Is there a time limit on old approved SRD months?

SASSA has not published one. The SASSA booklet and the SRD website do not give a cut-off date for paying old approved SRD months.

Will updating my banking details release the old months?

SASSA does not say that. Its banking page says new banking details "will only be used for future payments, after verification." The step SASSA names for approved-but-not-paid is the verification link and face scan.

What does "approved" with no pay date mean for an old month?

It means SASSA approved you for that month but no payment date was set. SASSA's instruction for this status is to request a verification link and complete the face scan.

Who do I contact about old unpaid months?

SASSA call centre 0800 60 10 11 or GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za. Give your ID number and the exact months that show approved but not paid.

SRD Approved Months Never Paid - Can You Still Get Them?

Updated on 06 November 2026

Short answer: SASSA has not published a clear rule on old months. The one step it asks for is this: if your status says approved but you were not paid, request a verification link and do the face scan on srd.sassa.gov.za.

What SASSA has published

The SASSA "You and Your Grant 2026" booklet says, in the SRD section:

"If your grant status shows approved but not paid, you are required to request a verification link and complete the facial recognition process."

When the face scan works, the SRD website can show this message (copied exactly as SASSA wrote it):

"Congratulations, your e-KYC is successfully VERIFIED. Please note you will get grants continue the subsequent inclusive of historic payments."

"Historic payments" suggests older unpaid months can be included. SASSA does not say which months, how far back, or when they are paid.

What SASSA has NOT published

No time limit. We found no official cut-off date for old approved SRD months.
No promise for every month. Nothing official says every old approved month will be paid.
No payment timeline. Nothing official says how long after the face scan old months are paid.

Be careful with rules you may see elsewhere, like "unclaimed after 90 days". In the booklet, those rules sit under the normal grants. The booklet also says: "The COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) is not a grant." SASSA has not said whether those rules apply to SRD.

What to do

Check your status for each month on srd.sassa.gov.za. Write down every month that shows approved but no payment. Our status check guide shows how.
Request the verification link and do the face scan. SASSA checks your face against Home Affairs.
If the scan says your photo does not match, SASSA says to visit Home Affairs to update your records, then try again.
If it says you have reached the maximum attempts, SASSA says to "visit your nearest SASSA office with your ID book for biometric verification."
Still not paid? Contact SASSA with your ID number and the list of months (below).

Will new banking details release the old months?

SASSA does not say so. Its banking page says:

"Please also note that the new banking details will only be used for future payments, after verification."

If your banking details are wrong, fix them for future months (see change SRD banking details). For old months, the step SASSA names is the verification link and face scan.

Who to contact

SASSA call centre: 0800 60 10 11 (toll-free)
Email: GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za
SASSA WhatsApp: 082 054 0016
A SASSA office: use our branch finder

Tell them your ID number and the exact months, for example "March 2023 and April 2023 show approved, no payment".

Questions people ask

My SRD status shows "approved" for months in 2022, 2023 or 2024 but I was never paid. Can I still get that money?: SASSA has not published a rule that says yes or no for old months. What it does say: if your status shows approved but not paid, request a verification link and complete the face scan. After a successful scan, the SRD website can show a message saying payments continue "inclusive of historic payments".
Is there a time limit on old approved SRD months?: SASSA has not published one. The SASSA booklet and the SRD website do not give a cut-off date for paying old approved SRD months.
Will updating my banking details release the old months?: SASSA does not say that. Its banking page says new banking details "will only be used for future payments, after verification." The step SASSA names for approved-but-not-paid is the verification link and face scan.
What does "approved" with no pay date mean for an old month?: It means SASSA approved you for that month but no payment date was set. SASSA's instruction for this status is to request a verification link and complete the face scan.
Who do I contact about old unpaid months?: SASSA call centre 0800 60 10 11 or GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za. Give your ID number and the exact months that show approved but not paid.

Sources

SASSA, "You and Your Grant 2026" booklet (SRD section, PDF page 13; contacts, PDF page 2) - dsd.gov.za (PDF)
SASSA SRD website, identity check (e-KYC) status - srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/ekyc/status
SASSA SRD website, banking details update - srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/banking-details-update

SASSA website text checked on 4 November 2026.

Disclaimer: We are not associated with SASSA in any way. We provide independent information to help you. For official info visit www.sassa.gov.za or call the toll-free line 0800 60 10 11 or email GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za.

Click here to join our telegram channel and stay up to date with load shedding and related news!