Millions of South African households will see relief in their pockets from 1 April 2026, after National Treasury confirmed sweeping increases to SASSA social grants as part of the 2026/27 national budget.
Older persons, persons with disabilities, and caregivers of children are all set to benefit — though the country’s poorest and most vulnerable, who depend on the Social Relief of Distress grant, have again been overlooked.
→ R2,400
→ R580
→ R2,420
→ R1,290
The Older Persons Grant — popularly known as the old age pension — climbs from R2,320 to R2,400 per month, an R80 boost tied to annual inflation. The same increase applies to the Disability Grant and the Care Dependency Grant.
War Veterans, a shrinking but symbolically important cohort, will receive R2,420 — up R80 from their current R2,340.
“For families with elderly members, R80 a month means electricity kept on for an extra week, or groceries that actually stretch.”
Also Read: How to Check Your SASSA Status in 2026 (What Actually Works)
Child-focused grants also see movement. The Child Support Grant rises from R560 to R580, and the Foster Child Grant increases from R1,250 to R1,290 — with a further R10 top-up expected in October 2026, bringing it to R1,300.
The Grant-in-Aid, paid to those who need full-time care, also increases by R20 to R580.
In a further administrative win for families, Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe confirmed that new applications for Children’s Grants will now be processed on the same day — ending a three-month waiting period that advocates had long criticised as a barrier for the most vulnerable.
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant — received by millions of unemployed South Africans — remains frozen at R370 per month until at least March 2027.
Civil society organisations have renewed calls for the grant to be pegged at the food poverty line of approximately R760 per month, and for it to be converted into a permanent Basic Income Support grant.
The increases are modest — tracking a 3.4% inflation rate — but for grant-dependent households they translate directly into groceries, transport, school fees, and medicine.
With load shedding costs, food price inflation, and unemployment still biting hard, the April increase will be a critical lifeline for South Africa’s most vulnerable communities.
SASSA is expected to publish official payment dates for April in the coming weeks. Beneficiaries are advised to verify their bank details and ID information at their nearest SASSA office or on the SASSA website to avoid payment delays.
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SASSA Suspends 70,000 Social Grants During Compliance Review Process
SASSA Confirms Social Grant Increases for 2026/27
