SASSA Grant Amounts 2026: How Much Each Grant Pays After the Budget Increase

The old age grant increases by R80 in April 2026, to R2,400 per month for beneficiaries under 75. Beneficiaries aged 75 and above receive R2,420 — the R20 age premium that has been in place for several years remains. This is the largest rand increase on the entire grant schedule for 2026, reflecting the government’s stated priority of protecting elderly South Africans who have no capacity to supplement their income through work.

The R80 increase represents roughly 3.4% — slightly below 2025’s average inflation rate of 3.5% and significantly below the 4.8% increase that was applied in 2025. Many pensioner advocacy groups had lobbied for a higher increase, noting that the cost of food, electricity, and medication for elderly beneficiaries rises faster than the general inflation figure. The R80 increase adds up to R960 per year — meaningful for households where the pension is the only income source.

The Disability Grant matches the Older Persons Grant increase exactly — rising R80 to R2,400 per month from April 2026. It is paid to South Africans between 18 and 59 years old who have a medically certified disability that prevents them from supporting themselves financially. The disability grant and care dependency grant both increase by R80 in April 2026, to R2,400 per month.

The Disability Grant has two categories: permanent and temporary. A permanent grant is awarded when a disability is not expected to improve. A temporary grant runs for a defined period — typically six months to two years — and requires medical review before renewal. Both categories receive the same R2,400 monthly amount. Beneficiaries who turn 60 while receiving the Disability Grant are automatically migrated to the Older Persons Grant without interruption to payments.

The Child Support Grant is the most widely distributed grant in South Africa — paid to more than 13 million children every month through their primary caregiver. Because the Child Support Grant is paid out to over 13 million residents, even a small increase of R20 amounts to a substantial national fiscal commitment. It rises from R560 to R580 in April 2026 — a R20 monthly increase per child.

The grant is paid to the primary caregiver — typically a mother, grandmother, or guardian — not directly to the child. It is intended to cover the basic costs of raising a child: food, clothing, transport to school, and related needs. A household with three qualifying children receives R1,740 per month from April 2026. The grant is available for children up to the age of 18 years, provided the caregiver meets the income means test.

The Foster Care Grant rises R40 to R1,290 per month from April 2026. It is significantly higher than the Child Support Grant because it is linked specifically to court-confirmed foster placements — the higher amount reflects the additional legal and practical responsibilities that come with formal foster care. Unlike the Child Support Grant, the Foster Care Grant requires a court order confirming the foster placement before it can be awarded.

The grant covers children up to the age of 18, or up to 21 if the child is still in full-time schooling at the time they turn 18. Foster caregivers who care for multiple foster children receive the full grant amount per child. The income means test does not apply to the Foster Care Grant in the same way it applies to the Child Support Grant.

The Care Dependency Grant is paid to the caregiver of a child with a severe disability or chronic illness who requires full-time care at home. It rises by R80 to R2,400 per month — the same rate as the Disability and Older Persons grants. The child must be between birth and 18 years of age, and the disability must be medically certified as requiring permanent full-time care.

At R2,400 per month, it is the highest grant available for children — higher than both the Child Support and Foster Care grants — reflecting the exceptional financial burden on caregivers who cannot work because their full-time responsibility is caring for a severely disabled child.

The Grant-in-Aid is not a standalone grant — it is a supplementary payment added on top of an existing Older Persons or Disability Grant for beneficiaries who require full-time care from another person due to their physical or mental condition. It rises R20 to R530 per month from April 2026.

A qualifying beneficiary who receives the Older Persons Grant of R2,400 and the Grant-in-Aid of R530 receives a combined R2,930 per month. This additional amount is specifically intended to contribute toward the cost of the person providing full-time care — not to increase the beneficiary’s personal spending. It requires medical assessment confirming the need for full-time assistance with daily living.

Those receiving the Social Relief of Distress grant will not see any increase in 2026. The SRD grant will remain at R370, with payments continuing until March 2027. Treasury has allocated an additional R36.4 billion specifically to extend SRD payments until 31 March 2027 at the current R370 per month.

The decision to extend without increasing the SRD was controversial. Many economists, civil society organisations, and labour groups had called for the SRD to be increased — some arguing for R500 or higher, others pressing for a formal Basic Income Grant to replace it. Minister Godongwana acknowledged this pressure but confirmed the grant continues in its current form. The longer-term trajectory of the SRD grant — whether it will eventually become a permanent Basic Income Grant — remains unconfirmed beyond the March 2027 extension.

For the approximately 9 million South Africans receiving the SRD grant monthly, R370 buys less in 2026 than it did when the amount was last set. Food inflation, transport costs, and electricity prices have all risen since that figure was established. The extension itself — guaranteeing payments through March 2027 — was the meaningful news from the Budget for SRD recipients, even without a rand increase attached to it.