SASSA Means Test 2026

About the SASSA Means Test 2026

Before you can receive a social grant from SASSA, one of the checks your application will go through is a means test.

SASSA uses the means test to determine whether applicants genuinely need financial assistance. The agency may verify your income, bank transactions, employment status, investments, and other financial support before approving a grant.

Some important things to note are:

• Income can mean your salary, UIF, rental income, business income, pension, etc.
• Assets can mean property, savings, investments, vehicles, etc.For unmarried applicants, the means test is dependent on the only candidate’s income and assets.
• For married applicants, the means test is dependent on the candidate’s and their spouses income and assets.
• It does not make a difference if the candidate is married in the community of property or out of the community of property.
• Grants for Older Persons (pensioners), Disabled Candidates, and War Veterans are paid on a sliding scale. This means that the more private income you receive, the smaller your government grant will be.

What is the SASSA Asset and Income thresholds for 2026?

Below is a list of the Asset and Income threshold, as of 1 April 2026. It is important to note that these values are subject to change (usually on 1 April and 1 October each year, based on government adjustments and budget announcements):

Income Threshold for 2026

Grant Type	Single Applicant	Married Applicant
Older Persons Grant (from 60 years and older)	R9,350 per month / R112,200 per year	R18,700 per month / R224,400 per year
Disability Grant	R9,350 per month / R112,200 per year	R18,700 per month / R224,400 per year
War Veterans Grant	R9,350 per month / R112,200 per year	R18,700 per month / R224,400 per year
Care Dependency Grant	R24,000 per month / R288,000 per year	R48,000 per month / R576,000 per year
Child Support Grant	R5,800 per month / R69,6 000 per year	R11,600 per month / R139,200 per year
Foster Child Grant	No means test	No means test
Grant-In-Aid	No means test	No means test
SRD Grant	Maximum R624 per month	Maximum R624 per month

Asset Threshold for 2026

Grant Type	Single Applicant	Married Applicant
Older Persons Grant	R1,584,000 total assets	R3,168,000 combined assets
Disability Grant	R1,584,000 total assets	R3,168,000 combined assets
War Veterans Grant	R1,584,000 total assets	R3,168,000 combined assets
Care Dependency Grant	Not applicable	Not applicable
Child Support Grant	Not applicable	Not applicable
Foster Child Grant	No means test	No means test
Grant-In-Aid	No means test	No means test

What does SASSA consider an “income” for the means test?

Income is money that you receive that aids you in making a living. It does not necessarily only come from working a job, but also:

• Renting out a room in your home for an amount
• Leasing out a property you own
• Financial support from relatives
• Getting money from a private pension fund
• Maintenance received from an ex-spouse for your child
• Farming/ any other business profits
• Compensation from things such as RAF, UIF or COIDA

Should one spouse already receive a grant, that grant must be counted as income when you apply for your SASSA compensation.

Spouses may claim separate grants. If one of the spouses already receives a grant, then that grant amount must NOT be counted as income when the other applies for the SASSA grant.

Should an applicants income and assets be higher than the threshold set by the South African Government, they will unfortunately not qualify for the grant.

What does SASSA consider an “asset” for the means test?

Assets may be:

• The value of the house/ land that you and/ or your spouse own (should the property have a bond registered over it, it will be registered as having a nil value)
• Bonds/ loans on other outstanding debt
• Any cash in your bank account
• Any cash in any account with a bank or building society

It is important to note that if you own a home but live in it, it will NOT be counted as an asset.

What expenses are deduced when calculating income for the SASSA means test?

When calculating your income for the means test, you are allowed to deduct the following amounts:

• Contributions made to a pension fund/ retirement annuity
• Any income tax that you pay
• Medical aid payments
• UIF payments

Why did I fail the SASSA means test?

Some common reasons your application may have failed the means test include:

• your income is too high
• your spouses income is too high
• you have undeclared income
• your banking verification mismatched
• you are receiving other government support
• you submitted incorrect information

How much is a SASSA grant?

Below is a list of the SASSA grant payout amounts, as of 1 April 2026. It is important to note that these values are subject to change (usually on 1 April and 1 October each year):

• Old Age grant (below 75 years old): R2 400 per month
• Old Age grant (above 75 years old): R2 420 per month
• War Veterans grant: R2 420 per month
• Disability grant: R2 400 per month
• Care Dependency grant: R2 400 per month
• Foster Child grant: R1 290 per month
• Child Support grant: R580 per month (and top-up of R250)
• Grant Aid: R580 per month
• Covid-19 SRD Grant: R370 per month

How much is a SASSA grant?

SASSA pays grant holders once a month, on a predetermined schedule. Find the grant payment dates for 2026 and 2027 here.