A number of social security benefits are expected to increase starting July 1st.

From July 1st, those who have contributed to social insurance but do not yet meet the eligibility requirements for retirement benefits will be added to the roadmap for increasing pensions and social retirement allowances; the preferential treatment standard for meritorious individuals is expected to increase by 8%.

Include those currently receiving social insurance benefits in the retirement pension increase plan.

From July 1st, pensions, social insurance benefits, and monthly allowances will increase by 8%, impacting nearly 3.5 million people across nine beneficiary groups. Among these, those who contribute to social insurance but do not meet the retirement eligibility requirements, and those under 75 years old, are included in the adjustment roadmap for the first time. Under current law, this group receives monthly allowances directly from their contributions to the Social Insurance Fund, without being able to withdraw their contributions in a lump sum or retain their contribution period.

In 2026, the eligibility age for this group will be 61 years and 6 months for men, 57 years for women, and under 75 years old, provided they have contributed to social insurance for less than 15 years. The minimum benefit will be equal to the social retirement allowance. This amount is being proposed to be increased to 540,000 VND per month from July 1st. If the proposal is approved, the minimum benefit for this group will increase by 8% on the social retirement allowance, reaching 583,200 VND per month.

The benefit period is calculated from the month the worker reaches retirement age and requests a monthly allowance until they reach the age of 75, with an increase in the allowance when the Government adjusts pensions. In addition to the allowance, the state budget pays for health insurance for the beneficiary.

Retirement benefits for those aged 75 and over will increase by 8%.

Social pension benefits for people aged 75 and over, and the social assistance standard used to calculate benefits for certain vulnerable groups, are expected to increase by 8% from July 1st. Approximately 4.5 million people will benefit, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health .

The social retirement allowance for those aged 75 and above who do not receive a pension or monthly social insurance benefits will cover approximately 2.5 million people. The benefit amount will be increased to 540,000 VND, a rise of 40,000 VND compared to the current amount. Those belonging to poor and near-poor households will be eligible at a lower age, from 70 to under 75.

The standard assistance level is also proposed to be adjusted by 8% to 540,000 VND per month. Approximately 2 million people will benefit from this scheme, including people with disabilities, orphaned children, those in special circumstances, poor single parents raising children, people with HIV, and other expanded groups as defined by local authorities.

The Ministry of Health assesses that social assistance is still low compared to the minimum needs of the people and is not truly commensurate with social policies such as social insurance, poverty reduction, and preferential treatment for war veterans. The assistance standard has been adjusted to 540,000 VND, equivalent to 24.5% of the rural poverty line and 19% of the urban poverty line. The agency is submitting a proposal to the competent authority to consider raising the assistance standard according to a roadmap: 540,000 VND from July 1, 2026, and 600,000 VND per month from July 1, 2027 onwards, to better ensure the livelihoods of beneficiaries.

The social assistance standard has been raised to 540,000 VND.

Raising the social assistance standard to 540,000 VND will serve as the basis for increasing support in emergency situations caused by natural disasters, fires, and force majeure events. Between 2021 and 2025, natural disasters caused 1,280 deaths and disappearances, 3,190 injuries; nearly 287,700 houses were destroyed, collapsed, or swept away, and 164,700 houses were damaged. Total losses exceeded 111,900 billion VND.

It is expected that the minimum funeral assistance for families with a deceased or missing person due to natural disasters, fires, epidemics, traffic accidents, serious work accidents, or force majeure will be 50 times the standard social assistance allowance, or 27 million VND. This amount also applies to agencies or individuals who undertake funeral arrangements for the deceased who have no surviving relatives.

Poor and near-poor households and disadvantaged families whose houses have been completely destroyed, collapsed, swept away, or burned down due to natural disasters, fires, or force majeure, leaving them with no place to live, will receive support for house reconstruction costs, with a minimum amount of 40 million VND. Households that must be urgently relocated by decision of competent authorities due to the risk of landslides, natural disasters, or fires will receive support of at least 30 million VND. A minimum of 20 million VND will be provided to poor and near-poor households and disadvantaged families whose houses are severely damaged due to natural disasters, fires, or force majeure and are uninhabitable.

The Ministry of Health proposes adding authority for emergency assistance at different levels. Upon identifying households or individuals in need of assistance, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level will review and compile a list and consider providing support from local resources. If the commune's capacity is exceeded, they will request support from the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level in accordance with regulations on national budget and reserves. If the province's balancing capacity is exceeded, the head of the province will request assistance from the Ministry of Finance .

The standard for preferential allowances for meritorious individuals is expected to reach 3.012 million VND.

After two years without adjustment, the preferential allowance standard for war veterans is expected to increase by 8%, from 2.789 to 3.012 million VND per month, according to a proposal from the Ministry of Interior. This will be the basis for calculating benefits, allowances, and preferential treatment for war veterans and their relatives. The total estimated cost for the whole year of 2026 after adjustment is approximately 42.3 trillion VND.

It is expected that from January 1, 2027, the annual allowance for commemorating fallen soldiers will increase to 1.6 million VND after 5 years without adjustment; the allowance for meals during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year) will increase to 300,000 VND per person; and the maximum cost for medicine, treatment, and health rehabilitation at care facilities will increase to 11 million VND instead of the current 8.5 million VND.

Nationwide, over 9.2 million people have rendered meritorious services to the revolution and their relatives; 175,000 remains of martyrs have yet to be found, and more than 300,000 graves remain unidentified.

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Elderly people in Hanoi receive their pensions at a payment point. Photo: Phong Linh.

The Ministry of Health assesses that the coverage of social pension policies is still low, as a portion of elderly people aged 60 to under 70 do not receive a pension and are not yet covered by it. Vietnam has approximately 14.4 million people after retirement age, of which 42% receive monthly pensions, social insurance benefits, or social pension allowances; the remainder are not covered by social security.

Vietnam is entering a period of rapid population aging amidst global aging trends. In 25 years, the proportion of people aged 65 and over has increased from 7% to 14%, much faster than many developed countries, creating significant pressure on the policy and social security system.

In 2025, Vietnam will have approximately 16.5 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for 16% of the population. It is projected that by 2036, the country will enter a period of population aging, and by 2050, this group could account for over 25% of the population. The group aged 80 and over is growing rapidly, with women making up a higher proportion than men. While the average life expectancy in Vietnam is 74.7 years, the number of years lived in good health is only about 65.4 years, placing a significant demand on healthcare and services for the elderly.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/hang- loạt-che-do-an-sinh-du-kien-tang-tu-17-post311116.html