No news is good news for December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants. After last week’s November grant disbursements, recipients can look forward to a typical four-week cycle for the next payment date. However, there may be trouble on the horizon beyond December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants, which we will get into shortly …
For now, the next stipend will be paid on Tuesday 2 December 2025. As it has been since the minimal (R10) October increases, over 60s receive R2 320. And beneficiaries over 75 receive R2 340. However, there’s plenty of chicanery in the background that beneficiaries of December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants should keep tabs on.
DECEMBER 2025 SASSA OLD-AGE GRANTS
Firstly, a group of pensioners marched to parliament last week to demand increased December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants. Their demands in a memorandum handed over to parliament were for an increase to R5 000 per month. However, it was Social Development Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks’ response that caught everyone’s attention.
The deputy minister said the call for an increase to December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants was ‘not taken for granted.’ But he confessed that the South African Social Security Agency is coming under severe financial limitations. “Given the substantial pressures on the fiscus, the government has had to make difficult decisions to bring public finances back under control,” explained the deputy minister.
BUDGET UNDER SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL PRESSURE
Of course, Hendricks is referring to the massive social welfare budget cut coming into effect in the 2026/27 financial year. 2025 is the high-water mark for SASSA Grants in South Africa (R285 billion), because it’s only downhill from here, with decreasing budgets for the next two years. For 2026/27, the figure falls by R14 billion, to R271 billion. Then by a further R11 billion to just R260 billion for 2027/28.
As a result, the concern from civil advocacy groups is that SASSA cannot keep the same number of elderly recipients on its books. And that’s before you factor in inevitables like consumer inflation and population increase. In the early 2000s, a mere 12% of the population received social grants. In 2019, this had increased to 31%. And in 2025 the figure has surged beyond 40%.
LIMITS FOR DECEMBER 2025 SASSA OLD-AGE GRANTS
In turn, this goes a long way to explaining SASSA’s more-stringent income and biometric verification in 2025. And the increase in grant suspensions that have occurred as a consequence. The agency needs to cut recipients and make it harder for new applicants to join. In fact, SASSA quietly increased income and asset limits for December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants earlier this year:
- Your income must be less than R107 800 (single) or R215 760 (married) per annum.
- Your assets cannot be more than R1 524 600 (single) or R3 049 200 (married).
Applications typically take three months to be processed. However, if successful, you will be back paid to the date of your first application.
HOW TO APPLY FOR DECEMBER 2025 SASSA OLD-AGE GRANTS
Therefore, with budgets being culled in just three months, if you’re over 60, now is the time to apply for December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants. You are eligible if you meet the above asset and income limits. And if you are not housed in a state institution/care facility, or receive any other form of social welfare from the state.
As such, you will need the following for your application:
- Official RSA identity document (ID) (preferably a Smart ID Card with a digital ID photo).
- A valid three months’ statement certified by your bank.
- All documents proving your marital status.
- Proof of residence (a utility bill with your name on it, not older than three months).
- Documents proving your income and/or financial dividends.
- Comprehensive information regarding assets/valuation of property.
- A declaration of any private pension in your name.
If your application for December 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grants is denied, you have 90 days to appeal by clicking HERE.
LAST PAYMENT DATES BEFORE BUDGET CUTS
Below is a list of the remaining SASSA Old-Age Grant payment dates before the impending budget cut:
- Tuesday 2 December 2025
- Tuesday 6 January 2026
- Tuesday 3 February 2026
- Tuesday 3 March 2026
As always, for further assistance with SASSA, contact the agency below:
- SASSA Toll-Free Call: 0800 60 10 11
- SASSA Head Office: 012 400 2322
- Email SASSA: grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za
What do you think? How will SASSA be able to keep to its reduced budget in the next financial year? Let us know in the comments section below …
