well under the R8,990 monthly limit and his assets are far under R1,524,600, so he passes the means test comfortably and qualifies for the full R2,420 a month.
Now consider Frank, 94, also a veteran, who is married to Elsie. Frank has no income but Elsie draws a company pension of R19,500 a month. Their combined income exceeds the married limit of R17,980, so Frank does not qualify — not because of anything to do with his service, but because the household is assessed together.
Documents you need
Apply in person at a SASSA local office. Bring originals and a set of copies of everything. Officials verify the originals at the counter and keep the copies for the file.
| Document | Why it is needed | Alternative if missing |
|---|---|---|
| 13-digit smart ID card or green ID book | Confirms identity, age and citizenship | Sworn affidavit plus proof of a Home Affairs application |
| Proof of military service | The single requirement unique to this grant | Attestation or discharge records from the SANDF Documentation Centre |
| Proof of residence | Confirms the applicant lives in South Africa | Letter from a ward councillor or traditional leader |
| 3 months' bank statements or pension slips | Income side of the means test | Sworn affidavit of income if there is no bank account |
| Spouse's ID and income proof, if married | Combined means assessment | Marriage certificate, or death certificate if widowed |
| Proof of private pension, annuity or property | Completes the asset assessment | Statement from the fund or a Deeds Office search |
| Medical assessment report, if applying on disability grounds | Confirms the disability route rather than the age route | Arrange a SASSA-appointed assessment at the office |
Our full documents checklist covers the awkward cases — a lost ID book, no fixed address, or an applicant who is too frail to attend in person.
Proving military service
This is the step that takes the longest, so start it before you go anywhere near a SASSA office. Acceptable proof usually includes a discharge certificate, an attestation form, a service or pay book, a record of campaign medals awarded, or correspondence from the Department of Defence confirming the service record.
If the family no longer holds any paperwork, the service record can usually still be traced. The Department of Defence keeps historical personnel records at its documentation centre in Pretoria, and a written request with the veteran's full name, date of birth, ID number and approximate dates and place of service will normally produce a certified copy. Allow several weeks for a reply. A relative can make this request on the veteran's behalf with a signed authorisation.
Do not delay the SASSA visit indefinitely while you wait. Because an approved grant is backdated to the date of application, it is often better to lodge the application and supply the service record as an outstanding document than to hold everything back for months.
Step-by-step: applying at a SASSA office
The War Veterans Grant cannot be applied for online. There is no internet application form for it and no third-party website can lodge it for you. Compare the routes in our guide on applying online versus in person.
- Gather the service record first. Search the family papers for a discharge certificate, service book or medal record, and if there is nothing, write to the Department of Defence documentation centre to request a certified copy.
- Call the toll-free line 0800 60 10 11 to confirm which local office serves the applicant's area and what its hours are. Mention that the application is for a War Veterans Grant — it is rare enough that a small office may want to prepare.
- Make copies of every document the day before. Do not rely on the office having a working photocopier. Keep originals and copies together in one folder.
- Arrange transport and support. Given the applicant's likely age, take a family member along, plan for a long wait, and bring water, chronic medication and a folding chair if standing is difficult.
- Arrive early. Offices generally open at 07:30 and queues form well before that. Ask whether the office gives priority to very elderly or frail applicants — many do.
- Complete the application with the officer. They capture the applicant's details, take fingerprints and a photograph, and record the income and asset declarations. The applicant must sign in the officer's presence.
- Declare income and assets honestly. Under-declaring leads to the grant being suspended later and the money being recovered, which is a far worse outcome than a straightforward decline now.
- Ask for a receipt with a reference number before you leave, and check that the date on it is correct. This is the date the grant will be backdated to if it is approved.
- Follow up if you hear nothing within 90 days. SASSA must decide within that period. Keep the reference number handy when you phone.
If the veteran is bedridden or in frail care and genuinely cannot travel, a family member can apply on their behalf under a power of attorney or a procurator appointment, or you can request a home visit. Raise this when you call the toll-free line so the office can make the arrangement in advance.
How it compares with the Old Age Grant
Most families weighing up this grant are really asking one question: is it worth the trouble of digging out a seventy-year-old service record when the Old Age Grant is available without one?
| Feature | War Veterans Grant | Older Persons Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly amount | R2,420 | R2,400, or R2,420 from age 75 |
| Minimum age | 60, or disabled | 60 |
| Extra requirement | Proof of WWII or Korean War service | None beyond age |
| Means test | Same limits | Same limits |
| Where you apply | SASSA local office, in person | SASSA local office, in person |
For a veteran who is already 75 or older, the two grants pay exactly the same amount, so there is no financial advantage in choosing one over the other. For a veteran between 60 and 74 the War Veterans Grant pays R20 a month more. Given the age of the surviving cohort, nearly everyone still eligible falls into the older band, which means the choice is usually about recognition rather than money.
That said, there are practical reasons to apply for the correct grant. The grant type is recorded on the SASSA system and can matter for other forms of veteran support. And if the veteran later needs full-time care, the Grant-in-Aid add-on of R580 a month attaches to a War Veterans Grant just as it does to an Older Persons Grant — see our guide on Grant-in-Aid.
If the service record simply cannot be found, do not let the application stall. Apply for the Older Persons Grant instead, secure the monthly income, and follow up on the service record afterwards.
Why you can only hold one personal grant
South African social assistance works on a simple principle: one person, one personal grant. A veteran cannot draw the War Veterans Grant and the Older Persons Grant at the same time, and cannot draw it alongside a Disability Grant either. These are all grants for the applicant's own support, and they are not cumulative.
What is permitted is holding a personal grant while also receiving grants on behalf of other people. A War Veterans Grant beneficiary who is raising a grandchild may also be the caregiver receiving a Child Support Grant for that child, because the child's grant belongs to the child. The same applies to a Foster Child Grant. Our guide on whether you can get multiple grants sets out all the permitted combinations.
The one genuine exception is Grant-in-Aid, and only because it is not a standalone grant at all — it is an extra amount added to an existing personal grant when the beneficiary needs full-time care.
What happens if circumstances change
An approved grant is not permanent in the sense of never being looked at again. SASSA reviews beneficiaries periodically and may ask for a life certificate confirming the beneficiary is still alive, particularly for very elderly recipients. If income or assets change materially — an inheritance, the sale of a property, a new annuity — the beneficiary is obliged to report it. Failing to do so can result in suspension and recovery of overpaid money.
When a beneficiary dies, the family must notify SASSA promptly and stop any further payments from being drawn. Money paid after the date of death must be repaid.
Frequently asked questions
Does service in any other war qualify?
No. The grant is restricted to service in the Second World War or the Korean War. Service in any other conflict, however significant, does not make a person eligible for this specific grant. An applicant who does not meet the service test but is 60 or older should apply for the Older Persons Grant, which pays R2,400 a month, or R2,420 from age 75.
Can a veteran's widow or widower claim the grant?
No. The War Veterans Grant is paid to the veteran personally and does not pass to a surviving spouse. A widow or widower who is 60 or older should apply for the Older Persons Grant in their own name, and will be assessed as a single person under the means test, which is often more favourable than the joint assessment applied while the veteran was alive.
What if the service record has been lost?
The record can usually be traced through the Department of Defence documentation centre in Pretoria with a written request giving the veteran's full name, ID number, date of birth and approximate dates of service. In the meantime, lodge the SASSA application anyway. Because an approved grant is backdated to the application date, applying early protects several months of income while the paperwork catches up.
How long does the application take?
SASSA must process an application within 90 days. If it is approved, payment is backdated to the date you applied, so a long wait does not mean lost money. If you have heard nothing after 90 days, phone 0800 60 10 11 with your reference number, and if that gets you nowhere, follow the escalation route in our guide on the SASSA complaint and reconsideration process.
Can the grant be increased if the veteran needs full-time care?
Yes, through Grant-in-Aid. It adds R580 a month to the War Veterans Grant where a doctor confirms the beneficiary cannot care for themselves and needs full-time attendance from another person. It does not reduce the main grant. Many eligible families never claim it simply because nobody tells them it exists.
This site is independent and is not affiliated with SASSA or the South African government. Grant amounts and rules were correct in September 2026 — always verify the current position at SASSA or by phoning 0800 60 10 11 before you rely on it.