What are the official social grant increases for 2024?
Godongwana delivered his 2024 Budget Speech to Parliament on Wednesday. Permanent social grants are increased to keep pace with inflation and increase access.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirmed Wednesday that the permanent SASSA grants will be INCREASED.
CONFIRMED: HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL SASSA GRANTS INCREASES FOR 2024
Godongwana delivered his 2024 Budget Speech to Parliament on Wednesday.
Permanent social grants are increased to keep pace with inflation and increase access:
- 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.
THE SRD GRANT WILL BE IMPROVED BY APRIL
“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. Work is currently underway to improve the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant by April this year.”
Godongwana furthermore said the National Treasury will work with the Department of Social Development in ensuring that improvements in this grant are captured in the final regulations.
THE EXTENSION WILL BE WITHIN THE CURRENT FISCAL FRAMEWORK’
“These improvements will be within the current fiscal framework.
“For the extension of the grant beyond March 2025, the social security policy reforms, together with the funding source, will be finalised.”
THE SRD GRANT WAS INTRODUCED IN MAY 2020
The SRD grant, originally introduced in May 2020 to help poor households at the height of the pandemic, has been extended.
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Earlier in 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the grant would end in March 2023 and was then extended to March 2024.
On Wednesday, 21 February, the Finance Minister is expected to announce an extension and a possible increase, as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during this year’s State of the Nation Address (Sona).
HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE INCREASE
Ramaphosa said the SRD grant will be extended and improved as they have seen the benefits of the R350 SRD grant since its introduction.
“In the midst of the pandemic, we introduced the special SRD Grant, which currently reaches some 9 million unemployed people every month. We have seen the benefits of this grant and will extend it and improve it as the next step towards income support for the unemployed.
“These grants and subsidies do much more than give people what they need to live. They are an investment in the future. Social assistance has been shown to increase school enrolment and attendance, lower drop-out rates, and improve the pass rate. South Africans are living longer than ever before,”- he said.