Most grants use a means test. This means SASSA checks how much money and property (assets) you have before deciding if you qualify, and how much to pay you. Only the Foster Child Grant and the Grant-in-Aid have no means test.
| Grant | Single: income limit | Married: income limit (combined) | Single: asset limit | Married: asset limit (combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older Persons / Disability / War Veterans | R9,350 / month | R18,700 / month | R1,584,000 | R3,168,000 |
| Care Dependency | R24,000 / month | R48,000 / month | Not checked | Not checked |
| Child Support | R5,800 / month | R11,600 / month | Not checked | Not checked |
| SRD R370 | R624 / month | Not applicable | Not checked | Not checked |
What counts as "income"?
Income includes: your salary, a private pension, rental income, business profits, maintenance money from an ex-spouse, farming profits, and regular money given to you by relatives.
What counts as an "asset"?
Assets include: cash in your bank account, shares, investments, and the value of any property you own.
- The home you actually live in is never counted as an asset.
- If you still owe money on a property (it has a bond), it is counted as worth nothing.
- If you already have income tax, UIF, medical aid, or pension deducted, those amounts are subtracted before your income is checked.
What if I am married?
SASSA looks at your and your spouse's income and assets together — it does not matter how your marriage was registered. If your spouse already receives their own grant, that grant money is not counted as part of your income.
The "sliding scale"
For the Older Persons, Disability, and War Veterans grants, the payout is not always the full amount. If you have a small private income (for example, a small pension), SASSA pays you a smaller top-up grant instead of rejecting you outright. The more private income you have, the smaller your government grant. Only people with little or no private income get the full amount.