EXPLAINER: What are indigent benefits for old age pensioners in South Africa?
Did you know many major South African metros offer indigent benefits for old age pensioners to help reduce their bills? Here’s more …
Not known by many, there are in fact indigent benefits for old age pensioners that could help ease their financial burden.
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The Oxford dictionary defines ‘indigent’ as ‘needy or poor’.
However, we want to understand how the term refers to indigent benefits for old age pensioners in South Africa.
INDIGENT BENEFITS FOR OLD AGE PENSIONERS
The City of Cape Town has published a call to action to anyone needing indigent benefits for old age pensioners in the city.
Specifically, it says it can assist with financial support to pay municipal rates, service charges and City housing rental payments.
Best of all, these indigent benefits for old age pensioners still apply even if you receive a South African Social Security Agency Older Persons grants.
They also apply if you receive a monthly pension fund payout of less the R22 000.
WHAT YOU GET IN THE WAY OF BENEFITS
Assuming you meet the city’s credit and debt control policy, you could benefit from the following:
- Up to 100% rebate (refund) on your property rate.
- Free refuse collection
- 15 000 litres of free water per month
- 10 500 litres of free sewage services per month.
- Likewise, if you’re struggling to make your monthly rental payments to the City, the benefits could help you cover part of those costs.
HOW DO YOU QUALIFY?
To qualify for indigent benefits for old age pensioners you must:
- Be a homeowner.
- Earn less than R7 500 per month.
- Own only one property.
- Be the full-time occupant of that home.
- The home must be used for residential purposes.
- You also qualify if you are a child who lives in the home of a parent who has passed away.
- Likewise, if you received the house in a divorce settlement.
More details, forms and how to apply can be found at the links below: