Who is entitled to social pension benefits?
Article 2 of the Decree detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Social Insurance on social pension benefits clearly states: As stipulated in Article 21 of the Law on Social Insurance, Vietnamese citizens aged 75 and over will be entitled to social pension benefits if they fully meet the conditions.
First, that person does not receive a monthly pension or social insurance allowance. In case they are receiving one of these amounts but the benefit level is lower than the prescribed social pension level, they are also eligible.
Second, people who need to receive benefits must have a written request to receive social pension benefits according to regulations.
Thus, not everyone who is 75 years old is automatically entitled to allowances. Elderly people must also meet the conditions of not having a pension, monthly social insurance allowance or the level they are receiving is lower than the social pension level, and at the same time make a written request.
Are people aged 70 to under 75 entitled to it?
The policy also expands the target group for a group of elderly people from 70 to under 75 years old.
Vietnamese citizens of this age group must be from poor or near-poor households as prescribed by the Government. At the same time, they must meet two conditions similar to the 75-year-old age group, including:
Not receiving pension or monthly social insurance allowance; or receiving but the benefit level is lower than the social pension allowance level as prescribed.
Procedures for receiving social pension benefits
According to Article 4 of the Decree detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Social Insurance on social pension benefits, people eligible to receive social pension benefits need to make a request form and submit documents according to regulations. After receiving, the commune-level government will verify information, appraise and decide on receiving benefits.
People eligible for allowances, or guardians of people eligible for them, need to prepare a Declaration form requesting social allowances, social pension allowances according to Form No. 01 issued together with the decree on social assistance policies.
Dossiers can be submitted in one of three ways:
Online through the National Public Service Portal.
Through postal services.
Submit directly at any One-Stop Shop.
This helps people have more choices when carrying out procedures, without necessarily having to go directly to administrative agencies if they can submit dossiers online or via post office.
After receiving the dossier, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune where the applicant resides is responsible for organizing the verification of the applicant's information.
Verification is carried out through relevant databases, including the National Population Database, the National General Database and common specialized databases.
After that, the competent authority will appraise and decide on the enjoyment of social pension benefits.
The processing time is 7 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier.
If eligible, people are entitled to allowances from the month the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee signs the decision. The payment of allowances is also carried out in accordance with the law.
In case the applicant does not meet the conditions to receive social pension benefits, the Chairman of the commune-level People's Committee will respond in writing and clearly state the reason.
Is it necessary to redo procedures when changing residence?
People who are receiving social pension benefits but change their place of residence and want to continue receiving benefits in their new place of residence will follow the process of moving to another place to receive benefits.
Accordingly, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee where the old residence is located will decide to terminate the payment of allowances in the old area, and at the same time send a document with the beneficiary's dossier to the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee where this person moves to reside.
At the new place of residence, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee shall base on the dossier to decide on the continued enjoyment of social pension benefits.
The allowance level will be applied according to the corresponding level in the new area, calculated from the month of termination of payment at the old place of residence.
When will subsidies be stopped?
Social pension benefits will be terminated when the beneficiary dies or no longer meets the conditions for enjoying benefits as prescribed.
At that time, the Chairman of the commune-level People's Committee will decide to terminate the enjoyment of social pension benefits.
The time of termination of benefits is calculated from the month immediately following the month the beneficiary passes away or the month that person is no longer eligible for benefits.
