R500 “extra” grant speculation in the year 2025 has triggered a controversial debate. Conversely, SASSA has stronghold denied the grant and even cautioned the beneficiaries not to fall prey and get deceived by fraud. This is a comprehensive and current report on SASSA grants for the year 2025, the payment schedule, and the qualification conditions.
SASSA’s Response to the R500 Winning Rumor
SASSA pronounced in an official declaration that the news of the R500 extra payment was a complete fabrication and even issued a cautionary note about the consequences. The agency reminded the people that they should always refer to the official sources for the most reliable information and while doing so, issued a warning against disclosing any private information to scammers posing as payment facilitators. Furthermore, the existing types of grants (Elderly, Disabled, Child Support, etc.) will be processed and scheduled in the usual manner and their increases for 2025 have also been planned.The R500 might not be a very big surprise in 2025 but still the financial plan shows that the existing grants’ budget will be increased mainly for the ones that were raised in September (April being the period with the larger amount).
In short:
- The grants for Old Age, Disability, and Care Dependency plus War Veterans were each fixed at R130 in April 2025.
- The Child Support Grant was raised from R530 to R560 in April 2025.
- The Foster Care Grant also received a small hike.
As a result, the recipients will only receive the new amounts, and not an additional one-time R500.
How & When Grants Are Paid: 2025 Payment Schedule
The knowledge of the payment schedule is vital for the SASSA beneficiaries as it will enable them to arrange their expenditures depending on the availability of the money.
Standard Payment Timing
- Old Age Grant payments are done at the start of each month (within the first week) whereas Disability Grant payments take place right after the Old Age payment, hence it is usually the next working day.
- Payments for Children’s and other grants like Child Support, Foster Care, etc. follow a few days later than the payments for disability.
The October 2025 schedule, for instance, will be:
- Old Age – Thursday, 2 October 2025
- Disability – Friday, 3 October 2025
- Children / other grants – Monday, 6 October 2025
In case a payment date lands on a weekend or a public holiday, SASSA usually shifts the payment to the next working day.
Eligibility and Who Gets What
The R500 bonus is no longer available, but the usual grants are still there for those who qualify according to the regular eligibility criteria. The following are the main points:
- Applicants should be either South African citizens, permanent residents or refugees with legal status in the country.
- The different grants (Old Age, disability, etc.) have a means test/income and asset threshold which the applicant must have met in order to be accepted.
- Some people consider Grant-in-Aid as an additional payment, but it is not a separate grant. It is a subsidy for the elderly, disabled and war veterans who already receive the respective grants and require assistance from each other.
According to the regulations, the Grant-in-Aid amount is currently R560 per month.
also read : SASSA Old Age Grant October 2025: Payment Date, Amount and Who Qualifies