By Dylan Bettencourt
- The Child Support Grant is R560 a month, while basic nutritious food for a child now costs about R937.
- Families are left nearly R380 short per child each month, forcing cuts to food quality and nutrition.
The Child Support Grant is no longer enough to cover the cost of feeding a child, according to the latest Household Affordability Index.
In December 2025, the grant stood at R560 a month. Over the same period, the average cost of providing a child with a basic nutritious diet was R937. This leaves families nearly R380 short for every child, every month.
The data shows the grant is 28% below South Africa’s food poverty line and 40% below the real cost of proper nutrition for a child. While food needs increase as children grow older, the grant amount stays the same.
As a result, families are forced to cut back on food quality and quantity. Protein-rich foods, fruit and vegetables are often reduced or removed to stretch meals across the month.
The report links these food shortfalls directly to ongoing child hunger and high levels of stunting among young children. Even households receiving social support are struggling to provide enough nutritious food.
Pictured above: A baby being fed.
Image source: Pexels
