Department of Social Development · National Treasury · SASSA
The Livelihoods Grant: How South Africa's R370 SRD Becomes a Permanent Grant
The Livelihoods Grant is a proposed permanent income-support grant that National Treasury has scheduled to replace the R370 SRD on 1 April 2027. This page tracks every dated milestone in that policy journey, from the R350 COVID SRD introduced in May 2020 to the draft regulations gazetted for public comment in 2026.
Policy timeline
Every entry below is drawn from a primary government source. Read each linked document at the source for the full wording. Dates marked proposed are subject to change until final regulations are published in the Government Gazette.
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May 2020 COVID relief
SRD introduced at R350 per month
President Cyril Ramaphosa announces the Social Relief of Distress grant on 21 April 2020 as part of the R500 billion COVID-19 relief package. The first payments of R350 per month are made from May 2020 to unemployed adults aged 18 to 59 with no other income support. The grant is set to expire in October 2020.
Presidency address, 21 Apr 2020 -
Aug 2020 - Apr 2022 Extensions
SRD extended repeatedly on a temporary basis
The SRD is extended in successive short cycles as unemployment stays above 30%. Government confirms the grant will continue as a temporary measure while a permanent income-support instrument is designed. Payments remain at R350 per month throughout this period.
SASSA newsroom archive -
Apr 2022 Regulations
SRD regulations gazetted under the Social Assistance Act
The Minister of Social Development publishes formal regulations for the SRD under the Social Assistance Act, 2004. This is the first time the grant is written into subordinate legislation rather than sitting in emergency proclamations, and it introduces the monthly means-test rule that any bank inflow above the threshold causes a decline.
Social Assistance Act on gov.za -
Feb 2023 SONA
SONA describes SRD as a bridge to a permanent grant
In the State of the Nation Address, the Presidency describes the SRD as a bridge toward a permanent income-support grant, and commits to publishing a policy framework. National Treasury's 2023 Budget Review sets aside contingency funding for the transition.
State of the Nation Address archive -
2023 - 2024 Green Paper
DSD publishes Comprehensive Social Security discussion documents
The Department of Social Development releases discussion papers on comprehensive social security. The papers set out three options for a permanent unemployment-based grant, with income-support amounts pegged to the food-poverty and lower-bound poverty lines. Public workshops run through 2024.
DSD policies -
Feb 2025 Budget
SRD raised to R370 and extended to March 2026
The 2025 Budget Review increases the SRD from R350 to R370 per month and extends the grant to 31 March 2026. National Treasury confirms in the same document that the SRD is on a path to be replaced by a permanent grant, and allocates funding for design and system readiness at SASSA.
Budget Review 2025 -
Nov 2025 Framework
DSD circulates the Livelihoods Grant framework
The Department of Social Development shares a draft framework for the Livelihoods Grant with Nedlac, civil society organisations and parliamentary committees. The framework introduces the name "Livelihoods Grant", proposes a phased top-up above R370, and links payment to active job-seeking and skills-development registration on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) database.
Portfolio Committee on Social Development (PMG) -
Feb 2026 Budget
Livelihoods Grant confirmed as SRD replacement from 1 April 2027
The 2026 Budget Review confirms the Livelihoods Grant as the permanent replacement for the SRD, effective 1 April 2027. The R370 SRD is extended for a final 12 months to 31 March 2027 to allow for beneficiary migration. Treasury commits to phased funding once regulations are gazetted.
Budget Review 2026 -
Mar - Jun 2026 Gazette
Draft regulations published for public comment
The Minister of Social Development publishes draft regulations for the Livelihoods Grant in the Government Gazette. The regulations set out eligibility, the means-test threshold, the payment mechanism (Postbank Gold Card and bank account), and the automatic migration process for existing SRD recipients.
Government Gazette archive -
Sep 2026 Where we are today
Public comment period closes; DSD reviewing submissions
The public comment window on the draft Livelihoods Grant regulations closes in September 2026. DSD confirms it has received submissions from Nedlac, civil society, Parliament, banking sector representatives and individual members of the public. Final regulations are expected to be gazetted before the 2027 Budget.
Department of Social Development -
Late 2026 Proposed
Final regulations gazetted; migration windows announced
The Minister of Social Development is expected to publish final Livelihoods Grant regulations after considering public comments. SASSA is expected to open its automatic-migration workflow for existing SRD recipients, with preparation steps around banking details, ID re-verification and Postbank Gold Card adoption.
SASSA newsroom -
Feb 2027 Budget
2027 Budget confirms Livelihoods Grant funding envelope
The 2027 Budget Review is expected to confirm the final Livelihoods Grant amount, the annual funding envelope, the take-up projections, and the SASSA administrative allocation for beneficiary migration. Any amendments to the means-test threshold would be published at the same time.
National Treasury -
31 Mar 2027 Proposed cut-off
Final R370 SRD payment run
Under the current timetable, the final R370 SRD payment covers the March 2027 approval cycle. Existing recipients are expected to continue receiving the R370 amount up to this date, with automatic migration into the Livelihoods Grant on 1 April 2027 conditional on meeting the preparation steps announced by SASSA.
See the current SRD guide -
1 Apr 2027 Proposed start
Livelihoods Grant scheduled to begin
The Livelihoods Grant is scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2027, subject to the final regulations. Payments are expected to flow to migrated SRD recipients through their existing SASSA payment method (Postbank Gold Card, bank account, or CashSend) unless a new instrument is gazetted.
sassa.gov.za
Nothing has been gazetted in its final form yet
Every future-dated item above is a proposal set out in Treasury and DSD documents. The actual amount, means-test threshold, and migration rules only become binding once the final regulations are published in the Government Gazette. For the current position on SRD payments while you wait, see the SRD guide and the SASSA status check.
Where to read the primary sources
Rather than relying on secondary write-ups, the following government portals hold the actual documents cited above:
National Treasury Budget Review: treasury.gov.za/documents/national budget holds every year's Budget Review, which is the definitive source for any amount, funding envelope, or timetable claim on this page.
Government Gazette: gov.za/documents/government-gazettes is where all draft and final regulations under the Social Assistance Act are published. Look for notices from the Minister of Social Development.
Department of Social Development: dsd.gov.za publishes policy discussion papers, media statements, and portfolio committee submissions on income-support reform.
SASSA: sassa.gov.za is the operating agency and will host the migration workflow when it opens.
Parliamentary Monitoring Group: pmg.org.za/committee/9/ tracks the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, including the hearings on the Livelihoods Grant framework.