In many South African homes one person keeps track of several grants at once: an R370 SRD grant for themselves, child support grants for the children, perhaps an older persons grant for a parent who lives with them. Each of these is checked in a different place and paid on a different kind of date, which makes it easy to worry about money that is simply not due yet. This page sorts out which grant is checked where, how the dates differ, and gives a monthly routine for the whole household.
Which grant is checked where
- SRD (R370), the adult’s own grant. Checked on srd.sassa.gov.za with that adult’s ID number and the cellphone number they applied with. Each person’s SRD needs their own number for the SMS PIN, so you cannot check two adults’ SRD from one phone number. The SRD status walkthrough has the steps.
- Child support grants. Once a CSG is being paid, there is no monthly status to check; the money comes on the fixed children’s grant date. A new CSG application is followed up as described in the child support grant status guide.
- Older persons, foster child or care dependency grants. Also paid on fixed dates once approved. Pending applications are tracked on SASSA’s Services portal if lodged online, or through the call centre or office. See checking older persons and other permanent grants.
A common question: can the caregiver get the SRD while collecting child support grants? The SRD rule excludes adults who already receive a social grant for themselves. A child support grant is paid for the child, not for the caregiver. The caregiver’s own income, which SASSA checks against R624 a month through bank data, still has to pass the SRD means test.
Fixed dates versus SRD dates
Permanent grants follow a published calendar spread over three days at the start of each month: older persons grants first, disability grants the next day, then children’s grants (child support, foster child and care dependency). In October 2026 that meant Friday 2, Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 October. In November 2026 the dates are Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November. The 2026/27 payment schedule lists every month to March 2027.
The SRD is not on that calendar. SASSA decides each month separately, and the pay day for an approved month appears only after processing. That date can differ from month to month and from person to person, so two adults in the same house may be paid on different days, or one approved and the other not.
One more exception: if a grant in the household is under review, SASSA may pay it one working day after the children’s grants, on a separate fourth payment day, and expects the beneficiary to complete the review at an office.
A monthly routine for a multi-grant household
- Start of the month: write down the three fixed dates for that month next to each grant: the parent’s older persons grant, any disability grant, the children’s grants.
- On each fixed date: confirm the deposit in the bank app or with a balance slip. The money stays in the account, so nobody needs to rush to withdraw on the day.
- Through the month: check each adult’s SRD result on the SRD site and note whether a pay day has appeared.
- Watch the post and SMSes for review notices or e-Life certification requests, especially for older family members. Ignoring them can lead to suspension.
- Check the cards. Anyone still holding an old SASSA gold card needs a free Postbank black card to reach their money.
- Keep one record of each person’s ID number, the cellphone number linked to their grant and their payment account, so you can answer SASSA’s questions quickly on 0800 60 10 11.