SASSA Grants Guide — June 2026
The SASSA means test is the income and asset assessment that determines whether you qualify for social grants. Different grants have different thresholds — and SASSA cross-checks your details against SARS, UIF, and Home Affairs every month. Understanding the means test helps you know whether you qualify, why you might have been declined, and what evidence to bring when appealing.
Key Takeaways
- Each grant type has different income and asset limits
- SASSA checks your income against SARS records — not just what you declare
- The SRD R370 has the strictest income limit: R624/month
- Assets include savings and property — but not your primary home
- A successful appeal is possible if SARS has incorrect income data for you
The means test is SASSA’s financial eligibility check. It confirms that:
SASSA does not simply accept your declaration — it cross-checks your ID number against:
| Grant | Income Limit (Single) | Income Limit (Married, Combined) | Asset Limit (Single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRD R370 | R624/month | N/A (individual assessment) | No asset test |
| Old Age Grant | R8,070/month (R96,840/year) | R16,140/month (R193,680/year) | R1,227,600 |
| Disability Grant | R8,070/month (R96,840/year) | R16,140/month (R193,680/year) | R1,227,600 |
| Child Support Grant | R4,800/month | R9,600/month (combined) | No asset test |
| Care Dependency Grant | R4,800/month | R9,600/month (combined) | No asset test |
| Foster Child Grant | No income limit | No income limit | No asset test |
SRD R370: The R624/month income limit is the most restrictive of all grants. Even a single month of casual work income recorded by SARS can trigger a decline. There is no asset test for SRD — SASSA only checks income.
Old Age and Disability Grants: These have the most generous income limits — up to R8,070/month for a single person. Many recipients with small private pensions or rental income still qualify. Assets are assessed, but the primary home is excluded.
Child Support Grant: The income limit applies to the caregiver, not the child. A grandmother with no income qualifies; one who earns R6,000/month as a domestic worker also qualifies (below R4,800 is the limit, so this example would not qualify — but an income of R4,000/month would).
Foster Child Grant: No means test — any registered foster parent with a court order qualifies regardless of income.
Not all money counts as income under the means test. SASSA uses specific definitions:
SASSA does not rely only on what you declare. Every month (for SRD) or at application and review periods (for other grants), SASSA runs automated database checks:
SASSA submits your ID number to the South African Revenue Service. SARS returns data on:
Common problem: SARS data is sometimes outdated. A former employer may not have updated records. An old tax assessment may still show income you no longer earn. If SARS incorrectly flags you as having income, SASSA will decline your application — but you can appeal with a SARS letter confirming no current income.
The Department of Employment and Labour shares UIF data with SASSA. If you are currently receiving UIF payments, SASSA treats this as income and will decline your SRD application.
If you believe UIF data is incorrect, request a UIF statement from any labour centre or online at ufiling.labour.gov.za, then use it as evidence for your appeal.
For SRD applicants, SASSA checks whether you are a current NSFAS recipient. NSFAS bursaries and allowances are treated as financial support and disqualify you from the SRD R370.
SASSA checks its own systems for any active grants linked to your ID number. If you already receive any SASSA grant (Old Age, Disability, Child Support, etc.), you cannot also receive the SRD R370.
For the Old Age Grant and Disability Grant, assets above R1,227,600 (single) or R2,455,200 (married combined) will disqualify you.
| Asset Type | Counted? |
|---|---|
| Savings accounts | Yes |
| Investment accounts (unit trusts, shares) | Yes |
| Property (excluding primary home) | Yes |
| Second property or holiday home | Yes |
| Vehicles (more than one per household) | Yes — value of additional vehicles |
| Primary home you live in | No — excluded |
| One primary vehicle | No — one vehicle excluded |
| Pension fund payout not yet received | Generally excluded |
| Household contents and personal items | No |
Key rule: The home you live in is not counted as an asset. This protects pensioners who own their home but have little cash income.
If your SASSA status shows “Declined” and you believe your income is below the threshold, there are several possible causes:
Your former employer may still have you on their payroll records without notifying SARS of your termination. SARS then reflects income against your ID that you are not actually receiving.
Fix: Request a SARS Tax Compliance Status (TCS) certificate or a statement of earnings from SARS. If the income is incorrect, SARS can issue a correction letter. Submit this as evidence with your SASSA appeal.
You may have an open UIF claim you forgot about, or UIF records may incorrectly show you as a current recipient.
Fix: Visit a Department of Labour office or check ufiling.labour.gov.za to confirm your UIF status. If you closed a claim and it still shows active, get a written confirmation from the Labour Department and include it in your SASSA appeal.
SASSA sometimes checks income across a multi-month reference period, not just the current month. If you earned income two months ago, it may still affect your current eligibility assessment.
Fix: Appeal with documentation showing that your income has ended (e.g., letter from former employer, updated UIF statement, or affidavit).
If you were declined due to income or asset findings you believe are incorrect:
If SASSA’s appeal decision is still incorrect, escalate to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA) — a separate body that reviews SASSA’s decisions independently.
Full guide: How to appeal a declined SRD
For the Child Support Grant, the means test is based on the caregiver’s income — not the household’s combined income unless the caregiver is married. A grandmother living with employed adult children qualifies based on her own income alone (not her children’s).
For the Old Age Grant and Disability Grant, married applicants are assessed on their combined household income. If your spouse earns R5,000/month and you earn R3,000/month, your combined income for the means test is R8,000/month — below the R16,140 married limit.
R624 per month. This includes all income from employment, UIF, NSFAS, or other sources. There is no asset test for the SRD R370.
No. The home you live in (your primary residence) is excluded from the asset test for Old Age and Disability Grants. A second property or holiday home does count.
This is a SARS data issue. Your former employer may not have updated their records. Get a SARS earnings statement or TCS certificate showing no current income, and submit it as evidence with your SASSA appeal within 90 days of the decline.
Yes, if the pension income is below R8,070/month. Many pensioners with small private or employer pensions still qualify. The Old Age Grant income limit is relatively generous compared to other grants.
No. The Child Support Grant you receive as a caregiver is not counted as your income when SASSA assesses your eligibility for other grants.
For the SRD R370: every month. For Old Age, Disability, and Child Support grants: at application and at periodic review intervals (typically annually or when circumstances are reported to have changed).
Savings, investments, second properties, and additional vehicles. Your primary home and one vehicle are excluded. Assets above R1,227,600 for a single person will disqualify you.
Related guides:
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