The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant pays R370 a month to South Africans aged 18 to 59 who have no other income above R624. SASSA re-checks every applicant every month against government and bank records, so a decline in one month does not block the next. It has been extended to 31 March 2027. Applying, checking your status and appealing are free and online only.
It is a monthly payment of R370 for adults who are unemployed and have no means of support. It began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been extended several times; the 2026 Budget funded it to 31 March 2027. The amount has stayed at R370 for a third year even though other SASSA grants rose from 1 April 2026. Claims of an increase to R400 or R700, or of the grant ending early, are false unless SASSA or the Department of Social Development announces them.
You must meet all of these in the month being assessed:
The R624 figure comes from the SRD regulations. Some sites quote R628; that is wrong. Money arriving in your bank account of R624 or more in a month triggers the "alternative income source identified" decline for that month only.
SASSA does not decide once. Every month it runs your ID and details against the Department of Home Affairs, SARS, UIF, NSFAS, your bank, and credit-bureau records. The result for that month is what your status shows. This is why the same person can be approved in one month and declined in the next, and why a decline is never permanent — it only applies to the month it names.
Each month stands alone
A declined month does not stop the next month from being approved, and it does not need a new application. It does need its own appeal if you disagree with it.
| Status | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | That month passed every check. A payment date appears once a batch is scheduled. | Wait for the date; check your bank is verified. |
| Pending | Checks for that month have not finished. | Wait. Do not reapply. |
| Declined | That month failed a check. The reason is shown. | Read the reason; appeal within 90 days if it is wrong. |
| Referred | Flagged for extra verification, often identity or fraud checks. | Complete any SMS verification link; contact SASSA if nothing arrives. |
| Bank details pending | Approved, but your bank account is still being verified. | Check your details on the portal are correct and in your own name. |
| Cancelled or suspended | The application was stopped, by you or by SASSA. | Use the reinstate option on the portal if it was not you. |
| Failed | A technical or data error, not a decision. | Re-check your details; try another check method. |
| No record found | The ID and phone number do not match an application. | Use exactly the number you applied with. |
Every status and every decline reason has its own guide — see how to check your SRD status and what each result means.
There is no single payday. SASSA releases payments in batches during the last part of each month, and your date is assigned individually. It only becomes certain when your month shows "Approved" with a date beside it. An approved month with no date usually means bank verification or a batch is still pending. Money can take a few working days to reflect after release, depending on your bank.
You have 90 days from the decline to lodge a request for reconsideration on the official appeals page, under the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004. Some sites say 30 days; that is wrong. Each declined month is appealed separately. SASSA's reconsideration can take up to 90 working days. If it is refused, the final administrative step is an appeal to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA).
Nothing about the SRD grant costs money
Applying, checking, updating details and appealing are all free on SASSA's channels. Anyone asking for a fee, your PIN, your banking login or the SMS code SASSA sent you is a scammer. Use only https://srd.sassa.gov.za, WhatsApp 082 601 0111, or the toll-free line 0800 60 10 11.
Published guides are linked. Others are listed as text until they are complete — see what we cover.
Sources: SRD regulations under the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004; srd.sassa.gov.za; sassa.gov.za; 2026 Budget. Figures last verified August 2026.
Reviewed by Secure The Grant editorial team against official SASSA sources on . How we check our facts