Funeral Policy Deductions from Social Grants

What the rules say about permitted funeral-policy deductions and how to respond to an unauthorised deduction.

Information reviewed 20 September 2026

Deductions Are Restricted

The social-assistance regulations permit only limited funeral-policy deductions under specified conditions. The deduction may not exceed 10% of the grant value and requires beneficiary consent.

Some Grants Are Excluded

The regulations exclude Foster Child, Care Dependency, Child Support and temporary grants from this deduction mechanism.

SASSA Does Not Sell the Policy

The policy is a private insurance product. SASSA has warned that it does not offer funeral cover or loans.

Dispute Unauthorised Deductions

If you did not consent to a deduction, keep statements and policy information and use the appropriate SASSA, bank, insurer or financial-ombud complaint process depending on how the deduction was made.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can be deducted for a permitted funeral policy?

The regulations set a limit of no more than 10% of the grant value.

Can a funeral deduction be taken from a Child Support Grant?

The regulations exclude Child Support Grants from this deduction mechanism.

Is the funeral policy provided by SASSA?

No. SASSA has said it does not offer funeral cover.