If you are waiting for your SASSA money, you are in the right place. You don’t need to waste your airtime calling a helpline that never picks up or spend your last cents on a taxi to a SASSA office. You can have your SASSA Status Check from your phone.
Check Your Personalized Funding Options
This guide explains exactly how to do a SASSA Status Check, what those confusing status meanings actually mean for your pocket, and when you can expect your money in 2026.
How to Check Your SASSA Status Right Now
Don’t overcomplicate it. There are four main ways to check your status. Use the one that is easiest for you.
1. The Official SRD Website (Best for R370)
The fastest way to see if your R370 (previously R350) is approved is the official portal.
- Go to srd.sassa.gov.za.
- Scroll down until you see “Click here to check online.”
- Type in your 13-digit South African ID Number.
- Type in the Phone Number you used when you first applied.
- Hit “Submit.”
2. Using WhatsApp
Most South Africans have WhatsApp, and it’s cheaper than a phone call.
- Save this number: 082 046 8553.
- Send a message saying “Status.”
- Follow the prompts. You will need to provide your ID number.
3. USSD Code (No Data Needed)
If you have no data or a “small phone” (keypad phone), use this:
- Dial *120*3227# or *120*6927#.
- Follow the instructions on the screen.
4. The Moya App
If you use the Moya App for data-free messaging, you can find the SASSA portal under the “Discover” tab. It works just like the website but doesn’t eat your data.
SASSA Payment Dates for 2026
You need to know when the money hits the bank so you can plan for groceries and electricity. Here is the schedule for the 2026 cycle.
January 2026 Confirmed Dates
- Older Persons Grant: Tuesday, 6 January 2026
- Disability Grant: Wednesday, 7 January 2026
- Children’s Grants: Thursday, 8 January 2026
The 2026 Full Calendar
For the rest of the year, mark these days. Note that SRD R370 payments usually happen in the last week of every month.
| Month | Older Persons | Disability | Children’s |
| February 2026 | 3 Feb | 4 Feb | 5 Feb |
| March 2026 | 3 March | 4 March | 5 March |
| April 2026 | 2 April | 3 April | 6 April |
| May 2026 | 6 May | 7 May | 8 May |
| June 2026 | 3 June | 4 June | 5 June |
| July 2026 | 2 July | 3 July | 6 July |
| August 2026 | 5 August | 6 August | 7 August |
| September 2026 | 2 Sept | 3 Sept | 4 Sept |
| October 2026 | 2 Oct | 5 Oct | 6 Oct |
| November 2026 | 4 Nov | 5 Nov | 6 Nov |
| December 2026 | 2 Dec | 3 Dec | 4 Dec |
Important: If you get your money at a retail store like Pick n Pay, Boxer, or Shoprite, remember that you don’t have to go on the first day. Once the money is there, it stays in your account until you withdraw it.
What Does Your Status Actually Mean?
When you check your status, you’ll see a word. If you don’t understand it, you won’t know how to fix the problem.
Approved
Good news. Your ID passed the check and you qualify for that month. If there is a date next to it, that’s when the money goes to your bank. If there is no date, be patient—it is coming.
Pending
This is where most people get stuck. It means SASSA is still talking to the banks and the Department of Home Affairs to see if you have other money coming in. SASSA does this every single month. You just have to wait.
Declined
This means “No.” But usually, it tells you why.
- Alternative Income Source Identified: This is the most common. It means SASSA thinks you have more than R624 in your bank account.
- UIF/NSFAS Registered: They think you are already getting money from the government.
Referred
This is a red flag. SASSA thinks your application might be a scam or someone is using your ID. You will likely need to do Biometric Verification (taking a selfie through a link they send you) to prove you are real.
Bank Details Pending
You are approved, but SASSA doesn’t know where to send the cash. You must upload your banking details.
How to Fix “Identity Verification Failed”
If you see this, your name or ID number is wrong in the SASSA system.
- Check your ID card. Did you swap your first name and surname?
- Did you make a typo in the 13-digit ID number?
- If your details are correct but it still fails, your record at Home Affairs might be old (maybe you got married and changed your name). You will have to visit a SASSA office or Home Affairs to fix this.
How to Change Your Banking Details
Don’t use your boyfriend’s, girlfriend’s, or neighbor’s bank account. SASSA will reject it. The account must be in your name.
- Go to srd.sassa.gov.za.
- Look for the “Change Banking Details” section.
- Put in your ID number.
- You will get an SMS with a link. Click it.
- Choose “Bank Account” and put in your bank name, account number, and branch code.
- Click submit and wait about 7 days for them to verify it.
The SRD Appeal Process: How to Fight Back
If SASSA declined you and you know you have no money, don’t just sit there. Appeal.
- You must appeal every month you are declined.
- Go to srd.sassa.gov.za and click on the “Appeals” tab.
- Enter your ID and phone number.
- Get the PIN from your SMS and enter it.
- Select the month you are fighting for.
- Give them a reason (e.g., “I am unemployed and have no income”).
- Wait. The appeals take 60 to 90 days because they are handled by a different group called the Independent Tribunal.
SASSA Grant Types: How Much You Should Get in 2026
The government increased the amounts. Make sure you are getting the right total.
- Older Persons Grant (60-75 years): R2,320
- Older Persons Grant (Over 75 years): R2,340
- Disability Grant: R2,320
- Child Support Grant: R570 (Plus a R280 top-up if you are eligible, totaling R850).
- Foster Child Grant: R1,260
- Care Dependency Grant: R2,320
- War Veterans Grant: R2,340
- SRD R370 Grant: R370
Why Is My SASSA Money Not In?
If your status says “Approved” but your pocket is empty, here is why:
- Batch Payments: SASSA doesn’t pay everyone at the exact same second. Your friend might get theirs on Monday, and you might get yours on Wednesday.
- Incorrect Banking Details: If you changed banks and didn’t tell SASSA, they sent the money to a closed account. It will take weeks for that money to bounce back to SASSA and then to you.
- Verification Fail: Sometimes SASSA does a last-minute check and sees a deposit in your account that puts you over the limit.
Important SASSA Contact Details
If you are tired of the website and need to talk to a human being, use these details. Be ready to wait on hold.
- Toll-Free Helpline: 0800 60 10 11
- Email: grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za
- Head Office Address: 501 Prodinsa Building, Cnr Beatrix and Pretorius Street, Pretoria.
- WhatsApp: 082 054 0016
Regional Offices:
- Gauteng: 011 241 8300
- KwaZulu-Natal: 033 846 3300
- Western Cape: 021 469 0200
- Eastern Cape: 043 707 6300
Don’t Get Scammed
There are many fake websites and Facebook groups.
- SASSA will never ask for your bank PIN.
- SASSA does not have a “Telegram Group” to speed up payments.
- Applying for a grant is FREE. Do not pay anyone R50 or R100 to “help” you apply.
Stay on top of your SASSA Status Check. Check it at least once a week, especially in the last week of the month. If your status changes to “Referred,” act immediately on the biometric link they send you, or you will lose your money for that month.
Keep your phone number active. If you lose your phone, go to SASSA immediately to update your details, or someone else could steal your grant.