Why “SASSA Declined”? Fix SASSA Status Check Declined

The SASSA application process involves many steps that each applicant needs to go through. After this, the department views the request and approves or rejects the applications.

The real issue is even after going through all the steps, many applicants have to see the dreaded word ‘SASSA Declined’ on their applications. This makes them wonder why SASSA declined their request.

If you are among the clan who is going through a similar ordeal, then I have got your back. You will find all the reasons behind SASSA’s declining grant applications listed in the article below. There are also solutions to tackle those issues shared below.

Reasons Behind the Declined Status

Before you proceed, first check your SASSA status and make sure your grant is declined.

1. Incomplete Information

The first major cause behind the department declining a grant application is that the applicant submitted incomplete information. No matter which Sassa grant you pick, the application form has a long list of information that each person needs to submit.

This includes personal information, banking information, job information, etc. The department needs all of these in order to judge whether the person is truly in need of the grant and deserves to receive it or not. Therefore, when the applicant does not provide all the required information, Sassa declines their request as they can not judge the application properly.

How To Fix It?

If your Sassa grant application was declined, then you need to go through your application form in detail. You need to check every single slot on the application form to find out which one you missed. After locating the issue, you need to reapply for the grant and, this time, add all of your information to the application form.

2. Failing to Meet Eligibility Requirements

The second cause behind Sassa’s grant application getting declined can be that the individual did not meet every clause of the eligibility criteria. Every grant of Sassa has eligibility criteria. Some requirements are common in every grant such as the applicant needs to be a citizen or registered resident of South Africa.

However, there are other requirements that vary from one grant to another. If you apply for the care dependency grant, the child needs to be medically unfit with severe disability and under the age of 18. Moreover, for a foster child grant, the applicant needs to be the official caretaker of the child as proved by the court order claiming them the foster parent and caretaker of the child.

The same is the case with other Sassa grants. Therefore, when the applicant fails to meet the entire eligibility criteria, their grant request gets declined by the department.

How To Fix It?

If your grant application got declined due to the inability to meet the eligibility criteria, you need to go through all the details to find out which clause of the criteria your application did not meet such as income, age, or residence. There is also the option of reapplying for the grant you initially applied for when you meet all of the eligibility criteria.

In addition to that, the best way to avoid this issue is to reach out to the office of Sassa or their helpline on the website. You can ask them for guidance regarding the grant you want to apply for. They will provide you with all the information you need, and let you know whether you qualify for the grant or not.

The applicant can also find another grant, and apply for that. For instance, if a person is above the age of 60, and medically unfit, they can apply for the Disability grant. But, if they did not meet all of the requirements for the Disability grant, they can apply for the Old Age grant as well.

3. Inaccurate or Old Information

Another major cause behind the grant request of applicants getting rejected is that they provide inaccurate information. Adding false or old information that is no longer valid can also lead to the department rejecting the grant request.

Before accepting a grant application, Sassa conducts thorough research. For instance, if a person applies for the care dependency grant, they send a team to check out the medical condition of the child.

This allows them to judge whether the applicant truly deserves the grant or not. So, if the person provided false information, and the medical team does not think the child is severely disabled, the grant request will be declined.

Furthermore, providing old information that is no longer valid also causes rejection of the grant application. If the person moved their house address, or bank account detail, they need to add the new information in the application form.

Moreover, if a person is applying for a Care Dependency grant, then they cannot present old medical records. The department asks for a maximum of 3 months old medical reports of the child in order to judge the grant application properly.

How To Fix It?

If you provided inaccurate information on your Sassa application form, then you need to apply for an appeal with the correct data to rectify the problem. Add the new bank account information, and personal details with your appeal so that the chances of your appeal request getting accepted increase.

Moreover, if you provided old information such as medical records, or income payslips, then the same goes for you. You will need to lodge an appeal and then present the department with the new and accurate information.

4. Banking Problems

Banking issues are another leading cause that causes Sassa to decline grant requests. If the applicant adds the detail of an account that is dormant, it will cause the rejection of their grant application as the account is no longer active.

Similarly, adding false or inaccurate banking information will also lead to the application getting declined. Every bit of information including account number and branch code, needs to be triple-checked before submitting the application to make sure they are accurate. Providing mismatched information about the bank account can also lead to the application of the person getting rejected by Sassa.

How To Fix It?

To fix the banking issue, the person should double and triple-check their account details before adding them to the application form. It is best if the person contacts the bank and asks them for information that they are not sure about such as branch code. This will prevent the chances of the application getting rejected on grounds of false banking information.

You can also update or change banking details as well.

5. Employed in Government Institutions

A major cause of many Sassa grants is that the applicant should not be employed in a government-funded institute. Whether the person is applying for a Care Dependency grant or Disability grant, they should not be admitted or registered in any state-funded institute. If they apply for the grant regardless of being admitted to any state-funded institute, the department will reject their grant application.

How To Fix It?

Being registered or admitted to a state-funded institution will take the chances of your grant request getting accepted to zero. So, you need to either terminate your registration with the state-funded institution or let the grant go. Even if the person meets the rest of the requirements, meeting this one is critical.

SASSA grants are a relief for all the deserving and financially struggling citizens of South Africa. However, not every applicant gets to see the sign of approval on their request. Read the article above to find out why SASSA declined your application and how to fix the issue.