SRD Grant is Increasing from R350 to R370

The social relief of distress grant will increase by R20 or 5.7% from 1 April, the Minister of Finance Mr Enoch Godongwana announced in Parliament on Wednesday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa promised in his February State of the Nation speech that the government would “extend and improve” the grant, which has stood at R350 a month since it was introduced in May 2020. However, no increase was announced in the Budget in February.

The grant was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to cushion the blow of the lockdown for the poorest of the poor. Since then, it has been extended and the criteria for qualification tightened to include only those who have no income at all. About 9 million people now receive the grant at a cost to government of R33.6 billion.

The ANC government has committed to making provision for a permanent basic income grant at some point in the future.

About 26 million people in SA receive social grants at a total cost of R266 billion a year.

From 1 April, the old age grant will increase by R90 with another small increase in October of R10 to R2 185; the child support grant will increase by R25 to R530; and the disability grant by R100 to R2 815.

R350 grant to increase to R370 from April

The increases to be implemented during this year are as follows:

• “I am pleased to say that we have found consensus that in between, subject to the finalisation of the comprehensive social security [programme], we’ll increase the R350 to R370 by the 1st of April this year. That is part of the progressive realisation of the basic rights of our people,” he said.

  In the Budget Speech delivered in February, Godongwana had announced that social grants across the board are set to increase over the course of 2024.

  The increases to be implemented during this year are as follows:

  • An increase of R100 to the old age, war veterans, disability and care dependency grants. This amount will be divided into R90 effective from April, and R10 effective October;
  • A R50 increase to the foster care grant; and
  • A R20 increase to the child support grant.

  “We are sensitive to the increase in the cost of living for the nearly 19 million South Africans who rely on these grants to make ends meet. In this regard, we have done as much as the fiscal envelope allows,” Godongwana said at the time. – SAnews.gov.za