STR 2027 for singles: no cash, SARA RM50 a month, age conditions and how to apply

Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) 2027 has three recipient categories: Household, Senior Citizens Without a Spouse and Single. This guide covers the Single category. It is based on four FAQs published by the Inland Revenue Board (HASiL) on 15 and 17 Oct 2026.

What singles receive in 2027

The Single category receives no STR 2027 cash. According to the STR 2027 FAQ, payments for this category are made through Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA), a MyKad credit for buying basic necessities.

These rates cover January to December 2027. The amount you receive depends on the month your STR application is approved.

eKasih status is taken from records up to 31 Oct 2026. For recipients not yet listed, eKasih records are checked again using data as at 31 Jan, 30 Apr, 20 Jul and 31 Oct 2027. How to check your eKasih status is explained in our eKasih guide.

STR 2027 Single category conditions

According to the STR 2027 FAQ, applicants in the Single category must meet all of the following conditions:

• single, or a single parent, widow, widower or divorcee with no qualifying children;
• aged 21 to 59, or 19 to 59 for persons with disabilities (OKU);
• not a full-time student at a public or private higher education institution (IPTA or IPTS);
• income of RM2,500 or less.

OKU applicants aged 19 to 20 must be registered with the Department of Social Welfare (JKM). A copy of the JKM OKU card is required as a supporting document.

Full-time students aged 21 and above, including OKU aged 19 and above, cannot apply as singles. They can only be included as children or dependants in a household application.

Singles who have never married cannot apply in the Household category, even if they have adopted children. They can apply in the Single category if they meet the conditions.

Aged 20, aged 59 or OKU: who can apply

The age condition is based on your age in 2027. The STR 2027 Applications FAQ gives these examples:

The Senior Citizens Without a Spouse category has an income limit of RM5,000. According to the STR 2027 FAQ, this category receives STR cash of RM600 a year, in addition to SARA.

Why Single applications are not approved

The STR 2027 Applications FAQ lists three reasons an application does not meet the Single category conditions:

• the applicant is aged 20 or below, or is OKU aged 18 or below;
• there is no JKM OKU record for an applicant aged 19 to 20;
• the applicant is recorded as a full-time student.

A Single application is also not approved if agency checks find the applicant's gross income is above RM2,500. Other checks that apply to all categories include business ownership, vehicles and property transactions worth RM300,000 or more.

For vehicles, an application is not approved if the applicant owns any of the following:

• a luxury vehicle manufactured 10 years ago or less;
• more than 5 cars, regardless of year of manufacture;
• a car with an engine capacity above 2,000 cc manufactured 7 years ago or less;
• a hybrid car 3 years old or less;
• an electric car regardless of year of manufacture, except the Proton e.MAS 5 and Perodua QV-E;
• a motorcycle with an engine capacity above 500 cc manufactured 5 years ago or less;
• more than 7 motorcycles manufactured 10 years ago or less.

How to appeal if you are not approved

You can submit an Appeal if you are aged 21 and above, or 19 and above for OKU registered with JKM. OKU status is checked directly with an agency appointed by the Ministry of Finance (MOF), or you can submit a copy of your JKM OKU card.

Applicants aged 21 and above can submit proof of completing their studies, or of part-time study, for the 2026/2027 session. Full-time students cannot appeal, but can be registered as children in their parents' application.

Appeals are made online through MySTR, under the Borang Rayuan (Appeal Form) menu. HASiL will announce the appeal period for each phase from time to time. What each application status means is explained in our STR 2027 status guide.

When SARA is credited and how to use it

• No separate SARA application: SARA is given automatically to approved STR 2027 recipients in the Single category.
• When it starts: for applications approved from Phase 1, SARA of RM50 is given every month from January to December 2027. If approved in a later phase, SARA starts in the month the application is approved.
• Apply before December: the STR 2027 Payments FAQ says applications made in December 2026 are assessed for Phase 2. So apply or update early if you want to be assessed for Phase 1.
• Notification: the STR approval letter with your SARA eligibility is sent to your registered address. Yayasan MyKasih, the agency that runs SARA, also sends an SMS or WhatsApp message about orientation sessions at nearby shops.
• Where: more than 15,000 SARA partner outlets, including Mydin, Giant, Econsave, 99 Speedmart and FAMA's Pasar Tani and Pasar Tamu. You can shop outside the area where you live.
• What you can buy: 16 categories, including rice, bread, eggs, cooking oil, flour, medicines, frozen food and wet or fresh produce.
• Balance: unused balance carries over to the next month but expires on 31 Dec 2027. Check your balance at sara.gov.my, in the SARA app or on your purchase receipt.
• Your own MyKad: purchases are made with the recipient's MyKad, so no one else can buy on your behalf.

For reference, the official SARA portal says monthly SARA for 2026 for 3.1 million Single recipients started on 16 Jan 2026. The Household and Senior Citizen categories started earlier, on 9 Jan 2026. The first SARA 2027 credit date has not been announced.

Singles who do not qualify for STR: SARA MADANI

The Budget 2027 speech says citizens aged 18 and above who are not STR recipients will receive SARA MADANI of RM100 twice. The payments are scheduled before Aidilfitri and ahead of the 70th Merdeka anniversary.

Under that speech, singles who are not STR recipients, for example those earning more than RM2,500, are in this group. Full conditions, dates and how SARA MADANI will be distributed had not been announced as at 25 Oct 2026. More details are in our SARA 2027 guide.

If you marry in 2027

Single category recipients who marry can update their marital status with a marriage certificate, if it is still within the Phase 3 application period. If approved as a Household, the new rates apply to Phase 3 and Phase 4 only.

How to apply or update

1. Type the address bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my into your browser yourself, then register or log in to MySTR.
2. Make a new application if you have no record in the STR 2026 system.
3. STR 2026 recipients need to update if their details have changed, or if their application was never updated from STR 2024 to STR 2026.
4. Upload supporting documents if relevant, for example a copy of the JKM OKU card for applicants aged 19 to 20.

If you would rather not apply online, fill in Form BK-01 and hand it in at a HASiL office, HASiL Satellite or HASiL UTC. Forms sent by email are not accepted. The full list of amounts for every category is in our STR 2027 applications guide.

Enquiries can be made through the HASiL line 1-800-88-2747 or MOF 03-8882 4565/4566, from 9am to 5pm. Questions about using SARA can go to the Yayasan MyKasih line, 03-7720 1800.

Beware of fake messages

On 21 Jan 2026, MOF said WhatsApp messages about STR applications and SARA RM600 for singles were fake, because no applications or payments are made through WhatsApp. Read our fact check of that message.

The HASiL Warning Notice also says HASiL does not send officers to homes to receive STR 2027 applications or updates. HASiL has not appointed anyone to answer STR enquiries through WhatsApp or personal phone numbers.

Never give your MyKad number, MySTR password or OTP to anyone. If you have been scammed, call the 24-hour 997 line as soon as possible so the accounts involved can be blocked (Berita RTM, 6 Jul 2026). Suspicious messages can be checked with the Scam Message Checker.