SASSA has released the official payment schedule for October 2025. Beneficiaries are reminded to carefully check and remember the specific dates for their grants to ensure smooth access to funds.

Here are the official payment dates for October:

• Old Age Grant: Thursday, October 2, 2025
• Disability Grant: Friday, October 3, 2025
• All other SASSA grants (including child grants): Monday, October 6, 2025

SASSA has reminded beneficiaries to avoid rushing to collection points on the first day, as funds will remain available in their accounts until they are needed.

For any queries or assistance regarding your grant, contact the SASSA toll-free line at 0800 60 10 11 or visit your nearest SASSA office.

SASSA has announced that from September 1, 2025, all new grant applications will require mandatory biometric enrolment, including fingerprints or facial recognition. The move aims to curb fraud, eliminate duplicate payments, and ensure that only genuine beneficiaries receive grants.

CEO Themba Matlou said the system will make SASSA’s processes more secure, transparent, and trustworthy. The agency has completed staff training and infrastructure rollout to ensure smooth implementation.

Biometric enrolment is expected to reduce fraudulent applications, strengthen audit processes, and build greater public confidence in the social grants system.

The biometric system is a strategic move to ensure that every grant recipient is verifiably authentic and to make SASSA’s systems more resilient against manipulation and error, particularly in cases involving forged green ID documents.

The biometric enrolment will ensure:

• Significant reduction in fraudulent applications and duplicate payments

• Reliable verification of beneficiary authenticity and proof of life

• Reduction in inclusion errors

• Streamlined documentation processes

• Enhanced audit outcomes and stronger record integrity

• Improved public trust in the Social Assistance Programme

Meanwhile, all social grants, barring the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, increased in April this year.

Delivering the 2025 Budget Speech in Parliament earlier this year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that the number of social grant beneficiaries – excluding those receiving the SRD grant – was expected to rise to around 19 million in 2025/26 and 19.3 million in 2027/28 due to a growing population of older persons.

Godongwana said that for 2025/26, social grants were allocated approximately R284.7 billion.

“As announced by the President in the State of the Nation Address, the SRD was to be used as a basis for the introduction of a sustainable form of income support for unemployed people.

“The future form and nature of the SRD would be informed by the outcome of the review of active labour market programmes, which was expected to be completed by September 2025.

“The truth was that ours was one of the most comprehensive social safety nets among emerging economies. This reflected our commitment to addressing poverty and inequality, while keeping our spending sustainable,” he said.

The grant increases that took effect in April were:

• Old age grant: increased from R2185 to R2315
• War veterans grant: increased from R2205 to R2335
• Disability grant: increased from R2185 to R2315
• Foster care grant: increased from R1180 to R1250
• Care dependency grant: increased from R2185 to R2315
• Child support grant: increased from R530 to R560
• Grant-in-aid: increased from R530 to R560

In the Budget Review, National Treasury stated that the budget for social grants was increased by R8.2 billion over the medium term to account for higher living costs.

“An amount of R35.2 billion was allocated to extend the payment at the current SRD rate of R370 per month per beneficiary, including administration costs,” the department said.

Also read: Armed intruder shot and killed by Centurion home owner

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.