Foster Child Grant Rises to R1,300 a Month from October 2026

The Foster Child Grant increased from R1,290 to R1,300 a month with effect from 1 October 2026. The increase is set out in Government Gazette No. 54397 (Government Notice R.7287, 23 March 2026) and was confirmed in Parliament's 2026/27 social-grant budget briefing.

What Changed

Only the Foster Child Grant amount changed in October 2026. It is the only SASSA grant with a second increase this year — a further R10 on top of the R40 rise in April 2026 (R1,250 → R1,290 → R1,300).

| Grant | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 October 2026 | |---|---|---| | Foster Child Grant | R1,290 | R1,300 | | Older Persons (60–74) | R2,400 | R2,400 (unchanged) | | Older Persons (75+) | R2,420 | R2,420 (unchanged) | | Disability | R2,400 | R2,400 (unchanged) | | Care Dependency | R2,400 | R2,400 (unchanged) | | War Veterans | R2,420 | R2,420 (unchanged) | | Child Support | R580 | R580 (unchanged) | | Grant-in-Aid | R580 | R580 (unchanged) |

Why Only the Foster Grant

The Minister of Social Development gazetted a two-stage increase for the Foster Child Grant: R1,290 from 1 April 2026 and R1,300 from 1 October 2026. The other permanent grants were increased once, in April, and are not due for another increase until April 2027.

What This Means for You

• If you receive the Foster Child Grant, your payment from October 2026 onwards is R1,300 per child — check your own pay date, as the grant is paid in the first week of the month.
• The grant is not means-tested, so the increase applies to every foster child in your care under a valid children's court order.
• Where to check: your own payment on the SRD portal (srd.sassa.gov.za) or at a SASSA office.

How We Verified This

This figure does not come from the gov.za foster-child service page, which still shows the April amount (R1,290). We used the legal instrument — the gazetted Schedule of increases — together with Parliament's budget confirmation. See the sources below.

We have updated our Foster Child Grant guide, grant amounts history and all grants list to reflect R1,300.