In October 2025, the Universal Basic Income Grant (UBIG), which was also known as a R350 monthly payment during the COVID period, will officially be phased out by SASSA. The government is going to introduce a new set of social support programs that will be more targeted to the needy and will take over the UBIG. Interestingly, the beneficiaries who used to get UBIG are now in the position where they have to re-evaluate their situations and see whether they are entitled to the new grants, as the rules, methods of payment, and criteria for eligibility have all undergone significant changes.
Reasons for the discontinuation of UBIG
At the time of the introduction of the R350 grant, it was primarily meant for providing emergency relief to the unemployed and the vulnerable in society. Later on, the program slowly but surely became a burden to the government as it had to keep paying the grant; it thus became expensive and infeasible. The government has mentioned in its reasons the issues of high public debt, the need for limited but targeted assistance, not general; the fraud that goes on in the service, and the wish to help the recipients participate in the economy through their workplace activities. It is true that UBIG played a very critical role in the crisis; however, the program was never meant to be an everlasting one.
The New Grant Schemes
SASSA (with government planning) has presented four new categories of social support to occupy the gap of UBIG:
- An expanded SRD grant for 18-59 years of age people who earn less than R624 per month, unemployed, and informally employed, with R370 monthly.
- A Youth Employment Support Grant (for those aged 18-35) at R500 per month with an income ceiling of R1,200.
- An Unemployed Worker Transitional Aid for persons aged 36-60 with income not exceeding R1,000.
- A Basic Income Support Voucher for the poor whose monthly earnings do not surpass R750: a food voucher worth R300 every two months.
The difference in this program is that it aims to provide specific support through targeted groups instead of simply making payments to everyone.
Changes to Payment Methods
New payment methods will be used for the new schemes. A bank account or a mobile wallet will be obligatory for the recipients—no more Post Office cash withdrawals. Biometric identity verification (fingerprints or facial recognition) will be a must to prove your identity. The disbursement of payments could be linked to your ID number, which means that support will be provided to various individuals on different days.
What the UBIG Beneficiaries Need to Do at This Point
In case you were one of the UBIG support receivers and want to keep getting government assistance, you have to execute the ensuing actions:
- New application submission according to the pertinent grant category.
- Verify that the banking and SASSA contact information are accurate.
- Go through biometric verification (fingerprint, facial scan) if asked to.
- Check your status regularly at srd.sassa.gov.za to see if you have been granted approval.
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