SASSA Grants South Africa – Guides, Payments & Status Checks
Everything you need to know about SASSA social grants including eligibility, application steps, payment dates, means test rules, and status checks.
(Last updated: 21 May 2026).
WHAT IS A SASSA GRANT?
A social grant is an amount of money paid to a citizen in financial need, by the government of South Africa. The grant is awarded each month, for a fixed period or extended period of time.
TYPES OF SASSA GRANTS
SRD Grant
- The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant is for residents in South Africa, between 18 and 59 years old, who do not have sufficient means to support themselves.
- Applicants must not be receiving financial support from any other source, must not be receiving any other social grants and not contributing towards/ eligible for UIF payment.
Child Support Grant
- For a primary caregiver of a child under the age of 18 (the primary care giver can be a parent, grandparent or anyone over 16 years old that is the main person responsible for caring for the child).
- The grant is for residents of lower-income households, who need financial assistance to help take care of a child or children.
Care Dependency Grant
- For parents, foster parents, or primary caregiver of a child under the age of 18, who requires full-time care due to a mental or physical permanent disability.
- The child must be receiving permanent home care and not be receiving care at a state-funded institution.
Disability Grant
- For residents in South Africa with a temporary or permanent, severe disability, making them unable to work for a period of 6 or more months
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 to 59 years old.
Foster Child Grant
- For foster parent (by a valid court order) of a child under the age of 18.
- The foster parents must be in need of financial assistance to help take care of a foster child or children.
Older Persons Grant
- For residents over 60 years of age, not receiving any other social grants.
- Applicants must not be receiving care in a State Institution and must pass the means test.
Grant–In-Aid
- For current social grant recipients who are unable to care for themselves, in order for them to pay someone to take care of them full-time.
War Veterans Grant
- For people residing in South Africa, who have served in the Second World War or the Korean War, and are over the age of 60 or disabled.
WHAT IS A MEANS TEST?
Grants are usually for people who are unable to provide for themselves and thus applicants may be required to pass a “means test” to apply.
A means test assesses the applicants income and assets in order to determine whether they qualify for a social grant.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SASSA GRANTS
Candidates can apply for SASSA Grant in either of 2 ways: in person at a SASSA office or online via the SASSA services website.
If you have internet access, applying online is much quicker than waiting in a long queue at a SASSA branch to apply.
However, if you need assistance with applying, it is best to visit a SASSA office near you where they will assist you in person.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR SASSA GRANT STATUS
If you have applied for one of the SASSA social grants and have not received any feedback yet, you may want to check on the status of your grant.
WHEN ARE SASSA GRANTS PAID
SASSA usually pays grants recipients on the first week of each month. SASSA pays the Older Persons Grant first, followed by the Disability Grant and then other grant types (Child Support Grant, Foster Child Grant, Care Dependency Grant, War Veterans Grant).
SASSA does not pay the SRD grant on the same day each month – payment date depends on when SASSA approves applications and differs each month.
HOW ARE SASSA GRANTS PAID
SASSA pays SRD grants in any of these 2 methods, depending on the recipients preference:
- into the recipients personal bank account
- collected at specific retail outlets (Pick n Pay, Boxer, Checkers, Shoprite, USave, OK Food markets)
CONTACT SASSA
For any further queries, please contact SASSA directly:
Contact the SASSA Toll Free Call centre on: 0800 60 10 11
Contact the SASSA Head Office on: 012 400 2322
Email SASSA Head Office at: Grantsenquiries@sassa.gov.za
Contact details of SASSA offices across the country: SASSA contact details
article source: SASSA official website
written by: Thabo Maseko