About 4.5 million people are receiving monthly allowances
On April 10, the Department of Social Protection - Ministry of Health organized a thematic conference on social protection work in 2026.
At the conference, Mr. To Duc - Director of the Department of Social Protection, Ministry of Health said: In 2025, 5/5 targets in the field of social protection were achieved and exceeded.
The coverage has been expanded, currently nationwide there are about 4.5 million people receiving monthly allowances, including social protection and pension benefits. There are 2.5 million elderly people receiving social pension benefits.
Thus, in the past year, the number of elderly people has increased by 1.6 million compared to 2024. The current level of social protection coverage is 4.5% of the population" - Director of the Department of Social Protection, Ministry of Health said.
According to the Ministry of Health, currently, the standard social allowance and social pension allowance of 500,000 VND/month is the lowest level in the social security system. If only adjusted to increase by 8% (to 540,000 VND/month), this allowance level still does not reach 25% of the rural poverty standard and less than 20% of the urban poverty standard.
Currently, the Ministry of Health proposes to raise the standard level of social assistance, the social pension level from 500,000 VND/month to 600,000 VND/month (an increase of 20%).
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said: Social protection policies are implemented synchronously and effectively, promptly supporting people facing difficulties due to natural disasters and epidemics. Beneficiaries are increasingly expanded. The social protection system is gradually being completed in the direction of integration, comprehensiveness, and modernity.
Administrative procedure reform, decentralization and digital transformation are promoted and contribute to ensuring social security as well as improving people's lives.
However, besides that, we also see that social protection work still has some shortcomings and limitations such as: Subsidy levels are still low compared to minimum needs; Resources are still limited; Service quality is not uniform.
According to the Deputy Minister, the regulations on health care facilities for the elderly or daycare inpatient facilities for the elderly are currently not specifically regulated.
Policies on care for children in difficult circumstances and people with disabilities need to be further improved to meet current needs.
The team of social workers is still lacking. Social evils are still developing complicatedly.
These issues require us to focus on completing and synchronously implementing solutions in a more drastic and innovative manner in the coming time to suit the actual situation and meet the needs of the people as well as international integration" - the Deputy Minister said.
Ensuring a minimum living standard, gradually improving the quality of life for vulnerable groups
Deputy Minister Lien Huong suggested that in the coming time, central and local agencies and units need to focus on implementing a number of key tasks:
Continue to thoroughly grasp, thoroughly grasp and implement the Party's Resolutions and legal policies on social protection work.
Continue to improve policies and laws on social protection, review, amend and supplement policies in a synchronous and integrated direction, ensuring a minimum living standard, gradually improving the quality of life for vulnerable groups, in accordance with the budget capacity of each period and the socio-economic development conditions of the country.
Research and develop the Law on Social Assistance; develop the Law amending and supplementing the Law on People with Disabilities; the Law amending and supplementing the Law on the Elderly; and the Ordinance amending and supplementing the Ordinance on Prevention and Combat of Prostitution.
Develop an adaptive, comprehensive, and modern social protection system, contributing to building a multi-layered and sustainable social security system; harmoniously combining state assistance, social insurance and the participation of the business community.
Develop a network of professional and diverse community-based care service providers.
Develop a team of professional social workers in the fields of social welfare, health, schools, justice, reform schools and community development.
Strengthen inter-sectoral coordination in the field of preventing and combating social evils in the new situation; innovate approaches, focus on early and remote prevention, promptly identify and effectively control new types of evils that arise; promote communication...
Promoting digital transformation in the field of social protection; building a national database for the field of social protection; applying technology in management, payment and policy monitoring;...
Mobilize and effectively use social resources, strengthen socialization, encourage businesses, organizations, and individuals to participate in providing care services to people in need.
Improve the effectiveness of state management, clarify responsibilities; strengthen inspection and supervision, and enhance the role of local authorities in organizing implementation.
