Social pension is a new social security regime applied from July 1, 2025, when the 2024 Social Insurance Law takes effect. This is a type of social insurance guaranteed by the state budget for eligible elderly people.
Article 21 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance stipulates the subjects and conditions for enjoying social pension benefits, including 2 groups.
The first group is citizens who meet 3 conditions: Being 75 years old or older; Not receiving pension or monthly social insurance allowance; Having a written request for social pension allowance.
The second group is citizens from 70 years old to under 75 years old belonging to poor households, near-poor households and meeting the conditions: Not receiving pension or monthly social insurance allowance and having a written request to receive social pension allowance.
People receiving social pension benefits are entitled to 3 regimes: Monthly social pension allowance; funeral expense support; health insurance benefits paid by the state budget. In which, the monthly social pension allowance is the most important financial support, ensuring regular income for the elderly.
Article 3 of Decree No. 176/2025/ND-CP specifically stipulates the monthly social pension level of 500,000 VND/month. This allowance is entirely guaranteed by the state budget.
However, in Clause 6, Article 6 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance, the law encourages localities (depending on socio-economic conditions, budget balancing capacity and mobilization of social resources) to provide additional support for social pension beneficiaries.
Therefore, in 2026, many provinces and cities have used local budgets to provide additional support so that social pension beneficiaries can receive a monthly allowance higher than the general regulations in Decree 176/2025/ND-CP.
The highest level applied is in Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city with a monthly social pension level of 700,000 VND/month, 200,000 VND/month higher than the general level.
This allowance level is decided by the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council in Resolution 65/2025/NQ-HĐND dated July 17, 2025, applied from July 27, 2025.
According to the Quang Ninh Department of Health, from July 1, 2025, about 25,600 elderly people in Quang Ninh province will enjoy social pension benefits under the Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024/QH15, with a level of 500,000 VND/person/month.
In order to continue to improve the quality of life of people in the direction of sustainable, happy and inclusive development, the Quang Ninh Department of Health has advised the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council for promulgation Resolution No. 65/2025/NQ-HĐND dated July 17, 2025.
The Resolution stipulates increasing the social pension allowance level, and at the same time allocating funds for payment and policy management in the province.
Accordingly, the province will provide an additional support of 200,000 VND/person/month, raising the total social pension allowance to 700,000 VND/month, applicable to:
- 16,500 people adjusted from social assistance to social pension allowance.
- 9. 100 people benefit from the new policy.
Hai Phong City People's Council also approved the monthly social pension allowance level of 700,000 VND/month in Resolution 48/2025/NQ-HĐND dated December 10, 2025, applied from January 1, 2026.
In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the monthly social pension allowance level higher than the national average has also been applied. In these 2 cities, the social pension allowance level is also 650,000 VND/month.
Hanoi City People's Council approved the monthly social pension allowance level of 650,000 VND/month in Resolution 63/2025/NQ-HĐND dated November 27, 2025, applied from January 1, 2026.
Ho Chi Minh City People's Council approved the monthly social pension allowance level above in Resolution 36/2025/NQ-HĐND dated August 28, 2025, applied from September 1, 2025.
