Starting from July 1, 2025, the age requirement for receiving social retirement benefits in Vietnam will be reduced from 80 to 75 years. Additionally, some individuals aged 70 to under 75 will also be eligible for this allowance.

VietNamNet recently received an inquiry from a citizen regarding the new social retirement allowance under the Social Insurance Law 2024.

Le Thi Luong, 75, from My Dinh, Hanoi, shared that she left home at 18 and worked as an accountant for a cooperative in Thanh Hoa.

After getting married and having children, she quit her accounting job in 1977 and has been working various freelance jobs since then. She later moved to Hanoi to live with her children.

Le Thi Luong is concerned about whether she qualifies for the social retirement allowance under the new law, given her age and employment history.

New regulations under Social Insurance Law 2024

According to representatives from Hanoi Social Insurance, the Social Insurance Law 2024, effective July 1, 2025, specifies that Vietnamese citizens are eligible for a social retirement allowance if they meet three conditions: being at least 75 years old, not receiving a pension or monthly social insurance allowance, and submitting a written request for the allowance.

The law also states that Vietnamese citizens aged 70 to under 75 who belong to poor or near-poor households and meet two conditions (not receiving a pension or monthly social insurance allowance, and submitting a request) are also entitled to the allowance.

Thus, under the new law, Vietnamese citizens aged 75 and above who do not receive a pension or monthly social insurance allowance (except as otherwise stipulated by the government), or citizens aged 70 to under 75 who are classified as poor or near-poor and meet the necessary criteria, will receive the monthly social retirement allowance funded by the state budget.

Allowance amount and government adjustments

The monthly retirement allowance amount will be regulated by the government, taking into account economic and social conditions and the budget capacity.

The government will review and adjust the allowance level every three years. Depending on local economic conditions and budget balance, provincial People’s Committees may propose additional support to the beneficiaries.

According to a draft decree guiding the implementation of the Social Insurance Law, from July 1, 2025, eligible individuals will receive a monthly retirement allowance of 500,000 VND (approximately 21 USD).

The Ministry of Home Affairs forecasts that starting from July 1, 2025, about 1.2 million citizens aged 75 and older will benefit from this monthly allowance.

In cases where an individual is eligible for both the social retirement allowance and another monthly social allowance, they will receive the higher of the two. Those already receiving the social retirement allowance will have their health insurance premiums covered by the state budget. In the event of their death, the person responsible for funeral arrangements will receive financial support for burial costs, as stipulated in the law concerning elderly support.

Currently, social retirement allowance beneficiaries who pass away are entitled to funeral assistance amounting to 10 million VND (approximately 420 USD).

Vu Diep