It’s the question on every beneficiary’s lips right now: How much more will I get from April?
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana answered that question on 25 February 2026 when he tabled the National Budget in Cape Town. The short answer grants are going up. The longer answer? It depends on which grant you receive, and there are a few important things happening behind the scenes that every beneficiary needs to understand.
Let’s break it all down, clearly and honestly.
The Big Picture First of SASSA Social Grants Increase
South Africa currently has roughly 26.5 million people receiving some form of social grant. That is a staggering number more than four in ten South Africans depend on these payments to survive. The government has committed R292.8 billion to social grants in the 2026/27 financial year alone. That is real money going directly into real households.
The increases take effect in April 2026. Your March 2026 payments will still come through at the old amounts. From April, the new figures apply.
Here is something worth knowing upfront: the increases average around 3.4%, which sits just below last year’s average inflation figure of 3.5%. It is not a windfall. For many families it will barely cover rising food and transport costs. But it is an increase, and for millions of people, every rand matters.
Not sure which grant applies to your situation? Our Grant Types guide covers every category in plain language from Child Support to Old Age to Disability.
The New SASSA Grant Amounts for 2026
Here is a clean breakdown of what changes, what you were getting, and what you will receive from April 2026:
| Grant Type | 2025 Amount | 2026 Amount | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Age Grant | R2 315 | R2 400 | +R85 |
| War Veterans Grant | R2 335 | R2 420 | +R85 |
| Disability Grant | R2 315 | R2 400 | +R85 |
| Care Dependency Grant | R2 315 | R2 400 | +R85 |
| Foster Care Grant | R1 250 | R1 295 | +R45 |
| Child Support Grant | R560 | R580 | +R20 |
| Grant-in-Aid | R560 | R580 | +R20 |
| SRD (R350) Grant | R370 | R370 | No change |
The biggest rand increase goes to old age, disability, war veterans, and care dependency grant holders each gaining R85 per month. The Child Support Grant rises by R20, which helps the millions of caregivers looking after children across the country.
If you have never applied before and want to get started, our step-by-step Apply for SRD guide walks you through the entire online application process from scratch.
What About the SRD Grant?
This is where many people will feel disappointed, and understandably so.
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant stays at R370 per month. That figure has not moved, despite significant pressure from civil society organisations and labour groups who argued strongly for an increase. Godongwana addressed this directly in his speech, confirming the grant will continue in its current form for the year ahead.
The government has allocated an additional R36.4 billion to extend SRD payments until 31 March 2027. So the grant is not disappearing but it is also not growing. For the nearly 8 million people who rely on R370 as a lifeline, this is a hard pill to swallow when a loaf of bread now costs over R20 and transport eats up a big chunk of monthly income.
What happens after March 2027? Treasury documents show the SRD allocation drops off sharply in the outer years of the medium-term framework. The government has indicated it wants to replace SRD with a longer-term Income Support Grant, but concrete details on that remain thin. Watch this space.
When Will You Actually Receive the Increased Amounts?
Your first payment at the new, higher amount will come in April 2026. The exact payment dates for April have not yet been officially confirmed by SASSA at the time of writing, but they typically follow the standard schedule:
- Older persons — usually the first working day of the month
- Disability grant holders — usually the second working day
- Children’s grants — usually the third working day
For the confirmed dates as soon as they are released, bookmark our SASSA Payment Dates page it is updated the moment official dates are published each month.
Do not trust unofficial WhatsApp messages or Facebook posts claiming specific dates grant-related scams spike every time there is a budget announcement.
One more practical note: if your payment goes into a bank account, allow two to three business days for the money to reflect after the payment date.
The Verification Drive; What This Means for Beneficiaries
Here is the part of the 2026 Budget that many news headlines missed or buried at the bottom of their articles.
SASSA has been on a major compliance and verification drive, and it is intensifying. By December 2025, the agency had checked the bank accounts of approximately 6 million clients and 8 million credit bureau clients. Those checks flagged 291,581 beneficiaries for review.
As a result, 34,661 grants were cancelled. Another 8,599 disability and old-age grants were adjusted downward based on income levels using the sliding scale.
Why does this matter to you? Because if you receive a grant and your personal or banking details are not up to date, you could face payment delays or even suspension while your eligibility is reviewed. SASSA has also rolled out biometric verification for all new applicants.
What you should do right now:
- Make sure your ID details are current and match what SASSA has on file
- Confirm your banking details are correct especially if you changed banks recently
- If you have received any income since applying, check whether this affects your means test eligibility
- Never share your SASSA card PIN or personal details with anyone claiming to help you
Not sure where your application currently stands? Use our Status Check Methods page to verify your SASSA status in minutes using just your ID number or phone number.
If your grant is suspended or you are unsure what a notification means, our SASSA Statuses guide explains exactly what “pending,” “approved,” “declined,” and “cancelled” mean and what action each one requires from you
Need to Update Your Phone Number?
This comes up constantly, especially when people switch SIM cards or lose their phones. Your cellphone number is tied directly to your SASSA account it is how you receive payment notifications and one-time PINs for online services.
If your number has changed, do not ignore it. Waiting too long can lock you out of your account entirely. Our Change Number guide shows you exactly how to update your contact details with SASSA whether you prefer to do it online, via WhatsApp, or in person at a local branch.
A Word on the Budget’s Broader Commitment
The 2026 Budget makes clear that social grants remain the single largest item in South Africa’s social development spending. The Social Development function’s total budget rises from R412.2 billion in 2025/26 to R466.4 billion by 2028/29 a 4.2% increase overall.
Godongwana noted that the social wage which covers education, health, and social protection accounts for more than 60% of non-interest government spending over the medium term. Basic education, health, and social protection together make up 70.3% of the social wage in 2026/27. That supports 13.6 million school children, healthcare to 84% of the population, and social grants to 26.5 million beneficiaries.
In a country where inequality remains stubbornly wide, this is not nothing. But civil society groups and economists will continue to push for faster, larger increases particularly for the SRD grant which, at R370, sits well below the food poverty line of roughly R760 per person per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to reapply to get the increased amount?
No. If you are already an approved beneficiary, the higher amount will be paid automatically from April 2026. No action is needed on your side.
Why is the SRD grant not increasing?
The government says the SRD grant will continue at R370 until March 2027, at which point it plans to transition to a longer-term income support mechanism. Critics argue this timeline is too slow and the amount too low, given current food prices.
Is the SRD grant getting cancelled in 2026?
No. The government has extended the SRD grant until 31 March 2027 and allocated R36.4 billion to keep it running. The amount stays at R370, but the grant is not going anywhere for now.
Can two people in the same household both receive grants?
Yes. Multiple members of one household can each receive grants they individually qualify for. There is no household cap on the number of grants, though each person’s eligibility is assessed individually.
Will the new amounts help against inflation?
Honestly, at 3.4%, the increases are designed to keep pace with inflation rather than improve purchasing power. For grant recipients facing real-world price increases in food, electricity, and transport, the extra money helps at the margins but does not transform the situation.
The Bottom Line
From April 2026, most SASSA grant holders will receive modestly more money each month. The Old Age, Disability, Care Dependency, and War Veterans grants all reach R2,400. The Child Support Grant moves to R580. These are not transformative increases, but they are real money for families operating on razor-thin margins.
The SRD grant freeze at R370 is the story that will generate the most frustration and rightly so. Over ten million people depend on it, and R370 does not go far in 2026.
Keep your SASSA details up to date, check the official Payment Dates page for April, and use only official SASSA channels for any queries. If you are unsure about anything regarding your grant, call 0800 60 10 11 . It is free, and it could save you a lot of stress. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on your grant, always go straight to the source visit the official SASSA website before trusting anything you read on WhatsApp or social media.