SASSA payment dates for November 2026 (and what changed in October)

SASSA's calendar had pensioners getting paid on Tuesday 3 November. Disability grants were due on Wednesday 4 November.

Then 4 November became the day South Africa votes in its local elections.

So on 30 September SASSA said the whole November pay cycle is under review. It has not published new dates yet. "Do not panic though, all eligible beneficiaries will receive their grants," the agency said, as reported by The Citizen.

This page tracks the official dates and amounts every month. It changes as soon as SASSA does.

What changed this month?

• 7 October 2026: Revised November dates still not announced. The dates below are the original official schedule.
• October 2026: The foster child grant went up R10, from R1,290 to R1,300. It is the only grant with a second increase this year.
• 2 to 7 October 2026: October grants were due on the published days. Older persons on Friday 2 October, disability on Monday 5 October, children's grants on Tuesday 6 October.
• 30 September 2026: SASSA said the November cycle is being reviewed because of the 4 November elections.
• 1 September 2026: Old SASSA gold cards stopped working. Our guide Your SASSA gold card stopped working. Here is what to do now explains how to get your money.

What are the SASSA grant dates for November 2026?

These are the dates SASSA published in July for the whole 2026/27 year. Treat them as the starting point, not the final word, until SASSA confirms.

SASSA said it will consult "relevant stakeholders" first, then announce the new arrangement. It has not said whether the days will move earlier or later.

Be careful of posts that claim to have the new dates already. Until SASSA's own website or its official Facebook and X pages publish them, they are guesses.

Photo: Lgaompe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

How much is each SASSA grant now?

Every grant except the SRD went up on 1 April 2026, after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's budget in February. The old age grant rose R80 to R2,400 a month. That is R960 more over a full year.

The foster child grant moved twice. It went to R1,290 in April and R1,300 in October, according to the Budget Review figures reported by Daily Maverick.

For a mother with two children on the child support grant, the April increase adds R40 a month. That is R480 over the year.

Some reports from February listed the old age grant at R2,315 before the increase. The difference is October 2025's R10 top-up. Either way, the amount paid now is R2,400.

Is the R370 SRD grant still being paid?

Yes. President Cyril Ramaphosa extended the SRD in his February State of the Nation Address, and it now runs until 31 March 2027 at the same R370 a month, Business Day reported.

R370 a month adds up to R4,440 over a year. It has not gone up since it was introduced.

There is also a court fight over it. The High Court in Pretoria ruled that parts of the SRD rules were unlawful, including the R370 amount and the R624 income limit. On 26 August 2026 the state lodged its appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal. Until that court rules, nothing changes for people getting the grant.

SRD money does not arrive on one fixed day. It is paid in batches, usually in the last part of the month, so two people can be paid days apart.

How do I check my SASSA status without getting scammed?

Use only these official channels:

• SRD status: Srd.sassa.gov.za. Enter your ID number and the phone number you applied with.
• SASSA call centre: 0800 60 10 11, free from any phone.
• Your local SASSA office, for anything you cannot fix online.

SASSA does not charge to apply and does not ask for your card PIN. Anyone who promises faster approval for a fee is a scammer. Links in WhatsApp groups that look like SASSA but end in something other than sassa.gov.za are fake.

How do I appeal if my SRD was declined?

First ask SASSA to look again (a "reconsideration") on the SRD website. If that fails, appeal to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals.

GroundUp's guide says to appeal ideally within 30 days of the decline, and no later than 90 days. The tribunal then takes 60 to 90 days. If it says no, you cannot appeal again. If it says yes, the money is paid on the next payment run.

The Black Sash gives free advice on grant problems at help@blacksash.org.za.

Photo: Leo za1 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Where can I collect my grant money?

Your grant is paid into an account on the pay day. After that it stays there until you take it out. You can:

• Use a Postbank Black Card at any ATM or at Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar tills.
• Use your own bank card if SASSA pays into a Capitec, FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank or other account.
• Change where SASSA pays you by taking a bank-filled form to a SASSA office. Changes made before the 20th usually apply from the next month, says the Black Sash.

If your bank balance looks wrong after a grant lands, our guide on why a bank account can go into the minus explains the usual causes. FNB customers have reported the same problem, as we covered in the story of a client stuck at minus R7,000.

When will SASSA announce the next dates?

SASSA publishes the full year in advance. The 2026/27 schedule came out in July. It then confirms each month on its website and social media, usually in the last week of the month before.

For December the published days are Wednesday 2 December for older persons, Thursday 3 December for disability and Friday 4 December for children's grants.

November is the month to watch. SASSA has to publish new dates before 3 November, the first original pay day, and this page will show them the day it does. Until then, your grant is safe, the amount is fixed, and the only open question is which day it arrives.