Millions of South Africans who rely on social grants can start planning for September, as the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed when beneficiaries can expect their payments.

According to the Department of Social Development (DSD), SASSA’s payment schedule for the 2026/27 financial year was approved by National Treasury in March.

Permanent social grants will once again be staggered, with Older Persons Grants paid first, followed by Disability Grants and Children’s Grants.

Here are the SASSA payment dates for September 2026

The confirmed dates are:

• Older Persons Grant: Wednesday, September 2
• Disability Grant: Thursday, September 3
• Children’s Grants: Friday, September 4

SASSA said the general principle is to pay social grants as early in the month as possible while staggering payments to help the National Payment System operate efficiently and make it easier for beneficiaries to access their money.

When determining payment dates, SASSA also considers weekends and public holidays and generally avoids making payments on the first day of the month or on a Monday.

How much will SASSA beneficiaries receive?

Social grant increases announced in the 2026 Budget came into effect in April.

According to government information, the Older Persons, Disability and Care Dependency grants increased by R80 to R2 400 per month.

The War Veterans Grant increased to R2 420, while the Child Support Grant and Grant-in-Aid increased to R580.

The Foster Care Grant increased from R1 250 to R1 295, according to the government’s 2026 Budget information.

The R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant, meanwhile, was extended until March 31, 2027, at its current value.

What about the R370 SRD grant?

SRD beneficiaries should remember that the R370 grant does not follow the same three-day payment schedule as permanent social grants.

Beneficiaries should check their individual status and payment information through SASSA’s official channels rather than relying on dates circulated on unofficial social media pages.

Beneficiaries under review

SASSA has also recently introduced a separate payment arrangement for certain beneficiaries whose grants have been flagged for review.

For the August payment cycle, beneficiaries under review were scheduled to receive their grants on the fourth payment day, after the normal three-day cycle.

Beneficiaries who are undergoing a review should therefore pay close attention to communication from SASSA regarding their individual September payment.

SASSA has urged beneficiaries experiencing payment problems to visit their nearest SASSA office for assistance.

Social Development Minister Dina Pule has also assured beneficiaries that the transition from the old SASSA Gold Card to the Postbank Black Card will not interrupt grant payments.

For most permanent grant beneficiaries, the three key dates to remember in September are September 2, September 3, and September 4.

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