Yes, the SRD grant was extended for another year. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced it in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (the mini-budget) on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. The R370 grant was due to end in March 2027 and now continues for a further year, which reports put at March 2028. The amount stays R370, you don’t need to reapply, and the extra checks on applicants will get stricter.
| Quick facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Announced | 21 October 2026, Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement |
| Announced by | Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana |
| Previous end date | March 2027 |
| New end date | One more year, reported as March 2028 |
| Amount | R370 a month, no increase |
| Income limit | R624 a month |
| Reapply? | No. Existing applications continue |
| SRD budget 2026/27 | R35.6 billion (down from R36.9 billion) |
On this page: What changed · What stays the same · The budget numbers · Stricter checks · Why not permanent? · The court case · Extension history · What to do now · FAQ
SRD grant extended: what the mini-budget changed
The Social Relief of Distress grant started in May 2020 as a Covid-19 measure and has been extended every year since. This time the SRD grant was extended in the October mini-budget rather than waiting for the February Budget. In February 2026, Godongwana had said the “finer details” of the grant’s future would come in the mini-budget (The Witness, 24 October 2026).
- One more year: payments continue after March 2027. Joburg ETC reports the new end date as March 2028.
- Jobs link: government plans to connect SRD recipients to jobs, training and business support.
- New data platform: MzansiXchange will match recipients against other government records.
- No decision on a permanent grant: the mini-budget didn’t announce when, or if, the SRD becomes a permanent basic income or “livelihoods” grant.
What stays the same for beneficiaries
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the amount going up? | No. It stays R370 a month, as it has been since April 2024 |
| Do I need to reapply? | No. Your application stays active and SASSA checks it every month |
| Has the income limit changed? | No. It is still R624 a month in your bank account |
| Do the pay dates change? | No. SRD payments still come later in the month on rolling dates |
| Can new people apply? | Yes. Applications stay open on the official SRD website |
For the exact steps, see our guides to applying for the SRD grant, when you need to reapply and SRD R370 payment dates.
The budget numbers behind the extension
Even with the SRD grant extended, the mini-budget set aside less money for the SRD, because fewer people are being paid than Treasury expected (GroundUp via AllAfrica, 21 October 2026).
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| SRD budget 2026/27 (February Budget) | R36.9 billion |
| SRD budget 2026/27 (October mini-budget) | R35.6 billion |
| All social grants 2026/27 | R289.8 billion (was R292.8 billion) |
| Expected savings from verification, 2027/28 to 2029/30 | R13.1 billion |
| People on all social grants in 2026/27 | About 17.8 million |
| Yearly SRD cost if the court ruling is upheld | About R74 billion (now about R36 billion) |
Lower uptake partly reflects the monthly checks, which decline many applicants. Our SRD status meanings guide explains the most common decline reasons and what to do about each.
Stricter checks are coming
Treasury expects to save money by checking applicants more closely. The mini-budget names MzansiXchange, a government data platform that will compare SRD recipients with other public records to find duplicate and fraudulent claims, and link people to job and training opportunities. SASSA already checks applicants against databases such as SARS, UIF, NSFAS and banks.
- Keep your cellphone number and banking details up to date. See changing your SRD phone number and updating banking details.
- Declare any income honestly. Money coming into your bank account, including from family, can count.
- If you are asked to verify your identity, follow our identity verification guide.
- If a month is declined, you have 90 days to appeal.
Why wasn’t the SRD made permanent?
In the 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the SRD grant would become permanent and be turned into a “livelihoods” grant. In April 2026, Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe said draft legislation was being prepared, but the grant stays temporary until a law makes it permanent (EWN, April 2026).
The mini-budget didn’t settle that question. Treasury’s concern is cost: a broad basic income scheme could cost hundreds of billions of rand. Reporting on the mini-budget says a revised costing is expected to go to Cabinet in 2027. Until then, the grant is extended one year at a time.
How the SRD court case could change things
In January 2025, the High Court in Pretoria ruled that parts of the SRD system unlawfully excluded people, including online-only applications and some bank and database checks. The court ordered government to plan increases to the grant and to the income limit. Government appealed, and the Supreme Court of Appeal heard the case in August 2026. Judgment is pending (Sowetan, August 2026).
Treasury estimates that if the ruling is upheld, between 3 and 13 million more people could qualify. Until the judgment, the current rules apply. Our SRD court case explainer covers the hearing and possible outcomes. We’ll update our SASSA news page when it comes out.
SRD grant extended every year: the history
| When announced | What happened |
|---|---|
| April 2020 | Grant introduced at R350 during the Covid-19 lockdown |
| 2021 to 2023 | Extended year by year; everyone had to reapply in April 2022 under new rules |
| February 2024 | Extended to March 2025 and raised to R370 from April 2024 |
| 2025 | Extended to March 2026, then to March 2027 in the November 2025 mini-budget |
| February 2026 | Budget confirms the grant to March 2027 with no increase |
| 21 October 2026 | Mini-budget: the SRD grant is extended one more year, reported as March 2028 |
Sources: The Citizen, November 2025, TimesLIVE, February 2026, GroundUp, October 2026.
What to do now
With the SRD grant extended to 2028, what you should do depends on your situation:
- Already getting the grant? Do nothing. Keep checking your status each month on our SRD status check page.
- Declined recently? Find out why, then appeal within 90 days if you still qualify.
- Never applied? You can still apply if you’re 18 to 59, have little or no income and get no other grant.
- Got a message saying you must “re-register” for the extension? It’s fake. There is no new registration.
Frequently asked questions
Has the SRD grant been extended?
Yes. The 21 October 2026 mini-budget extended the SRD grant for another year beyond March 2027, reported as March 2028.
Is the SRD grant increasing from R370?
No. The extension keeps the grant at R370 a month.
Do I need to reapply for the SRD grant after the extension?
No. Existing applications continue and are checked every month.
When will the SRD grant end?
With the SRD grant extended, it now runs one more year after March 2027. Government has not set a date for a permanent replacement.
Will the SRD become a basic income grant?
Government plans a permanent livelihoods grant, but the mini-budget gave no date and a law is still being drafted.
What is MzansiXchange?
A government data platform that will check SRD recipients against other records and link them to jobs and training.
Can I still apply for the SRD grant?
Yes. Apply on the official SRD website if you are 18 to 59 with income under R624 a month.
About this article
Written and checked by N Chris, for SASSA Status Check Help. This article was checked against reporting on the 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement by GroundUp, The Witness and Joburg ETC, and earlier coverage by EWN, Sowetan, TimesLIVE and The Citizen. We are not SASSA and never ask for your ID number, PIN or bank details. Read how we verify information.
