Unpaid pensions still have benefits, social insurance participants need to know

Not all employees participating in social insurance (SI) have enough years of contributions to receive a pension. However, in cases where they are not eligible for pension, social insurance participants are still guaranteed an important benefit, which is a monthly social insurance subsidy, contributing to stabilizing their lives when they are no longer able to work.

According to Vietnam Social Security, it is estimated that in 2025, the entire system has resolved for 186,119 people receiving monthly pensions and social insurance benefits; 1,044,016 people receiving one-time social insurance benefits (of which the number of people receiving one-time social insurance benefits decreased by 26.15% compared to the previous year); 9,098,537 people receiving sick leave, maternity, health care, and recovery benefits.

In addition, the Social Insurance agency has received and paid 759,198 decisions on unemployment benefits, and 14,184 decisions on vocational training support. The number of health insurance examinations and treatments in the year reached about 195.5 million, an increase of more than 6.5% compared to 2024, with the proposed payment cost of about VND 161,628 billion, an increase of 14.3% over the same period last year.

Monthly allowance - a support for people who are not eligible for pension

Among the millions of people receiving monthly pensions and social allowances, there are many cases eligible for monthly social insurance benefits. This is a policy for employees who have participated in social insurance but have not paid enough years according to regulations to receive pension when they reach retirement age.

The monthly social insurance allowance is to support employees with a stable source of income at the minimum level, helping to ensure basic living standards when they are old, weak, no longer able to work or have difficulty continuing to participate in the labor market.

The authorities recommend that employees should carefully study their social insurance benefits and consider them before choosing to receive one-time social insurance, and proactively participate and reserve their payment period to have the opportunity to receive a pension or monthly allowance according to regulations.

According to Article 23 of the Social Insurance Law 2024, monthly allowance recipients who are Vietnamese citizens who meet the following conditions:

First, the retirement age is reached from July 1, 2025, specifically: male workers are 61 years and 3 months old, female workers are 56 years and 8 months old.

Second, there was a period of social insurance payment but was not eligible for pension according to regulations.

Third, not old enough to receive social pension benefits according to regulations.

Fourth, employees who do not choose to receive one-time social insurance and do not reserve the paid period and have a request will receive a monthly allowance from the social insurance payment that the employee has participated in.

Read the original here