A guide to social pensions

Item

Title

A guide to social pensions

Description

In the Republic of South Africa (and in South West Africa) social pensions are non-contributory and are paid out of state revenue, the funds for the purpose being voted annually by Parliament. With minor exceptions, the pensions are granted subject to a means test: that is, income levels are laid down which fix the maximum allowable income including pension. If the total income exceeds this amount an applicant will not be awarded a pension. When these totals are being calculated a certain sum is permitted, called 'free income', which does not affect the amount of pension that may be granted. (This 'free income' might be made up of earnings, or interest from investments, or profits from agriculture, etc.)These different figures vary according to the kinds of pension and to the population group. They are revised from time to time. Changes are announced by the Minister of Finance in his budget speech to Parliament and usually become effective some months later when details have been worked out by the departments dealing with the respective population groups. Because the conditions under which pensions are granted are fairly frequently changed, and improved, an application which was not successful one year may well succeed a year or two later. Therefore any applicant whose circumstances may have changed, or who believes that new rules may help his case, is advised to apply again.,Revised Edition

Subject

Pensions -- South Africa

Social security -- South Africa

Older people -- Services for -- South Africa

Identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65412

Date Issued

Mar-76

Creator

Barratt, Inez

Rights

S. A. Institute of Race Relations

Rights Holder

S. A. Institute of Race Relations

Provenance

The item is held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research, Rhodes University, on behalf of the Labour Research Service

Type

text

Extent

38 pages

Format

pdf

Language

English

useGuidelines

The materials are made available explicitly for research and educational purposes. Any use of these materials must be cleared with the Labour Research Service.

Publisher

S. A. Institute of Race Relations

Item sets

General Materials

Media

vital_28785+SOURCE1+SOURCE1.0.pdf