Which Grant Do I Qualify For?
Not sure which grant fits you? One means test checks them all and recommends your options.
The SRD R370 grant and the Child Support Grant are two of the most-claimed forms of support in South Africa, and many people wonder which one they should apply for. The good news is that they serve different purposes and, in many households, you can claim both at once. This guide compares them side by side so you can make the right choice for your situation.
Two grants, two purposes
The most important thing to understand is that these grants support different people:
- The SRD R370 grant supports you — an unemployed adult with no other income.
- The Child Support Grant supports a child through their primary caregiver.
Because one is a personal-relief grant and the other is a child grant, they do not compete with each other in the way two personal grants would. A parent can be the beneficiary of the SRD grant while also being the caregiver who receives Child Support for their child. See our multiple grants guide for the full rules on combining support.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | SRD R370 | Child Support |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly amount | R370 | R580 per child |
| Who it is for | Unemployed adult 18–59 | Each qualifying child |
| Means test | R624 into bank account | R5,800 single / R11,600 married |
| Asset test | None | None |
| Number payable | One per person | One per qualifying child |
| Duration | Extended to 31 March 2027 | Until child turns 18 |
| Citizenship | Citizen, PR, or refugee | Caregiver must be primary carer |
You can check your figures against both tests using our means test calculator, or run the SRD side alone with our SRD status calculator.
How each is assessed
SRD income test
The SRD grant uses a simple monthly rule: SASSA looks at the money that flows into your bank account. If more than R624 arrives in the month being assessed, you are declined for that month. There is no asset test and no check on property. Our R624 threshold guide explains exactly what counts and what does not.
Because the SRD grant is reassessed every cycle, your outcome can change from one month to the next. A month with an unexpected deposit can be a decline, while the following month may pass again. This is very different from the personal grants, which are more stable once approved.
Child Support income test
The Child Support Grant tests the caregiver's income against R5,800 a month if single or R11,600 combined if married. There is no asset test. The child must be under 18 and in your primary care. Full detail is in our Child Support application guide and our means test explainer.
Notice how much more room the Child Support test allows: R5,800 a month for a single caregiver, compared with just R624 for the SRD grant. A working caregiver on a modest wage can easily qualify for Child Support while earning far too much to qualify for SRD.
Why the two thresholds look so different
People are often surprised that Child Support allows a caregiver to earn R5,800 while SRD cuts off at R624. The reason is that the grants measure different things. SRD is emergency relief for someone with essentially no income, so its threshold is deliberately low and is applied to money entering your account. Child Support is a longer-term subsidy toward the cost of raising a child, so it is pitched at working caregivers on low-to-modest wages and uses a higher income limit.
| SRD R370 | Child Support | |
|---|---|---|
| Single income limit | R624/mo | R5,800/mo |
| What is measured | Money into your bank account | Caregiver's income |
| Reassessed | Every month | Periodically |
Why many people can claim both
Here is a common example. A single mother of two young children is unemployed. She can:
- Claim the SRD R370 grant for herself, provided less than R624 enters her account each month.
- Claim the Child Support Grant of R580 for each child — R1,120 in total.
That is R1,490 a month across the three grants. The Child Support payments are meant for the children, so as long as she does not draw them into her own account in a way that pushes her over the R624 SRD limit, both remain valid.
If she later finds work or starts receiving a personal grant, she would lose SRD eligibility but keep Child Support, since only SRD is affected by her own income support.
More worked examples
Borderline SRD income
A father receives R500 a month in casual help from a relative and claims Child Support for one child. In a normal month his R500 is under the R624 SRD limit, so both grants stand and he collects R370 plus R580. But in a month where the relative sends R700, he crosses the SRD threshold and is declined for SRD that month — while the Child Support Grant continues untouched, because it tests his income against the much higher R5,800 limit, not the R624 rule.
A married caregiver who fails SRD but passes Child Support
A married mother's household income is R9,000 a month between her and her spouse. She cannot claim SRD, because far more than R624 enters the household, and in any case SRD is for people with no other income support. However, R9,000 is under the R11,600 married Child Support limit, so she still qualifies for the Child Support Grant for each child. This shows how a family can be over the line for one grant and comfortably under it for another.
An unemployed caregiver of three
An unemployed single mother of three, with nothing entering her account, qualifies for the SRD R370 grant plus three Child Support Grants of R580. Her total is R370 plus R1,680, or R2,050 a month. Our grant amounts guide shows how that compares with the other grants.
What each grant needs to keep paying
Getting approved is only half the story; both grants can stop if your circumstances or paperwork slip. The SRD grant is the more sensitive of the two because it is reassessed every single month. A month where more than R624 lands in your account, a lapsed set of bank details, or an out-of-date phone number can all interrupt payment. The Child Support Grant is steadier, but it still relies on you remaining the child's primary caregiver and staying under the income limit, and on the child continuing to meet the age requirement.
For both grants, keeping your contact and banking information current is the single most effective way to avoid a break in payment. If your bank account changes, update it before the next payment cycle rather than after, and make sure the account is in your own name. A mismatch between the account holder and the grant beneficiary is one of the most common reasons a payment fails to go through even when the grant itself is fully valid.
Which should you claim first?
You do not have to choose one over the other — apply for whichever you qualify for, and both if you qualify for both.
- If you are unemployed with no children, the SRD grant is your route.
- If you care for children but have some income under the caregiver limit, focus on Child Support.
- If you are an unemployed caregiver, claim both.
Before applying, gather the documents SASSA needs and decide whether to apply online or in person. The full grant amounts list shows how these values sit alongside the other grants.
A note on changing circumstances
Both grants require honest, up-to-date information. If your income changes, your SRD outcome can change month to month because it is reassessed each cycle. The Child Support Grant is more stable but still relies on your caregiver income staying under the limit. Keep your contact and banking details current so payments are not interrupted; our guides on changing SRD banking details and updating your phone number explain how.
Common misconceptions
- "Getting Child Support cancels my SRD." It does not. Child Support is not a personal grant and does not block SRD.
- "The Child Support money counts as my income for SRD." Only if it lands in your own account and pushes your deposits over R624; the money is meant for the child.
- "I have to pick the higher-paying grant." You do not choose between them — if you qualify for both, you receive both.
- "Child Support has an asset test." It does not; neither grant checks assets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get SRD and Child Support at the same time?
In most cases, yes. SRD supports the unemployed adult and Child Support supports the child, so they are not in conflict. Keep the money entering your own account under R624 a month to protect your SRD eligibility.
Which grant pays more?
Per payment, the Child Support Grant (R580 per child) pays more than the SRD grant (R370). But because SRD is for you personally and Child Support is per child, the total depends on how many children you care for.
Does receiving Child Support stop my SRD grant?
No. Holding a Child Support Grant does not count as a personal grant that would block SRD. Just be careful that Child Support money in your own bank account does not push you over the R624 SRD threshold.
Why can a caregiver earn R5,800 for Child Support but only R624 for SRD?
Because the grants measure different things. SRD is emergency relief for people with almost no income and checks money entering your account against a low R624 limit. Child Support is a subsidy for raising a child and is pitched at working caregivers, so it allows a much higher income of R5,800 single or R11,600 married.
If I find a job, do I lose both grants?
Not necessarily. A job usually ends your SRD eligibility, because SRD is for the unemployed with no other income support. But you can keep the Child Support Grant as long as your income stays under the R5,800 single or R11,600 married limit. The two grants respond to your circumstances independently.
Do I apply for these grants in the same place?
The application routes differ. The SRD grant is generally handled online, while Child Support is often applied for at a SASSA office with the child's documents. Our apply online vs in person guide and documents guide explain what each one needs.
This is an independent helper site. Always verify your eligibility and current figures at SASSA or on 0800 60 10 11.