Cases eligible for social pension benefits
Voters in Lam Dong and An Giang proposed amending the policy to expand to subjects aged 70 to enjoy a monthly support regime of 500,000 VND (currently regulations only allow subjects aged 75 and over to enjoy a regime of 500,000 VND/month).
Answering voters, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that in the past time, the Government has issued documents to reduce the age and increase social allowances for the elderly. Decree No. 30/2002/ND-CP dated March 26, 2002 stipulates that elderly people aged 90 and over are entitled to social allowances; Decree No. 67/2007/ND-CP dated April 13, 2007 reduces the age to 85 years; Decree No. 06/2011/ND-CP dated January 14, 2011 stipulates that people aged 80 and over, without pensions or social allowances from the State, are entitled to social allowances.
On March 15, 2021, the Government issued Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP on social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries, expanding the subjects eligible for monthly social allowances for people aged 75 to under 80 years old from poor households, near-poor households, living in communes and villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas with special difficulties.
On June 30, 2025, the Government issued Decree No. 176/2025/ND-CP detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Social Insurance on social pension benefits.
Accordingly, from July 1, 2025, the elderly are considered for social pension benefits when they meet the following conditions:
From 75 years old or older or from 70 years old to under 75 years old belonging to poor households, near-poor households;
No monthly pension or social insurance allowance, except in other cases as prescribed by the Government;
The continued reduction in the age of enjoying social pension benefits needs to be comprehensively studied based on assessing the impact on beneficiaries, budget resources and the sustainability of the social security system, ensuring compliance with the state budget balance capacity in each period.
The Ministry of Health acknowledges voters' recommendations and will coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to study in the process of perfecting social security policies, advising competent authorities to consider and decide.
Proposal to increase the allowance level from 500,000 to 540,000 VND/month
Tay Ninh voters proposed considering adjusting and increasing the monthly support level for poor households, near-poor households and policy families in a direction suitable to the actual living standard and current market price fluctuations, in order to contribute to ensuring living conditions and stabilizing life for people in difficult circumstances.
Answering voters, the Minister of Health said that from 2007 to now, the Government has issued 5 documents adjusting and increasing the social assistance standard for social protection beneficiaries. Raising the social assistance standard to 500,000 VND/month and implementing social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries is a great effort of the Government in the context of difficult state budgets.
Currently, the Ministry of Health has submitted to the Government a draft Decree replacing Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021 stipulating social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 76/2024/ND-CP and Decree No. 176/2025/ND-CP dated June 30, 2025 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Social Insurance on social pension benefits.
In which, the Ministry of Health proposed that the Government consider adjusting the social assistance standard and social pension allowance from 500,000 VND to 540,000 VND/month, corresponding to an increase of 8%.
Social assistance policies continue to be researched and adjusted to suit socio-economic development conditions and the ability to balance and mobilize resources from the state budget for social security.
