Step-by-Step Guide · 2026
How to apply for the R370 grant online, who qualifies, what to do if declined, and how to check your status. Updated June 2026.
You can apply for the SASSA SRD R370 grant entirely online at srd.sassa.gov.za in about 10 minutes. This guide covers the full process — from checking whether you qualify, to submitting your application, to understanding your status and what to do if you are declined.
You must meet all of the following requirements to qualify:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| South African citizen, permanent resident, or refugee | Valid SA ID required |
| Age | 18–59 years old |
| No other SASSA grant | Cannot receive Old Age, Disability, or Child Support Grant |
| No UIF payments | UIF must not be active for that month |
| No NSFAS funding | Student funding disqualifies you |
| Income below R624/month | From all sources combined |
| Not in a government institution | Prison or registered state care facility |
If you are 60 or older, apply for the Old Age Pension instead — it pays R2,400/month.
SASSA uses a monthly income threshold of R624 to decide if you qualify. Understanding exactly what counts — and what does not — can make the difference between Approved and Declined.
Counts as income (disqualifies)
Does NOT count as income
13-digit South African ID number
Green ID book or Smart ID card
Cellphone number in your name
Used for OTP verification
Bank account in your own name
Capitec, FNB, TymeBank, ABSA, Nedbank, African Bank, Standard Bank, or Postbank
Income declaration
Confirmation you earn below R624/month from all sources
No bank account? Open a free account before applying. Capitec, TymeBank, and African Bank all have zero-fee accounts you can open with just your ID. The application will ask for your account number during sign-up.
Go to srd.sassa.gov.za
Open the website on your phone or computer browser. Look for the "Apply" button. You do not need to download an app — the portal is fully mobile-friendly.
Enter your ID number and phone number
Type your full 13-digit South African ID number. Then enter the cellphone number you want to register. This number will be used for all future OTPs and status checks — use a number you have access to every month.
Verify with OTP
An OTP (one-time PIN) is sent to your phone via SMS. Enter the code on screen. OTPs expire within a few minutes — if yours expires, request a new one. If you do not receive the OTP, check that the number you entered is correct and has airtime or reception.
Fill in personal and income details
Your name and ID details are pre-filled from your ID number. You will need to confirm your residential address and declare your income. Select "Yes" to confirm you earn below R624/month from all sources. If you earn above R624 in a particular month, you will be Declined for that month only.
Enter your banking details
Provide your bank name, branch code, account number, and account type (cheque or savings). The account must be in your own name — SASSA does not pay into accounts registered to other people. Double-check all digits before submitting.
Submit and save your reference number
After submitting, SASSA generates an SRD reference number. Take a screenshot or write it down immediately. This number is used to check your status and for any future queries with SASSA.
Check your status after 7–14 days
Return to srd.sassa.gov.za and enter your ID and phone number to see your application status. SASSA takes 7–14 days to verify your details. You do not need to call SASSA during this waiting period.
SASSA verifies your application against multiple government databases before making a decision. This is why it takes 7–14 days.
Home Affairs
Confirms your ID is valid and you are alive
SARS
Checks your income tax records
UIF (Dept of Labour)
Checks for active UIF claims
NSFAS
Checks for active student funding
PERSAL / Government payroll
Checks for government employment
Other SASSA records
Checks for existing social grants
If all checks pass and your income is below R624/month, your status will change to Approved. Payment is then processed for the current month.
| Timeline | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Application submitted — reference number generated |
| Days 1–14 | Status shows Pending — SASSA is verifying |
| Days 7–14 | Status changes to Approved or Declined |
| After Approval | Payment processed — arrives in bank account within 3–5 working days |
During your application you choose how you want to receive your R370. You can change this later at srd.sassa.gov.za. There are three options:
Option 1: Bank Account Deposit
The most common option. SASSA deposits R370 directly into your bank account on your assigned Pay Day. The account must be in your exact legal name. Accepted banks: Capitec, FNB, ABSA, Nedbank, Standard Bank, TymeBank, African Bank, Postbank.
Option 2: Cash Send to Your Phone Number
SASSA sends a voucher SMS to your registered phone. You collect R370 cash at Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Boxer, or Usave by presenting your ID and the SMS voucher. No bank account or card needed. Your phone number must be RICA-registered in your own name.
Option 3: Postbank / SASSA Card
SASSA issues you a Postbank card. You collect on your Pay Day at Post Office branches or SASSA pay points. Note: The old gold Postbank card must be swapped for the new black card by 31 August 2026 — see the Postbank card swap guide.
| Method | Need | Where to Collect / Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Bank deposit | Bank account in your name | Deposited directly — no collection needed |
| Cash send | RICA-registered phone in your name | Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Boxer, Usave, Checkers |
| Postbank card | SASSA-issued Postbank card | Post Office or SASSA pay point |
To change your payment method after applying, log in at srd.sassa.gov.za and go to Update Banking Details. Changes take 3–7 working days to verify. See the full banking details guide.
Check your status at srd.sassa.gov.za using your ID number and phone number. Here is what each status means:
SASSA has your application and is still verifying your details. This is normal. Check back after the 15th of the month.
You qualify and payment is being processed. The R370 will be deposited within 3–5 working days.
You did not qualify for that specific month. SASSA re-assesses each month automatically. You can also appeal within 90 days.
Your banking details are being verified — takes 3–7 working days. No action needed unless it exceeds 7 days.
Home Affairs could not verify your ID. Visit srd.sassa.gov.za to follow the Verify Identity link, or visit your nearest SASSA office with your original ID.
Your application has been cancelled — either by you, or because SASSA found you no longer qualify. You can reapply if your circumstances have changed.
For a full breakdown of every status, see the SASSA Status Meanings guide.
A Declined status is not permanent. SASSA re-assesses your application automatically every month — if your situation changes (income drops, UIF expires, etc.), your status can switch to Approved in a later month without you doing anything.
| Reason Shown | What It Means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Income exceeds threshold | SARS or UIF data shows income above R624 | Wait — re-assessed monthly |
| Existing grant detected | You receive another SASSA grant | Cannot receive both grants simultaneously |
| Identity failed | Home Affairs could not verify your ID | Verify at srd.sassa.gov.za or SASSA office |
| UIF active | You received UIF in that month | Re-assessed once UIF payments stop |
| NSFAS active | You received student funding | Re-assessed once NSFAS ends |
You have 90 days from a Declined decision to file an appeal. Each declined month has its own 90-day window.
SASSA has 90 days to process the appeal. Most appeals resolve in 4–8 weeks. For the full guide, see How to Appeal an SRD Declined Decision.
Every 12 months, SASSA requires all SRD beneficiaries to reconfirm that they still meet the eligibility criteria. This is different from the monthly re-assessment — reconfirmation is an active step you must take yourself.
| Term | What it means | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly re-assessment | SASSA checks your income and eligibility every month | SASSA does this automatically |
| Annual reconfirmation | You confirm your details are still correct and you still want the grant | You must do this yourself |
| Reapplication | A full new application after cancellation or lapse | You submit a new application |
SASSA sends SMS reminders before your reconfirmation deadline. Keep your registered phone number active and check for SASSA messages. For the full process, see our SRD Reconfirmation Guide.
If your SRD grant was cancelled or lapsed, you can reapply at srd.sassa.gov.za. This is different from a first-time application:
1. Go to srd.sassa.gov.za and click Reapply (not Apply)
2. Enter your existing ID number and registered phone number
3. Verify with OTP
4. Confirm your income and update banking details if needed
5. Submit — SASSA will re-verify from scratch for the current period
Your previous reference number is no longer valid after cancellation. A new number is issued when you reapply. See the full SRD Reapplication Guide.
SASSA strongly encourages online applications, but if you genuinely cannot apply online, you can visit your nearest SASSA office.
To find your nearest office, see the SASSA Office Locations page or call the toll-free helpline on 0800 60 10 11 (Mon–Fri 08:00–16:00).
Most failed applications or long delays are caused by a small set of avoidable errors. Check each one before you submit:
Wrong phone number
The phone number you register becomes your permanent OTP number for status checks, banking changes, and reconfirmation. If you use a borrowed phone or temporary SIM, you will be locked out of your account when that number is unavailable. Always use a number you will have access to every month.
Using a family member's bank account
SASSA verifies the account holder name against your ID. An account in any other name — even a spouse or parent — will fail verification every time. Open a free account with Capitec, TymeBank, or African Bank in your own name before applying.
Wrong account type selected
When entering TymeBank details, always select "Savings" — not "Cheque." For most other banks, select "Cheque" for current accounts. A mismatched account type causes verification failure and delays your first payment by 3–7 working days.
Not saving the reference number
Your SRD reference number is only shown once at submission. If you close the page without saving it, you cannot retrieve it easily. Use this number to track your status and for any SASSA helpline queries. If you lose it, call 0800 60 10 11 with your ID number.
Submitting multiple applications
Applying more than once with the same ID number will not speed up the process — it creates a duplicate that SASSA's system flags, causing your original application to be delayed. If your first application has not resolved after 14 days, call the helpline rather than submitting again.
Applying on a fake website
Fraudulent sites that look identical to srd.sassa.gov.za steal your ID and phone number. Only apply at the exact URL: srd.sassa.gov.za. Never click application links sent by SMS, WhatsApp, or Facebook. Check the URL bar before entering any personal details.
South African citizens, permanent residents aged 18–59, or refugees with valid permits who earn below R624 per month from all sources combined. You must not be receiving any other SASSA grant, UIF payments, NSFAS student funding, or be in a government institution such as prison. Eligibility is re-assessed individually every month — a change in your circumstances can result in Approval or Decline in any given month.
The online application at srd.sassa.gov.za takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Once submitted, SASSA takes 7–14 working days to verify your details against SARS, UIF, Home Affairs, and other government databases. Your status changes from Pending to Approved or Declined during this window. You do not need to call SASSA or visit an office while waiting — check your status online after the 10th of the month.
You need a payment method registered in your own name. You have three options: a bank account (most common), cash send to your RICA-registered phone number, or a Postbank/SASSA card. If you do not yet have a bank account, open a free Capitec or TymeBank account before applying — both take under 15 minutes and require only your ID. TymeBank can be opened at any Pick n Pay or Boxer kiosk without visiting a branch.
Pending means SASSA has received your application but has not yet completed verification. This is completely normal during the first 7–14 days after applying, and also at the start of every new month when SASSA re-verifies all existing beneficiaries. Pending does not mean anything is wrong. Check again after the 15th — that is when most verifications complete. Do not call the helpline or visit a SASSA office while Pending — the status cannot be accelerated.
A Declined status is not permanent. SASSA re-assesses your eligibility fresh every month — if your circumstances change (e.g., UIF payments end, casual income stops), you may be Approved the following month without taking any action. You also have the right to appeal within 90 days of each Declined decision at srd.sassa.gov.za. Appeals are reviewed by the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA) and typically resolve within 4–8 weeks. See the SRD appeal guide for the full process.
Reconfirmation is an annual online step at srd.sassa.gov.za where you confirm that your details are still correct and that you still want the grant. SASSA sends SMS reminders before the deadline. If you miss reconfirmation, your status changes to Lapsed and payments stop — a Lapsed status requires a full reapplication to fix. Reapplication, by contrast, is a completely new application submitted after cancellation or lapse. It generates a new reference number and triggers a fresh verification from scratch.
No — if you personally receive a Child Support Grant in your own name, you cannot also receive the SRD R370. However, if you are a caregiver who receives the Child Support Grant on behalf of a child (meaning the grant is for the child, not for you), SASSA assesses whether you also qualify for the SRD based on your own personal income. In practice, many caregivers do successfully receive both — but this depends on how SASSA categorises the payment on your record.
No. The SRD R370 means test is assessed per individual, not per household. A pension, disability grant, or old age grant received by your parent, partner, or any other household member does not count as your income. You are assessed solely on what you personally earn. If your own income is below R624 per month and you meet all other criteria, another household member's grant does not disqualify you.
You are legally required to report changes in your income to SASSA. Once you begin earning above R624 per month, you no longer qualify and SASSA will Decline you when it next cross-checks against SARS records. Continuing to receive the SRD after becoming employed is considered fraud and can result in a formal demand to repay all payments received while ineligible. If you find temporary or casual work that takes you above R624 in one month but not consistently, SASSA will Decline you for that specific month only and may Approve you again in months where income drops below the threshold.
The SRD grant is R370 per month in 2026. It was increased from R350 to R370 in April 2023 and has not increased since. No increase has been announced for the 2026/27 financial year. The proposed Livelihoods Support Grant (a potential replacement for the SRD) has no confirmed implementation date — the SRD R370 will continue until formal legislation is enacted. For current amounts across all grants, see SASSA grant amounts 2026.
Go to srd.sassa.gov.za and enter your 13-digit ID number and registered phone number in the Status Check section. Your result — Pending, Approved, Declined, or another status — appears within seconds. Check after the 10th of each month; SASSA does not begin processing the new month before then. You can also check via WhatsApp by sending "Hi" to 082 046 8553, or by dialling *120*3210# from your registered SIM. See the full SRD status check guide for all methods.
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