The Ministry of Finance speaks out about the proposal that pensions are not enough to cover living expenses

Accordingly, voters in Khanh Hoa province recommended that the Government have a policy to stabilize market prices or adjust salary policies commensurate with price levels.

Voters said that with the current salary, especially pensions, beneficiaries will find it difficult to ensure daily living expenses.

Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Finance said that the Ministry of Home Affairs is presiding over the development of the Salary and Allowance Project.

Regarding the adjustment of salary policy, on November 10, 2025, the Government issued Decree No. 293/2025/ND-CP regulating the adjustment of the minimum wage for employees working under labor contracts, applicable from January 1, 2026. According to the functions and tasks assigned by the Government, the Ministry of Home Affairs is the state management agency of salaries.

The Ministry of Finance said that the Ministry of Home Affairs is currently presiding over the development of a salary and allowance project for cadres, civil servants, public employees and armed forces after the reorganization of the apparatus and the organization of local governments at two levels, and submitting it to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

Regarding price stabilization policies, the Ministry of Finance said that on May 30, 2025, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 15/CT-TTg on strengthening price management and compliance with price laws.

According to the directive, the Prime Minister requested relevant agencies, organizations and individuals to study and implement price listing and price declaration, ensuring clarity and not causing confusion for customers. At the same time, strictly handle violations of the law on prices, increase publicity and transparency; detect and prevent unreasonable price increases, price manipulation, and fake price increases.

The Ministry of Finance estimates the whole year's inflation below 4%, ensuring the inflation control target set by the National Assembly and the Government.

For essential goods and services that affect people's lives and production and business activities of enterprises, the Prime Minister and the Steering Committee for Price Management regularly direct ministries, branches and localities to closely monitor market price developments; grasp the implementation situation of business organizations and individuals; deploy appropriate management and price stabilization measures. The inspection and control of compliance with the law on prices have been strengthened, and cases of taking advantage to increase prices unreasonably have been strictly handled.

The Ministry of Finance also affirmed that it has studied and submitted to competent authorities support solutions on taxes, fees, charges and land rents.

Solutions include a 2% reduction in value added tax in 2025 and 2026, combined with expanding the scope of application; reducing environmental protection tax on gasoline, oil, grease; preferential registration fees for battery-powered electric cars; extending the period of exemption from agricultural land use tax; extending the period of payment of special consumption tax on domestically produced or assembled cars; extending the period of payment of value added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax and land rent in 2025.

Along with that, the Ministry of Finance continues to study, submit to competent authorities and issue support policies according to its authority such as adjusting the family deduction level of personal income tax; exempting and reducing land use fees and land rents for some cases according to regulations; continuing to reduce some fees and charges, contributing to removing difficulties for production, business and people's lives, supporting economic growth, and reducing inflationary pressure in 2025.

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