This year, Mr. Minh has just started receiving a pension of 3.1 million VND. If this salary does not increase in the near future, it will be difficult to ensure the daily life of the couple.
Mr. Minh said that compared to many others, his pension of 3.1 million VND is quite good because he has paid a high level of social insurance. Some people his age only receive a starting pension of 2.6 million VND.
With 3.1 million VND, Mr. Minh affirmed that it was only enough for the couple to eat, buy milk, and buy clothes every day. Money for medicine, food, and ceremonies always had to be paid for by his children. That was also the reason why Mr. Minh had to work as a security guard and clean other people's gardens even though he was no longer of working age.
Mr. Minh shared that in 2024, pensions will increase by 15% while civil servant salaries will increase by 30%, which is unfair.
“Healthy civil servants can still work, a 30% salary increase is even better, we are old and weak and only rely on pensions. In 2025, if the State has not increased salaries for civil servants, it should still increase pensions by at least 15% for the elderly,” said Mr. Minh.
Ms. Vu Thi Lai (62 years old), residing in Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi, said that although her current pension has increased to 4.5 million VND, she still hopes for a further increase next year.
“We old people only rely on pensions and cannot do any other jobs to earn a stable income. Annual pension increases are appropriate to market prices and health as we age,” Ms. Lai expressed her wish.
According to Ms. Lai, next year the prices of daily necessities will increase. The increase in pension is only to compensate for inflation and is difficult to save. Besides, Ms. Lai said that the older she gets, the more diseases she suffers. Therefore, the increase in pension will help her feel more secure if she has to take medicine or go to the hospital.
"If workers decide not to withdraw their social insurance at once and keep their pension, there needs to be an appropriate policy to increase it," said Ms. Lai.
Therefore, Ms. Lai's wish in 2025 is to continue to increase pensions so that the elderly can live in peace. According to Ms. Lai, the lowest increase is 6% according to the average interest rate of the bank, and the highest that Ms. Lai wants is an increase of 15% like in 2024.
