“R2400” is the shorthand many people now use for the SASSA older persons grant, or old age pension. It is the maximum monthly amount for a pensioner aged 60 to 74 in the 2026/27 financial year. This page explains what the figure does and does not cover, what people aged 75 and over receive, and which day of the month the money arrives.
What “R2400” actually refers to
From 1 April 2026 the older persons grant rose by R80 to R2,400 a month. Two other grants share that exact figure: the disability grant and the care dependency grant. So a headline about “R2400 payments” could mean any of the three, but they are paid on different days. Only the older persons grant is paid on the first day of the cycle.
R2,400 is also a ceiling, not a fixed payment. Pensioners with private income or assets can receive less, because SASSA applies a sliding-scale means test. SASSA has not published its 2026/27 income and asset limits in a form we could confirm, so ask SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 if you need the exact thresholds. How the amount moved from the previous year is covered in our page on the 2026 grant increases.
Amounts by age band
- Aged 60 to 74: up to R2,400 a month.
- Aged 75 and older: up to R2,420 a month. The extra R20 is linked to age, so it depends on the date of birth SASSA holds for you.
- War veterans: R2,420, paid together with the older persons grants.
There is no further increase for older persons during this financial year. Messages claiming an October 2026 top-up for pensioners are false; the next change is expected only after the February 2027 Budget.
Pensioners are paid first each month
SASSA staggers grant payments over three days, and the older persons grant always takes the first slot, ahead of disability grants and then children’s grants. Usually that means the 2nd or 3rd of the month. Older people often have the hardest time standing in long queues, and spreading the three groups out keeps pay points, ATMs and shops calmer on each day.
The next older persons pay days are:
- October 2026: Friday 2 October (already paid)
- November 2026: Tuesday 3 November
- December 2026: Wednesday 2 December
- January 2027: Tuesday 5 January, later than usual because of New Year’s Day and the weekend
For every month up to March 2027 and the disability and children’s dates, see the full SASSA payment schedule. If you want to compare with an earlier month, the May 2026 older persons dates are kept as a record.
When the pension does not arrive on the first day
Two things commonly delay a pensioner’s money. If SASSA has flagged the grant for a review, payment may come a working day later than the children’s grants, and you then need to visit a SASSA office that month to finish the review. And anyone who never swapped an old SASSA gold card cannot reach the money until they get a Postbank black card, even though the grant is still deposited. The gold card replacement guide explains the swap.
My mother turned 75 this year. Does she need to apply for the extra R20?
No separate application is described in SASSA’s material; the higher amount is tied to age. If the payment has not changed a month or two after her birthday, phone 0800 60 10 11 and have her ID number ready.