SASSA Means Test

If you are looking to apply for any SASSA social grant, then you must pass the SASSA means test because it is one of the eligibility criteria. South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) calculates the applicant’s financial status, income, assets, and other financial factors to ensure the grant will be distributed among deserving individuals. If the applicant fails to pass the means test, their social grant application will be rejected.

Each grant has different means test criteria like old age pension, disability grant, and war veteran grant, which are all paid on a sliding scale. It means that the more income you have, the smaller the grant amount you will receive.

The calculation of assets and income depends on your marital status. If you are married, your income and assets are calculated collectively with your spouse. However, if you are unmarried or divorced, your financial status solely depends on you.

SASSA updates the means test threshold every year on the 1st of April or the 1st of October. The income and asset threshold discussed in this article is updated from 1st October 2023. In this article, we will discuss each grant income and asset threshold and how to calculate the SASSA means test.

Requirements to Pass Means Test for SASSA Grant

To pass the SASSA means test, your income and asset value should be less than the threshold set by SASSA. The means test applies to all grants except foster care grants. The maximum income and asset threshold are discussed in the tables below.

SASSA Social Grants Income Threshold

Your income should be less than the given threshold by SASSA. Every grant has different maximum income thresholds given below in the table:

Grant Type	Threshold for Singles	Thresholds for Married
SRD R350 Grant	R6 24 per month	R6 24 per month
Child Support Grant	R5 100 per month or R61 200 per year	R10 200 Per month or R122 400 per year
Care Dependency Grant	R20 900 per month or R250 800 per year	R41 800 per month or R501 600 per year
Disability Grant	R8 110 per month or R97 320 per year	R16 220 per month or R194 640 per year
War Veterans Grant	R8 110 per month or R97 320 per year	R16 220 per month or R194 640 per year
Older Persons Grant	R8 110 per month or R97 320 per year	R16 220 per month or R194 640 per year
Grant-in-Aid Grant	R8 110 per month or R97 320 per year	R16 220 per month or R194 640 per year
Foster Child Grant	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

Income Threshold for SASSA Means Test

SASSA Social Grants Assets Threshold

The assets threshold is only applicable to old age, disability, grant-in-aid, and war veterans grants. Below are the maximum asset limit thresholds for the SASSA grants:

Grant Type	Threshold for Singles	Thresholds for Married
War Veterans Grant	R1 379 400	R2 758 800
Disability Grant	R1 379 400	R2 758 800
Older Persons Grant	R1 379 400	R2 758 800
Grant-in-Aid	R1 379 400	R2 758 800

Assets Threshold for SASSA Means Test

What is Income According to the SASSA Means Test?

SASSA considers the following as income during the means test:

Receiving money from a private pension grant.
Generating income from business or agricultural work.
Receiving financial help from friends or relatives.
Receiving rental income from the property you own.
Child support payments from an ex-spouse for the maintenance of your child.
Receiving salary from work or wages or any pensions.
Payments received from other sources like UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund), RAF (Road Accident Fund), or COIDA (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Fund)

What are Assets According to the Means Test?

SASSA considers the following as your assets during the means test:

If you have money in your or your spouse’s bank account.
The worth of the property or land you and/or your spouse own, except the house in which you are living. If the property or land has an outstanding bond then its value will be considered zero.
The value of the shares or other types of investments you or your spouse own.
If you retire with funds from a retirement account, your annuity will be considered an asset for the means test.
If you have any outstanding debt, such as bonds or loans.

SASSA Means Test Calculator

While calculating your income for the SASSA means test, just subtract the following expenses from your income:

UIF Payments
Medical aid expenses
Income Tax (if you are paying)
Retirement plans such as retirement annuity or pension fund

SASSA Grant Payment Amount 2024

SASSA increases the grant payments effective as of April 1st, 2024 for all social grants except Grant-in-Aid. The increased payments for all SASSA social grants are given below in the table:

Social Grant Type	Grant Amount
Social Relief of Distress Grant	R370/month
Child Support Grant	R530/month + R250/month Top-Up
Care Dependency Grant	R2180/month
Disability Grant	R2180/month
War Veterans Grant	R2200/month
Older Persons Grant (Age 60 to 74)	R2180/month
Older Persons Grant (Age 75+)	R2200/month
Grant-in-Aid	R500/month
Foster Child Grant	R1180/month

Social Grant Amounts

SASSA Means Test FAQs

SASSA means test is the eligibility criteria in which the applicant’s income and assets are evaluated and decide if the applicant qualifies for the social grant. The income and asset value must be less than the threshold set by the SASSA.

All social grant applicants need to pass the SASSA means test except the Foster care grant applicants.

SASSA means test is required to distribute social grants to genuinely needy people who are facing financial difficulties and need support.

If you are applying for the older persons grant then your income should be less than R97 320/year if you are single and R194 640/year if you are married. Your asset value must be less than R1 379 400 if you are single and R2 758 800 if you are married.

Means Test Conclusion

SASSA means test is important to identify needy people who are facing financial difficulties and need immediate support for themself. The Means test evaluates the income and assets of the applicants to validate their eligibility. Each social grant has different mean test criteria that are important to pass to qualify for a SASSA social grant. If the applicant is single then the means test is evaluated solely of the applicant and if he/she is married then it is calculated both of the applicant and their spouse.

SASSA Means Test – SASSA Income and Asset Threshold

SASSA Means Test