If you have applied for the SASSA SRD R370 provision, you can check your application on the official portal or ask SASSA for assistance. This guide explains status messages, eligibility checks, payments and appeals. Use the current official instructions for your application route; network or data charges may apply to some contact methods.
Quick Facts: SASSA SRD R370 Grant
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Grant amount | R370 per month |
| Official status portal | srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status |
| 082 046 8553 | |
| USSD availability | Confirm the current service with SASSA |
| Call centre | 0800 60 10 11 |
| Income limit (means test) | R624 monthly means-test threshold; confirm current rules |
| Age | 18 to 59 years |
| Current funding | Extended to 31 March 2027 |
Read Also: SASSA Payment Dates 2026: Full Schedule for All Grants
What is the SASSA R370 grant?
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant was introduced in May 2020 as a temporary R350 monthly payment during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was increased to R370 per month in April 2024, and that is the figure that still applies in 2026.
The amount has not gone up since then. In the February 2026 Budget, the grant was kept at R370 and extended until 31 March 2027 through an additional allocation, even as the older age, disability, and child support grants received increases from 1 April 2026.
SRD remains temporary assistance for eligible adults with insufficient means who meet the applicable conditions. Monthly verification means an application’s status can differ between months.
How to track your SASSA application status
The official SRD portal is the primary self-service route. Government also publishes SASSA telephone and WhatsApp contact channels for enquiries. Use the identity and contact information requested for your application type; asylum-seeker and special-permit routes may differ.
1. Check on the SASSA website
Go to the official portal: https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status
Enter your ID number and the cellphone number used for the application, following the portal’s prompts. If the site is unavailable, try again later or contact SASSA; no particular time of day guarantees faster access.
2. Check on WhatsApp
Government contact guidance lists 082 046 8553 for SRD WhatsApp enquiries. Follow the current menu and verification prompts. A published contact number does not guarantee that every account task or payment date is available in the chat.
SASSA’s 2026 booklet separately lists 082 054 0016 as its general WhatsApp chatbot. Check the purpose and current official listing of a number before providing personal information.
3. Confirm USSD availability (no data needed)
USSD availability and codes can change. Confirm the current code directly with SASSA before using one circulating online; the 2026 SASSA booklet directs SRD applicants to the online portal. If you cannot get online, call 0800 60 10 11 for assistance.
4. Call the call centre
Call SASSA’s published toll-free line on 0800 60 10 11 during its service hours. Have the application details ready for identity verification and explain the issue shown on your status page.
What your status result means
When you check, you will usually see one of the following:
- Approved: The application for that month has passed the relevant assessment. Approval alone does not confirm that funds have reached your account; check the payment information.
- Pending: A decision or verification step is outstanding. Check for any information or identity-verification request rather than assuming that no action is needed.
- Declined: You failed at least one check. The reason will be listed next to the result.
- Referred: SASSA may require additional identity or fraud-related verification. Its 2026 booklet directs referred applicants to request the secure eKYC link through the official SRD portal.
- Reapplication required: Follow the specific instruction shown on your application. Do not submit a new application every month unless SASSA directs you to do so.
- No record found: The ID or phone number does not match any application on file. Double-check your details.
How to apply for the SRD R370 grant
Applying is free. Complete the information and consent steps requested by the official portal and any required identity verification. SASSA’s 2026 booklet says new applicants must complete facial biometric authentication before approval; follow requests for further information rather than assuming documents or verification are never needed.
You will need to provide:
- Your full name and surname as shown on your ID
- Your ID number or Home Affairs permit number
- Your gender and disability status
- Your contact details and residential address
- Your own banking or payment details as required by the current portal; contact SASSA if you do not have an eligible account.
Use the official digital application route and contact SASSA if you need help:
- Website: Go to https://srd.sassa.gov.za, choose your residency type (South African citizen, permanent resident, refugee, asylum seeker, or special permit holder), enter your ID and cellphone number, verify the OTP, agree to the terms, and complete your details.
- WhatsApp assistance: The published SRD number is 082 046 8553. Follow its current service options; use the official portal if a new-application option is not available.
- Other access assistance: Confirm any current USSD application service with SASSA before using it; do not assume a historic code remains active.
Who qualifies for the SRD grant?
To be approved for the R370 SRD grant in 2026, you must:
- Be a South African citizen, permanent resident, recognised refugee, qualifying special-permit holder, or asylum seeker with a valid Section 22 permit or visa, and be recorded on the Home Affairs database.
- Be living within South Africa
- Be between 18 and 59 years old
- Have insufficient means under the applicable SRD assessment rules; it is not accurate to describe the means test simply as a requirement to have absolutely no money.
- Not receive another social grant for yourself, and not be maintained in a state-funded institution.
- Not receive UIF benefits, and not qualify to receive them
- Not receive an NSFAS bursary or stipend
- Meet the applicable monthly means test, for which SASSA has published a R624 threshold; check the current eligibility rules and your decision reason.
Eligibility is checked every month, so being declined one month does not mean you are barred for good. If your circumstances change, you may qualify again the following cycle.
How the means test works
SASSA verifies financial and identity information against relevant records. A R624 monthly means-test threshold has been published for SRD, but the assessment and treatment of funds depend on the applicable rules. The threshold is not a permanent-grant income limit.
A bank credit or data mismatch may lead to an adverse assessment, but do not assume that every gift, loan, refund or movement between accounts is automatically employment income. Read the actual decline reason and use the official appeal process if the decision is wrong.
SASSA SRD payment dates and methods
SRD payments are processed separately from the permanent-grant calendar. There is no single fixed date for every recipient; consult SASSA’s current payment notice and the payment information for your own approved month rather than assuming every payment occurs after the 24th.
Use the payment method confirmed on your application:
- Bank deposit: Paid directly into a bank account in your own name.
- Other payment methods: Use only the options currently offered to you by SASSA. Confirm availability and collection instructions before relying on a historic CashSend or retailer arrangement.
Check the payment information on your application and the balance or confirmation from your payment provider before travelling to collect funds. If an approved month remains unpaid, ask SASSA or your bank to investigate.
Note: the South African Post Office is no longer used to pay SRD grants. For the permanent grants, the Postbank Black Card has replaced the old SASSA Gold Card, with a card-swap deadline of 31 August 2026.
How to change your banking or contact details
If your payment method or phone number changes, update it carefully so your grant is not delayed or paid to the wrong place:
- Go to the official site: https://srd.sassa.gov.za/
- For banking details, follow the secure link and instructions. The account must be in your own name. SASSA cannot pay your grant into someone else’s account or into a cellphone number registered to another person.
- A cellphone-number change requires identity verification. SASSA’s 2026 booklet specifies facial biometric authentication for this change; follow the secure link requested through the official SRD portal.
Only update details that have actually changed. Unnecessary updates can pause your payment while SASSA re-verifies you.
How to appeal a declined application
If you disagree with a declined SRD decision, lodge an appeal to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals within 90 days of the decision. Do not confuse this with the older two-stage reconsideration process.
- Use the DSD SRD appeals service linked by SASSA at https://srd.dsd.gov.za/, and follow its current identity-verification instructions. Contact SASSA if the official service is unavailable.
- Select the month you are appealing. You must appeal each declined month separately.
- Complete the appeal using the options and information permitted by the official platform. Do not assume it allows new bank statements or evidence that was absent from the original application.
The SRD appeal is considered by the Independent Tribunal. Keep track of each appealed month and your current application status; a pending appeal does not mean you must submit a new SRD application every month.
Watch out for scams
SASSA will not ask you to disclose your banking PIN, and applying or appealing does not require paying an “unlock” fee. Use the official SRD portal, published SASSA contact channels and secure verification prompts. Never give a password or OTP to someone claiming they can approve or speed up a grant.
Read Also: NSFAS Funding: Everything You Need to Know to Apply
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information. Grant amounts, dates, and rules can change. Always confirm the latest details on the official SASSA website or at your nearest SASSA office.
