Thus, in the Budget Speech for 2025 on March 12, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced increases in almost all the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants from April 1, 2025, designed to assist millions of South Africans who rely on social grants during this expensive time in their lives.
Some of the major grant increases effective April 2025
Various grants administered by SASSA will be increased starting April 2025. Among these grants are the Old Age Grant, Disability Grant, War Veterans Grant, Care Dependency Grant, Child Support Grant, Foster Care Grant, Grant-in-Aid, and Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant. The increase varies per grant for the purpose of reaching the envisaged financial relief to the most vulnerable population.
Old Age Grant
The Old Age Grant will be increased by R130 and will raise the monthly amount to R2,315 per month. This represents an increase of 5.9% and is indicative of government intentions to afford older persons further support in their daily expenses.
Disability Grant
Similarly, a further R130 increase is going to push the total monthly Disability Grant to R2,315. This new amount is expected to ease the financial burden on persons with disabilities and their families.
War Veterans Grant
The War Veterans Grant will see an increase of R130 for the month, bringing the monthly amount to R2,335. This payment adjustment is as much an acknowledgment of their service as it is intended towards improving their livelihood.
Care Dependency Grant
In the same vein, the Care Dependency Grant for caregivers of children with severe disabilities will also increase to R2,315 at the end of this month. With this kind of reimbursement, it becomes a little easier to afford the usual expenses incurred for care and support services for such dependent children.
Child Support Grant
The Child Support Grant will be up R30 to R560. While modest, the increase is meant to assist low-income homes in addressing the basic needs of their children.
Foster Care Grant
An increase of R70 is going to be added to the monthly payment of the Foster Care Grant, taking it up to R1,150. This is meant to help foster parents or guardians cover the costs that come with raising children placed in their care.
Grant-in-Aid
Constantly taking care of a beneficiary is going to be much more accessible with the additional R30 on Grant-in-Aid amounting to R530 per month. This will go a long way in alleviating caregiving expenses.
Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant
The IRD Grant, which was created during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, would be extended another twelve months to March 31, 2026. It is expected to increase by R20 to bring its total to R370 a month. More than 10 million people are dependent on this grant, and the grant’s extension and increase are expected to provide critical support for these people against tough economic times.
Government’s Commitment to Social Welfare
This government is really committed to social welfare. Then R 284.7 billion has been earmarked by the South African government for social grants during the financial year 2025/26. This strongly emphasizes the commitment given to one aspect, perhaps the most crucial input, which is social protection and poverty alleviation. The government has now raised value-added tax by 0.5 percent, but said the increases in the grants are meant to cushion low-income households from the effects of inflation and economic hardship.
Implementation and Payment Schedule
Start dates for new grant amounts are April 1, 2025. The beneficiaries would receive payments as per SASSA’s normal payment schedule, consisting of separate dates for older persons and persons with disabilities and children’s grants. The beneficiaries thus need to keep track of their payment dates so that they can plan accordingly to receive payments and avoid delays.