SASSA December 2026 payment dates: pensions on 2 December, disability on 3 December, children's grants on 4 December

December grants are paid in the first week of the month, exactly as SASSA announced in its 2026/27 schedule. Older persons get their money on Wednesday 2 December 2026, disability grant holders on Thursday 3 December and children's grants follow on Friday 4 December. In a statement on 28 October, SASSA said the shifted dates used in November applied only to that month because of the local government elections, and that payments from December to March 2027 stay as previously announced.

What are the SASSA payment dates for December 2026?

All three main grant types are paid within three days. SASSA staggers them so that beneficiaries are paid as early in the month as possible, according to IOL's report of 10 November.

The same SASSA statement says a new schedule for the 2027/28 financial year will be communicated through its official channels. Nothing in it points to a different December payment for people whose grants are under review, so keep an eye on any notice you receive.

How much will each grant pay in December?

Amounts have not moved since April, when the increases announced in the February Budget took effect. IOL listed them again this week.

When is the SRD R370 grant paid in December?

There is no fixed date that we could confirm from an official source. SRD is paid after each monthly approval run, so two applicants can be paid on different days. The reliable way to see your own status is the SRD portal, and we explain the steps in our guide to checking your SRD status. Websites that print a neat calendar of SRD dates are guessing.

What should I do before pay day?

Start with the review notices. SASSA said that failure to comply with a review notice may lead to suspension of payments, so if you were asked to send documents, send them within the period given. It also asked beneficiaries to report a changed cellphone number, address or marital status, otherwise notices can go unseen.

Be wary of anything that arrives by SMS or WhatsApp. SASSA urged people to use its official platforms and to ignore unverified messages and speculation, and that includes forwarded posts promising extra December money.

Anyone who wants to move their grant to another bank account should deal with a SASSA office, and the details are in our guide to changing banking details. EWN's report on the December dates adds that changes should be submitted before the 19th of the month to avoid delays.

Do I have to withdraw the money on the first day?

No. EWN notes that the funds stay available in your account, so there is no need to join the first-day queue. If your payment does not arrive on the scheduled day, visit your nearest SASSA local office. If you are short before pay day, a registered lender is the safer route than any "SASSA loan" offer, and our guide to loans for grant recipients explains how they work.