The SASSA Means Test, and What Your Dates Mean
The means test is a financial check of your income and assets against a set limit. If you are married, your spouse's income and assets count too. It applies to every social grant except the Foster Child Grant, and for three grants it decides not just whether you are paid but how much.
What is the means test?
The means test is a financial assessment used to decide whether you qualify for a grant, by checking your income and assets against set thresholds. It looks at how much money and how many assets you and your spouse have between you.
- If your income and assets are below the limit, you may qualify.
- If they are above the limit, the application will not be approved.
- If you are married, both your income and your spouse's income are assessed — not yours alone.
The thresholds are not the same for every grant: the criteria vary by the type of grant you are applying for. The purpose is to direct grants to the people who need them, which is why the assessment is repeated at every grant review.
The SRD grant uses its own income test
The SRD grant is assessed against a single monthly income figure rather than the income-and-assets test described here. See SRD eligibility and the R624 means test and what counts as income.
Which grants are means tested?
| Grant | Means tested? | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Older Person's Grant | Yes | Income and assets of applicant and spouse, on a sliding scale |
| Disability Grant | Yes | Income and assets of applicant and spouse, on a sliding scale |
| War Veteran's Grant | Yes | Income and assets of applicant and spouse, on a sliding scale |
| Child Support Grant | Yes | Income of applicant and spouse |
| Child Support Grant Top-Up | Yes | Income and assets; the same outcome as the standard Child Support Grant |
| Care Dependency Grant | Yes | Income of applicant and spouse. Foster parents applying for a fostered child are excluded |
| Grant-in-Aid | Through the main grant | Paid on top of an existing Older Person's, Disability or War Veteran's Grant |
| Foster Child Grant | No | The only grant not means tested — foster parents' income is not considered |
What is the sliding scale?
For the Older Person's Grant, War Veteran's Grant and Disability Grant, the means test does not only decide whether you are paid — it decides how much. These grants are paid on a sliding scale: the higher your private income, the lower the amount of government support you receive. Someone with no other income receives the maximum; someone with income closer to the threshold receives less.
For the child grants the assessment is pass-or-fail against the threshold rather than a scale.
Which deductions does SASSA allow?
When SASSA works out your income, only these deductions may be subtracted, and only with acceptable proof:
- Tax deductions.
- Pension or retirement fund contributions.
- Medical aid contributions.
- UIF contributions.
Anything else you pay out each month — rent, transport, school fees, debt — is not deducted before the test is applied. Keep the proof for the four above with your application documents.
What counts as your date of application?
- Permanent grants
- The day on which all required documents are submitted and verified by a SASSA official as meeting the criteria. An incomplete file does not set the date — which is why a missing document costs you more than a delay.
- SRD grant
- The day a complete online application is successfully submitted through the designated digital platform.
Applying is also giving consent
Submitting a social grant application is full consent for SASSA to verify everything you provided — personal details, income, bank accounts and any other data needed to decide eligibility and to keep paying the grant correctly.
What is the date of award?
The date of award is the effective date from which an approved grant is paid. In most cases it is the same as your date of application, provided the application was complete and met all the requirements when you submitted it.
The Foster Child Grant is the exception: its date of award follows the court placement date — the day the child was officially placed in your care by court order.
The award date is when the grant starts counting, not when the money lands. If the wait between the two is leaving you short, see help while an approved grant is still being processed.
What happens if my application is refused?
If your application is unsuccessful, SASSA gives you a written notification setting out the reasons for the decision. You can then appeal — see appealing a grant decision.
Where SASSA cannot give you an outcome on the day you apply, following it up is your responsibility. Three ways to do that:
- Visit a SASSA local office.
- Call the contact centre on 0800 60 10 11, Monday to Friday, 08:00–16:00.
- Email [email protected] to confirm the status of the application.
For the SRD grant, check the status yourself on the SRD portal or on WhatsApp 082 601 0111 instead — see how to check your SRD status.
Common questions
Does my spouse's income really count if the grant is for me?
Yes. If you are married, the means test assesses your income and assets together with your spouse's. Only the Foster Child Grant ignores household income entirely.
Which grant is not means tested?
The Foster Child Grant. The income of foster parents is not considered when eligibility is assessed. Every other social grant is means tested.
Why is my grant less than someone else's?
The Older Person's, War Veteran's and Disability grants are paid on a sliding scale. The more private income you have, the smaller the top-up from government, so two people on the same grant can be paid different amounts.
Can I deduct my rent or transport costs from my income?
No. Only tax, pension or retirement fund contributions, medical aid contributions and UIF contributions may be deducted, and only with acceptable proof.
Will my grant be backdated to the day I applied?
Usually yes — the date of award is normally the date of application, provided your application was complete on that day. For the Foster Child Grant it follows the court placement date instead.
Sources: SASSA means test, date of application and date of award guidance; Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004 and its regulations. Last verified September 2026.
Reviewed by Secure The Grant editorial team against official SASSA sources on . How we check our facts