The Programme will benefit households and individuals residing in informal settlements and the following individuals will qualify for assistance under this Programme:

• Households that comply with the Housing Subsidy Scheme qualification criteria
• Households/persons with a monthly income exceeding the maximum income limit as approved by the Minister from time to time;
• Households headed by minors, who are not competent to contract in collaboration with the Department of Social Development;
• Persons without dependants;
• Persons who are not first-time home owners;
• Persons who have previously received housing assistance and who previously owned and/or currently own a residential property. Assistance may be considered on condition that access to the benefits of the programme will be considered on a case by case basis to determine the facts and the approval of access in accordance with the provisions of the Implementation Guidelines of the programme; and
• Persons classified as aged: Aged persons who are single without financial dependants may also apply for subsidisation. Aged persons can be classified as male and female persons who have attained the minimum age set to qualify for Government’s old age social grant.

Searches against property registers, the Population Register of the Department of Home Affairs and the National Housing Subsidy Data Base will be required for beneficiaries to gain access to the programme.

Housing Subsidy Scheme qualification criteria:

• A South African citizen
• Over 21 and mentally competent to sign a contract
• Married or living with a partner, or single and have dependants (single military veterans or aged people without dependents also qualify)
• Earn less than R3,500 per month per household (so if two people in your family earn and these earnings amount to more than R3,500 per month you will not qualify)
• A first time government subsidy recipient
• A first time home owner

Undocumented foreign nationals can not benefit for UISP. The following categories of lawful foreign national households can be considered for beneficiation in informal settlements:

• Foreign nationals with permanent residency permits/visas
• Foreign nationals with legal work permits/visas
• Foreign nationals granted political asylum or refugee status
• Foreign nationals as visitors to the RSA with a permit that must be renewed on a monthly basis

An individual person cannot apply for UISP.  Municipalities identify informal settlements in their area that need upgrades and then apply to their provincial department’s MEC for funding. After funding has been set aside, the community will be invited to become involved in the project and to determine the needs of the community.