Recently, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has proposed two options to increase the social allowance standard, including for the elderly. Option 1 is to increase the monthly social allowance standard from VND 360,000/person to VND 500,000, equivalent to 33% of the rural poverty line for the period 2021-2025.
Option 2 is to raise the monthly social allowance standard from VND 360,000/person to VND 750,000, equivalent to 50% of the rural poverty line for the period 2021-2025. Raising the social allowance standard will partly improve the lives of the elderly.
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| Currently, the country has about 16.1 million elderly people, accounting for over 16% of the population. Of these, more than 5.4 million elderly people are receiving pensions, social insurance benefits, and preferential benefits for people with revolutionary contributions. |
The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said that there are currently about 16.1 million elderly people nationwide, accounting for over 16% of the population. Of these, more than 5.4 million elderly people are receiving pensions, social insurance benefits, and preferential benefits for people with revolutionary contributions. More than 15 million elderly people have health insurance cards.
Currently, the elderly receive social benefits, preferential benefits for people with revolutionary contributions, pensions, and social insurance benefits through state public service providers and ATM cards.
To date, 14 provinces and cities have proactively raised the social assistance standard higher than the prescribed level for about 700,000 beneficiaries, with a budget of more than VND 3,500 billion; 32 provinces and cities have expanded the scope of beneficiaries to include elderly people in difficult circumstances and living alone who are entitled to social assistance policies.
According to the assessment, the work of caring for and promoting the role of the elderly continues to receive attention from all levels and sectors. Every year, longevity celebrations are organized for over 1.2 million elderly people; periodic health check-ups are conducted for 4.5 million elderly people; and health records are established for 3.5 million people.
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| Nationwide, there are currently over 7 million elderly people directly participating in labor, production, and business; nearly 734,000 elderly people participate in Party, government, Front, and mass organization work...; |
At least 95% of provinces and cities have intergenerational self-help clubs for the elderly. Nationwide, 86% of communes, wards and towns maintain and operate a fund to care for and promote the role of the elderly with a total mobilized amount of nearly 300 billion VND.
Nationwide, there are currently over 7 million elderly people directly participating in labor, production and business; nearly 734,000 elderly people participating in Party, government, Front, and mass organization work...; contributing 2 million working days, donating more than 1 million square meters of land, and 260 billion VND to implement the new rural and civilized urban movement.
However, currently, some localities are facing difficulties in arranging funding for regular medical examination and treatment at facilities for the elderly; they have not paid attention to or arranged recreation, entertainment, and community activities areas for this group...
In particular, social assistance policies for the elderly are also limited and low. With the current social assistance standard for the elderly of about 360,000 VND/month, only about 17% of the average income, 24% of the rural poverty line for the period 2021-2025, it only supports a part of the essential needs of the people. The rate of elderly people in poor households is 3.6%, near-poor is 11.6%, higher than the national average.
According to Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP of the Government regulating social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries, the elderly who fall into one of the following cases are entitled to monthly social allowances, including: Elderly people who are poor households, have no one with the obligation and right to support them or have someone with the obligation and right to support them but this person is receiving monthly social allowances.
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| Intergenerational Self-Help Club meeting in Vuc Village, Thanh Liet Commune, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi City. |
Elderly people from 75 to 80 years old, poor households, near-poor households living in communes and villages of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas with special difficulties.
People aged 80 years or older who do not have a pension, monthly social insurance allowance, or monthly social allowance. Elderly people who are poor, have no one with the obligation and right to support them, do not have the conditions to live in the community, are eligible to be admitted to a social assistance facility but have someone to raise and care for them in the community.
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| Every year, the organization celebrates longevity for over 1.2 million elderly people; conducts periodic health check-ups for 4.5 million elderly people, and establishes health records for 3.5 million elderly people.... |
Depending on the local socio-economic conditions, the Provincial People's Committee shall submit to the People's Council of the same level for decision on the social assistance standard level and the social assistance level applied in the locality, ensuring that it is not lower than the social assistance standard level and the social assistance level as prescribed.
This year, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said it will also conduct research and evaluate the implementation of the Law on the Elderly; submit for promulgation a Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP regulating social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries, in the direction of raising the social assistance standards and expanding the social assistance beneficiaries in accordance with the practical situation.
Along with that, the National Strategy on the Elderly in Vietnam to 2035, with a vision to 2045, will be submitted for promulgation.
The Ministry will also coordinate with relevant agencies to implement the goal of 100% of the elderly being granted health insurance cards; replicate the model of intergenerational self-help clubs; train and improve the capacity of cadres working with the elderly...
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