SASSA October 2026 Payment Dates Confirmed
Social grant beneficiaries across South Africa will receive their October payments from Friday, 2 October 2026, but this month the usual three-day run is broken up by a weekend.
Older Persons Grants go out on the Friday, then there is a two-day gap before Disability Grants are paid on Monday, 5 October and children’s grants on Tuesday, 6 October.
SASSA has confirmed its October payment schedule, following the standard three-day staggered rollout used throughout the 2026/27 financial year.
When each grant is paid
| Grant | Grant amount | Payment date |
|---|---|---|
| Older Persons Grant | R2 400 | Friday, 2 October 2026 |
| Disability Grant | R2 400 | Monday, 5 October 2026 |
| Children’s grants (Child Support, Foster Child, Care Dependency) | Varies | Tuesday, 6 October 2026 |
| Review / eLife Certification beneficiaries | — | Wednesday, 7 October 2026 |
Children’s grant amounts differ by grant type: Child Support pays R580, Foster Child R1 300 and Care Dependency R2 400.
October is the month the Foster Child Grant moves from R1 290 to R1 300, the second of the two increases announced in the February Budget. No other grant changes value this month.
The dates come from the payment schedule published by the Department of Social Development for the 2026/27 financial year, which National Treasury approved in March.
Grant-in-Aid is not paid separately. It arrives on the same day as the main grant it is attached to.
Why the Monday payment?
SASSA normally avoids paying on a Monday, but 3 and 4 October fall on a Saturday and Sunday. Rather than push everything to the following week, the agency kept the Older Persons date on the Friday and moved the remaining two grants to Monday and Tuesday.
Disability beneficiaries who are used to being paid the day after pensioners should plan for the extra two days.
This is also the first payment cycle since Gold Cards were switched off. Anyone who has not yet swapped to the Postbank Black Card will not be able to draw the October grant until they do.
The fourth payment day?
SASSA introduced a fourth payment day for beneficiaries selected for grant reviews or eLife Certification. Those affected receive a bulk SMS from the agency and are paid on Wednesday, 7 October rather than their usual date.
Beneficiaries paid on the fourth day are urged to visit their nearest SASSA office to complete the review.
Ignoring the request can result in the grant being suspended in the following cycle, and cancelled if the matter stays unresolved.
SRD R370 follows a different schedule
The R370 Social Relief of Distress grant is not paid on the three-day cycle above.
SASSA processes SRD payments in batches later in the month, after verifying applicant details against SARS, UIF, Home Affairs and bank records. The agency has not published a specific window for October, so dates circulating on social media should be treated with caution.
Check your SASSA status either on the official website or on the alternative source here.
Final note
There is no need to withdraw the full amount on payment day. Once the money lands, it stays in the account until it is needed, and waiting a day or two avoids the worst of the queues.
Grants can be drawn at any ATM, or at retailers including Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Usave. If a payment has not arrived within three working days of the scheduled date, call SASSA toll-free on 0800 60 10 11 or visit your nearest office.