SASSA SRD R370 Grant to continue until March 2027 – at great expense

Millions of vulnerable South Africans will continue receiving the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant after government confirmed that the payment has been extended until 31 March 2027.

The grant, administered by the South African Social Security Agency, will remain at R370 per month, according to the 2026 Budget Review released by the National Treasury in February.

Initially introduced as temporary relief during the Covid-19 pandemic, the SRD grant has since become a lifeline for millions of unemployed South Africans facing rising living costs and limited job opportunities.

Government Allocates Billions

Treasury has allocated an additional R36.4 billion to fund the grant extension until March next year.

“The social relief of distress grant is allocated an additional R36.4 billion to extend payments until 31 March 2027 at the current R370 per month per beneficiary,” Treasury said.

According to SASSA, around 8.2 million people receive the grant every month.

At the current payment level, this translates to roughly R3 billion monthly – or more than R36 billion annually, making the SRD one of the country’s largest social support programmes.

However, Treasury’s medium-term projections suggest some uncertainty for recipients beyond 2027, with allocations declining sharply to R1.7 billion in 2027/28 and R1.2 billion in 2028/29, raising questions about the long-term future of the grant.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify for the SRD grant, applicants must:

• Be between 18 and 60 years old
• Be unemployed
• Be a South African citizen, permanent resident, refugee, asylum seeker or special permit holder
• Have no income or financial support
• Not receive another SASSA grant, UIF payments or an NSFAS stipend

Payments Made Monthly

Unlike permanent grants, SRD payments are issued in staggered monthly batches, meaning beneficiaries may receive funds on different days depending on verification processes.

SASSA has encouraged recipients to regularly check their payment status through official channels to avoid confusion over payment dates.

For millions of households, the SRD grant remains a crucial source of income as unemployment and financial pressure continue to weigh heavily on South Africans.

Payment dates

Unlike some permanent grants that are paid on fixed dates, SRD grant payments are made in staggered batches each month.

In May 2026, beneficiaries can expect payments on 21 and 22 May and again on 27 and 28 May. 

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