The new financial year starts on 1 April 2026, and with it comes a fresh payment calendar, adjusted grant amounts, and one very conspicuous non-adjustment. SASSA published the full 2026/27 schedule on 17 March, confirming the dates and amounts that will apply from next month through March 2027. For most beneficiaries, the news is modestly positive: above-inflation increases across seven of the eight permanent grant categories. For the 8.5 million people receiving the Social Relief of Distress grant, the news is unchanged and unwelcome. The SRD stays at R370.
This article breaks down the complete payment calendar, every new amount, the reasoning behind the SRD freeze, and what the approaching livelihoods grant transition means for recipients. If you need to check your grant status ahead of the April cycle, we cover that too.
The Full 2026/27 Payment Calendar
SASSA pays grants on a staggered schedule. Older Person's Grant recipients are paid first, followed by Disability Grant recipients, then Child Support Grant and other children's grants. The SRD R370 follows its own cycle entirely, with payments distributed in batches during the last week of each month.
Below are the confirmed payment dates for the first six months of the 2026/27 financial year. If a scheduled date falls on a weekend or public holiday, payment is moved to the next business day.
| Month | Older Persons | Disability | Children's Grants | SRD R370 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Wed 1 Apr | Thu 2 Apr | Fri 3 Apr | 24–30 Apr |
| May 2026 | Mon 4 May | Tue 5 May | Wed 6 May | 25–30 May |
| June 2026 | Mon 1 Jun | Tue 2 Jun | Wed 3 Jun | 24–30 Jun |
| July 2026 | Wed 1 Jul | Thu 2 Jul | Fri 3 Jul | 24–30 Jul |
| August 2026 | Mon 3 Aug | Tue 4 Aug | Wed 5 Aug | 24–30 Aug |
| September 2026 | Tue 1 Sep | Wed 2 Sep | Thu 3 Sep | 24–30 Sep |
Weekend & Holiday Adjustments
When a payment date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, SASSA moves the payment to the next working day. In months with public holidays close to pay dates (such as 27 April — Freedom Day), you may see a one-day shift. The SRD batch window remains the same regardless of holidays; individual payments within the 24th–30th window are processed as bank capacity allows.
Every New Amount from April 2026
The February 2026 Budget confirmed increases to all permanent social grants, effective 1 April 2026. The increases range from 3.4% to 4.5%, all above the projected 3.5% inflation rate for the year. The sole exception is the SRD, which is classified as a temporary measure and falls outside the annual adjustment process.
| Grant Type | Current (Mar 2026) | New (Apr 2026) | Increase | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older Person's (60–74) | R2,315 | R2,400 | +R85 | 3.7% |
| Older Person's (75+) | R2,335 | R2,420 | +R85 | 3.6% |
| Disability | R2,315 | R2,400 | +R85 | 3.7% |
| War Veteran's | R2,335 | R2,420 | +R85 | 3.6% |
| Care Dependency | R2,315 | R2,400 | +R85 | 3.7% |
| Foster Child | R1,180 | R1,230 | +R50 | 4.2% |
| Child Support | R560 | R580 | +R20 | 3.6% |
| Grant-in-Aid | R560 | R580 | +R20 | 3.6% |
| SRD (R350/R370) | R370 | R370 | R0 | 0.0% |
Above-Inflation Increases for 8 of 9 Grants
With CPI inflation projected at 3.5% for 2026/27, seven of the eight permanent grant categories receive real increases — meaning beneficiaries gain purchasing power rather than merely keeping pace with rising prices. The Foster Child Grant sees the largest proportional increase at 4.2%. The only grant with no increase is the SRD, which has been frozen at R370 since April 2024.
Why the SRD Stays at R370
The SRD grant has not increased since it was raised from R350 to R370 in April 2024. For the third consecutive fiscal year, the grant amount remains unchanged. Given 3.5% annual inflation, the real purchasing power of R370 today is equivalent to roughly R345 in 2024 terms. In practical terms, what you could buy with R370 two years ago now costs about R397.
National Treasury's reasoning is straightforward, if contentious. The SRD is classified as a temporary emergency measure introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Treasury allocates R36.4 billion annually simply to extend the grant's existence for another twelve months. From its perspective, the priority is keeping 8.5 million people on the programme at all, not increasing the per-person amount within a fixed fiscal envelope.
Treasury has also signalled that the SRD will be redesigned rather than incrementally adjusted. The grant is scheduled to be replaced by a permanent Livelihoods Support Grant from April 2027. Treasury views any increase to the current R370 as counterproductive to the redesign process, arguing it would create expectations that carry into the new grant's design. Full details of the fiscal framework will be published at the October 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).
8.5 Million Recipients Get No Inflation Relief
While every other grant category receives an above-inflation increase, the 8.5 million SRD recipients absorb the full impact of rising food, transport, and electricity prices with no adjustment. Civil society organisations including Black Sash, the Institute for Economic Justice, and #PayTheGrants have called the freeze a de facto cut, noting that the SRD already covers less than 30% of the StatsSA food poverty line of R760 per person per month.
The Livelihoods Grant Transition
The Department of Social Development (DSD) has opened a 60-day public consultation period on the draft framework for the Livelihoods Support Grant, the permanent programme that will replace the SRD from April 2027. The consultation window runs from 1 March to 30 April 2026, and submissions can be made through the DSD website or at provincial offices.
The draft framework introduces several structural changes from the current SRD model. Eligibility will be tied to registration on the Department of Employment and Labour's work-seeker database. Recipients will be required to participate in at least one skills development programme, community work programme, or accredited short course per quarter. Non-compliance would not result in immediate termination but would trigger a 90-day remediation period with case-worker support.
The grant amount during the transition period is expected to remain at the current level until Treasury publishes the full fiscal framework at the October 2026 MTBPS. DSD has indicated that the livelihoods grant may carry a higher amount than the current SRD, but this is conditional on the fiscal space available and the number of qualifying recipients under the new eligibility criteria.
For a deeper look at how the transition works, what the eligibility criteria mean in practice, and how current SRD recipients can prepare, see our detailed explainer: SRD to Livelihoods Grant Explained.
Transition Timeline
- 1 Mar – 30 Apr 2026: Public consultation on draft Livelihoods Support Grant framework
- October 2026: MTBPS publishes fiscal framework, confirmed amounts, and eligibility rules
- January 2027: Regulations gazetted, systems integration begins
- 1 April 2027: Livelihoods Support Grant replaces SRD (current recipients auto-migrated if eligible)
How to Check Your Status for April
With the new financial year starting on 1 April, it is worth confirming that your grant is active and that your banking details are up to date. Grants that lapsed during the previous cycle may need to be reapplied for. Here are the five quickest ways to check your grant status:
1. SASSA Online Portal — Visit srd.sassa.gov.za and enter your ID number and phone number. The portal shows your current status, payment date, and any pending actions.
2. USSD — Dial *134*7737# from any mobile phone (no airtime required). Follow the prompts to check your status or update your details.
3. WhatsApp — Send "Status" to 082 046 8553 (the official SASSA WhatsApp line). You will receive an automated response with your grant status.
4. grantZA Status Tool — Use our comprehensive status check tool for real-time status information, troubleshooting guidance, and payment date lookup.
5. Toll-Free Call — Phone 0800 60 10 11 (SASSA toll-free line, Monday to Friday, 08:00–16:00). An agent can check your status and help with banking detail updates.
Check Your April Payment Status Now
Use our comprehensive Status Check tool for real-time status, troubleshooting, and payment date lookup. It covers SRD, Older Person's, Disability, Child Support, and all other SASSA grants.