Check the Disability Grant
Aged 18–59 · medical assessment · means tested
This is an independent estimate based on published SASSA rules and does not guarantee approval. Always confirm and apply through official SASSA channels.
Check the age, medical-assessment and means-test rules for the Disability Grant and see your estimated R2,400 monthly amount.
Aged 18–59 · medical assessment · means tested
This is an independent estimate based on published SASSA rules and does not guarantee approval. Always confirm and apply through official SASSA channels.
A doctor appointed by SASSA must confirm a physical or mental disability that prevents you from working for more than six months.
A temporary Disability Grant lasts 6–12 months; a permanent grant is reviewed periodically but does not expire on a fixed date.
The income (R9,350 single / R18,700 married) and asset limits mirror the Old Age Grant.
The Disability Grant is a monthly payment from the SASSA for adults whose physical or mental condition prevents them from working and supporting themselves. It sits between the Child Support and Care Dependency grants (for children) and the Older Persons Grant (for people 60 and over): it covers the working-age gap for people who would normally support themselves through work but cannot because of a disability.
To qualify you must meet all of these conditions at once:
The Disability Grant is often misunderstood as a payment for having a disability. It is not. It is a payment for being unable to support yourself through work because of a disability. Two people with the same medical diagnosis can get different outcomes if one can still do suitable work and the other cannot. The assessment focuses on your capacity to earn, not on a label.
It also helps to know where this grant sits among the others. The SRD grant of R370 is for able-bodied adults who are simply unemployed and have almost no income; it is a much smaller, short-term payment with a very low income threshold of R624 a month. The Disability Grant is larger and longer-lasting because it recognises that a disability, not just a lack of a job, is keeping you out of work. If you are able to work but currently have no job, the SRD grant — not the Disability Grant — is the right one to pursue.
| Grant | Monthly amount (Feb 2026) |
|---|---|
| Disability Grant | R2,400 |
This is the same monthly amount as the Older Persons Grant for people aged 60 to 74. Grant values are reviewed and usually adjusted twice a year, in April and October. When an increase is announced it is applied automatically — you do not re-apply. For the current figures across all grants see SASSA grant amounts in 2026 and the 2026 increases.
Grant amounts change. Confirm the current figure at sassa.gov.za or your nearest office before relying on it. This is an independent help site, not SASSA.
If you are so severely disabled that you need another person to help you with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or eating, you may also qualify for a Grant-in-Aid of R580 a month on top of your Disability Grant. The Grant-in-Aid is not a separate grant you live on — it is a supplement paid alongside a qualifying grant to cover the cost of that full-time care.
This is the step that makes the Disability Grant different from every other grant. You cannot self-certify a disability, and a note from your own GP is not enough on its own. SASSA arranges an assessment by a SASSA-appointed doctor or assessment panel.
The assessor is answering one core question: does your condition make you unable to support yourself through work, and for how long? They consider:
Bring all your medical evidence — clinic cards, hospital discharge summaries, specialist letters, X-rays or scan reports, and a list of your medication. The more complete your medical history, the better the assessor can judge your case. Missing or thin medical evidence is one of the most common reasons a claim is declined.
The assessment does not just decide yes or no — it also decides for how long. This produces two kinds of award:
| Type | Typical duration | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Disability Grant | 6 to 12 months | Your condition is expected to improve or is still being treated |
| Permanent Disability Grant | Indefinite (subject to review) | Your condition is unlikely to improve |
A common misunderstanding is that "permanent" means paid forever with no checks. It does not. Permanent simply means no fixed end date was set; SASSA can still review a permanent grant. And a temporary grant does not automatically renew — when it ends, you must apply again and, usually, be re-assessed. Plan for this: our guide on reapplying explains the general re-application mindset, and you should diarise your end date so a lapse does not leave you without income.
Even with a qualifying assessment, you must still pass the same means test as the Older Persons Grant. There are two tests — income and assets — and which thresholds apply depends on whether you are single or married.
| Marital status | Annual income limit | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| Single | R112,200 | R9,350 |
| Married (combined) | R224,400 | R18,700 |
For married applicants, both spouses' income is added together and compared to the married limit, even if only one spouse is applying.
| Marital status | Asset limit |
|---|---|
| Single | R1,584,000 |
| Married (combined) | R3,168,000 |
Because the interaction between income, assets, and the sliding scale is easy to get wrong by hand, model it with the calculator on this page or the dedicated means test calculator. For the rules in plain English, read the means test explained.
You apply in person at your nearest SASSA local office. Applying is free.
Our full walkthrough is in the guide to applying for the Disability Grant. If you cannot travel because of your condition, a family member can apply on your behalf with the correct authority and a doctor's note; a home assessment can be arranged for people who are bedridden.
The complete checklist is in documents for a SASSA grant. Turning up with full medical evidence is the single biggest thing you can do to help your claim.
Once approved you can be paid into a personal bank account or onto the SASSA/Postbank card. Payments follow the monthly schedule.
Disability Grant applications are declined more often than most, usually for reasons that can be fixed or appealed. The most frequent are:
If you believe the decision is wrong, you have the right to challenge it. You can lodge an appeal — and you should do so within the stated time limit. Read how to appeal a declined grant and, for the underlying causes, common decline reasons. If the problem was administrative rather than a genuine rejection, a complaint or request for reconsideration may be the faster route.
SASSA reviews Disability Grants to confirm you still qualify — both medically and financially.
These are illustrative estimates only. Your real outcome depends on the assessment and SASSA's review of your full circumstances.
Sipho is 42, single, has no income, and lives in a rented room. A workplace accident left him permanently unable to work, confirmed by the SASSA assessment. He passes the means test easily. Sipho qualifies for the full R2,400. Because he also needs help dressing and bathing, he additionally qualifies for a Grant-in-Aid of R580, giving R2,880 in total.
Thandi is 35 and recovering from a serious illness that the assessor expects to improve within a year. She is granted a Temporary Disability Grant for 12 months. She notes the end date carefully, because when it lapses she must re-apply and be re-assessed rather than assume it renews.
Ahmed is 50 and cannot work after a stroke. His wife earns R14,000 a month. Because they are married, SASSA adds their income together: R14,000 against the R18,700 married limit. They are under it, so — assuming the assessment confirms his disability — Ahmed qualifies, though the sliding scale may slightly reduce the amount given how close they are to the ceiling.
Lerato, 47, applies with a back injury. The first assessment finds she can still do seated work, and the grant is declined. She obtains a detailed specialist report showing her condition has worsened and lodges an appeal within the time limit. On reconsideration, with stronger evidence, the decision is overturned. This shows why keeping medical evidence and using the appeal process matters.
Everything here is guidance to help you prepare a strong application. The assessment, the current amounts, and the final decision rest with SASSA. Verify details at sassa.gov.za, call the toll-free line on 0800 60 10 11, or visit your nearest SASSA office before relying on any figure.