VI In the context of a rapidly aging population and the increasingly urgent need to ensure social security, regulations on eligibility criteria and conditions for receiving the social retirement benefit continue to be adjusted and supplemented by the State to expand protection for the elderly with little or no income. 2026 marks important updates in the social retirement benefit policy, directly impacting the rights of many vulnerable groups in society. To understand who is eligible and what legal conditions must be met according to the latest regulations, let’s explore this further with Pham Consult in the content below.
- What is a social retirement benefit?
Social retirement benefits are a type of social insurance guaranteed by the state budget for eligible elderly people as stipulated in the 2024 Social Insurance Law. According to Article 4 of the 2024 Social Insurance Law, social retirement benefits include the following:
– Monthly social retirement allowance;
– Funeral expense support;
– Health insurance coverage paid by the state budget.
- Eligibility and conditions for receiving social retirement benefits
According to Article 21 of the 2024 Social Insurance Law and Article 2 of Government Decree No. 176/2025/ND-CP detailing and guiding the implementation of some articles of the Social Insurance Law on social retirement benefits, the eligibility and conditions for receiving social retirement benefits are as follows:
– Vietnamese citizens are entitled to social retirement benefits when they meet the following conditions:
(i) Being 75 years of age or older;
(ii) Not receiving a monthly pension or social insurance benefit; or currently receiving a monthly pension or social insurance benefit lower than the retirement benefit level stipulated in Decree 176/2025/ND-CP;
(iii) Having submitted a written request for social retirement benefits.
– Vietnamese citizens aged 70 to under 75 years old belonging to poor or near-poor households as defined by the Government and meeting the conditions specified in points (ii) and (iii) above.
- Social Retirement Benefit Level
The subjects specified in Section 2 above are entitled to a monthly social retirement benefit of VND 500,000/month. In cases where the subjects specified in Section 2 are also eligible for a monthly social benefit, they are entitled to a higher benefit.
The monthly social pension allowance is regulated in accordance with the socio-economic development conditions and the capacity of the state budget in each period. Every three years, the Government reviews and considers adjusting the social pension allowance.
Depending on the socio-economic conditions, the ability to balance the budget, and the mobilization of social resources, the People’s Committee of the province submits to the People’s Council of the same level a proposal to provide additional support to recipients of social pension allowances.
- Procedures for implementing social pension allowances
Applicants for social pension allowances must submit a written request for social pension allowance directly, via postal service, or online to the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune, ward, or special administrative region under the province or city where they reside (hereinafter referred to as the commune level).
Within 10 working days from the date of receiving the application for social retirement benefits, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune shall review, verify, and standardize the relevant information of the applicant against the national population database, and decide on and disburse the social retirement benefits to the applicant in accordance with the law. The monthly social retirement benefit period shall be calculated from the month the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune signs the decision. If the applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements for social retirement benefits, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune shall provide a written response stating the reasons.
In cases where a recipient of social retirement benefits changes their place of residence and requests to receive benefits at their new place of residence, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune where the recipient previously resided shall decide to cease paying social retirement benefits in that area and send a written document, along with relevant documents of the applicant, to the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune where the recipient previously resided. The Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune where the recipient previously resided, based on the applicant’s relevant documents, shall consider and decide whether to continue paying social retirement benefits and commence payments from the month payments cease at the previous place of residence.
In cases where a recipient of social retirement benefits dies or no longer meets the eligibility requirements for social retirement benefits, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of the commune shall decide to terminate the recipient’s social retirement benefits. The termination of social retirement benefits shall take effect from the month following the month in which the recipient died or became ineligible.
- Implementation of Social Pension Payments
The social pension system and policies are paid fully and promptly every month to the correct beneficiaries. The selection of organizations providing social pension payment services is carried out in accordance with the law. Organizations providing payments must have experience in social security policy payments, a network of transaction points in communes, wards, and special zones; be able to make payments at home for certain specific groups; ensure the conditions for timely and safe payments; and have personnel to support the People’s Committees at the commune level in updating the database and monitoring changes in beneficiaries in the community.
Payments made through a service organization are formalized in a contract between the People’s Committees at the commune level and the service organization. The contract clearly specifies the scope, recipients, payment methods (including payment via bank account, electronic payment account as prescribed by law, or direct cash payment), payment time, payment amount, payment deadline, rights and responsibilities of the parties, and other agreements related to the payment;
Before the 25th of each month, the People’s Committee of the commune, based on the list of beneficiaries in the area; the amount of funds to be paid in the following month (including retroactive payments and funeral expenses for beneficiaries); and any remaining funds not yet paid in previous months (if any), shall withdraw the budget allocation from the State Treasury and transfer it to the deposit account of the payment service organization, and simultaneously forward the payment list to the payment service organization for payment to beneficiaries in the following month. During the payment period, the People’s Committee of the commune shall assign a person to supervise the payment process carried out by the payment organization.
Monthly, the payment service organization compiles and reports a list of beneficiaries who have received payments, the amount disbursed; a list of beneficiaries who have not yet received payments to be carried over to the following month, the remaining unspent funds, and submits supporting documents (signed receipt lists, bank transfer documents) to the People’s Committee at the commune level before the 20th of each month for consolidation and settlement of payment funds as prescribed.
