SASSA Means Test is a certain income and assets evaluation procedure launched by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). SASSA is ensuring that the social grants may be provided to the most deserving segments of society. In order to maintain transparency and merit in the whole process, you have to pass this evaluation test and verify yourself to avail the social grant.
What is SASSA Means Test 2026?
Being a South African citizen, you have applied for the social grants from SASSA and are in dire need of some financial relief. Then, you should be well aware of the prerequisites of the system. One of them is the means test. In this specific evaluation test, the SASSA team analyzes the applicant’s current financial status, which includes family income and assets.
Every applicant has to go through a detailed scrutiny process in which applicants have to provide bank statements, property details, investments, and savings, if you have any. This is done just to ensure that deserving people can get the grant. If a family does not meet the certain threshold set by the SASSA, they will not be able to get the grant.
Who Can Apply for Means Test?
The criteria for the Means Test for SASSA Grant to assess the financial status of applicants. If your private income is high, then you have a lower number of chances to pass this test.
Means Test for SASSA Grant
SASSA takes the SASSA Means Test for the following types of grants and has benchmarked their scales.
| Grant Type | Maximum grant value as at 01 April 2026 | Monthly income limit Single | Monthly income limit Married | Annual income limit Single | Annual income limit Married | Assets limit Single | Assets limit Married |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older Person’s Grant | R2 400 | R9 350 | R18 700 | R112 200 | R224 400 | R1 584 000 | R3 168 000 |
| Older Person’s Grant above 75 years of age | R2 420 | R9 350 | R18 700 | R112 200 | R224 400 | R1 584 000 | R3 168 000 |
| War Veteran’s Grant | R2 420 | R9 350 | R18 700 | R112 200 | R224 400 | R1 584 000 | R3 168 000 |
| Disability Grant | R2 400 | R9 350 | R18 700 | R112 200 | R224 400 | R1 584 000 | R3 168 000 |
| Foster Child Grant | R1 290 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Care Dependency Grant | R2 400 | R24 000 | R48 000 | R288 000 | R576 000 | N/A | N/A |
| Child Support Grant | R580 | R5 800 | R11 600 | R69 600 | R139 200 | N/A | N/A |
| Child Support Grant Top-Up | R290 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Grant-In-Aid | R580 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| COVID-19 SRD | R370 | Means to not exceed R624 | |||||
What Actually Includes in Income?
The following cash inflows coming from different sources are considered income in the eyes of SASSA and if such inflows increase the set benchmark of the SASSA, you will not pass the Means Test, hence you will not get the social grants:
- Pension Grant
- Earning from any of the businesses
- Getting aid from relatives or friends regularly
- Income coming from rental properties (house, shops, etc)
- Maintenance grants received in favor of ex-spouse children
- Income earned through a job
- Reimbursement of funds in cases of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Road Accident Fund (RAF) and Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Fund (COIDA).
What Actually is Included in Assets?
The following are counted as assets in the eyes of SASSA; for these, you have to pass the Means Test:
- If you have held money in your own or your spouse’s bank account.
- If you owned property or land. Further, outstanding bond property or land are exempt from assets.
- Your or your spouse’s long-term investments and dividends.
- Annuity after retirement.
- Long-term loans.
Conclusion
The Means Test is a scrutiny process by the SASSA designed to assess the financial status of the applicants in order to maintain transparency and fairness so that the social grants may be transmitted to the most deserving segments of society who are living below the poverty line. In order to get the social grant from SASSA, every applicant must pass this test, which has different criteria for various categories explained above.