Core SASSA Grants are changing at the end 2025. As millions of beneficiaries have already experienced, there was a small R10 increase to core SASSA Grants in October. Unfortunately, these increases did not apply to everyone on social welfare. Despite a R1.6-billion increase in the government’s social welfare budget for 2025/26, which raised the figure to R285 billion, SASSA Childcare grants missed out on increases.
Sadly for some, 2025 looks to have been the high-water mark for core SASSA Grants in South Africa. Because they will only decrease over the next two years. First by R14 billion, to R271 billion allocated for 2026/27 and then by a further R11 billion to just R260 billion for 2027/28. Considering inflation and population increase, it’s impossible for the agency to keep the same number of recipients for those budgets.
CORE SASSA GRANTS AFTER 2025
Nevertheless, South African Social Security Agency Grants did increase in October 2025 as follows:
- Old Age Grants (60 to 74) from R2 310 to R2 320.
- Old Age Grants (75+) from R2 330 to R2 340.
- War Veterans Grants from R2 330 to R2 340.
- Disability Grants from R2 310 to R2 320.
- Childcare Dependency Grants from R2 310 to R2 320.
Only the latter, which pertains to disability for children under the age 18, falls under SASSA Childcare Grants.
THE CYCLE OF DEPENDENCY
However, statistics around the rapid increase of core SASSA Grants makes for worrying reading. The number of residents on social welfare has positively sky-rocketed in the last twenty years. Back in the early 2000s, a mere 12.8% of the population received social grants. In 2019, this increased to 30.9%. And by 2024 the figure has surged to more than 40%.
Meanwhile, South African unemployment has increased for another consecutive quarter in 2025. There are nearly as many people on social welfare as there are gainfully employed, reports Stats SA. Unbelievably, four out of every 10 households in South Africa receives state welfare. And nearly one quarter (23.8%) of households say core SASSA Grants are their primary source of income.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CORE SASSA GRANTS IN 2026?
As such, the National Treasury has been vocal about creating a cycle of dependency through core SASSA Grants. It has tasked the Department of Social Development (DSD) with bridging the gap between the long-talked-about ‘basic income grant’ and ‘preparing jobseekers for employment.’
Meanwhile, the SASSA-Postbank Master Service Agreement (MSA) debacle is only deepening. A short-term concern is eventual termination of the agreement at the end of December 2025. Postbank has warned that it will eventually start charging SASSA beneficiaries monthly service fees to keep the doors open. Proposed service fees are:
- R7 for account maintenance.
- R2 per balance enquiry.
- R14 for ATM withdrawals.
- R22 per bank statement.
- R80 per replacement card.
Do you still bank with Postbank? And how do you see the future of core SASSA Grants beyond 2025? Let us know in the comments section below …
