Pensions are about to be adjusted, pensioners hope to keep up with prices

Implementing the increase in base salary and pension according to Conclusion 206

This is a task stated by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Official Dispatch 38/TTg-QHĐP on implementing the Resolution at the Tenth Session, 15th National Assembly, issued on January 9, 2026.

According to the appendix issued together with Official Dispatch No. 38/TTg-QHĐP in 2026, the Prime Minister has guided a number of key tasks to implement the Resolutions adopted at the Tenth Session, 15th National Assembly.

Among them, a content of concern is the task of adjusting the base salary and allowances, specifically stated in Resolution No. 265/2025/QH15.

According to this guidance, in March 2026, the Government requests the Ministry of Home Affairs to adjust some types of allowances and the base salary level. At the same time, pensions, social insurance allowances, monthly allowances, preferential allowances for people with meritorious services, social allowances and social pension allowances will be adjusted.

This adjustment is implemented according to Conclusion No. 206-KL/TW dated November 10, 2025 of the Politburo, in order to continue to improve the lives of salaried people and beneficiaries of social security policies.

Thus, after the most recent pension increase in 2024 with a rate of 15%, in March 2026, the Government will implement the next pension adjustment phase, in accordance with the roadmap and directions that have been identified.

People are waiting for the increase, the time of increase

Before this information, many pension and allowance beneficiaries expressed their joy and waited for a specific increase, because after the 15% increase in 2024, living expenses continued to increase, especially in the health and food sectors.

“We are very much looking forward to pension increases. Currently, we only have initial information like that, and how much the increase will be, and when it will be applied, we need to wait for a decision. Current information is only at the policy level, there are no specific figures, so the psychology of waiting, even very impatient, is very clear. Many people in our pension association talk to each other about this topic every day” - Mr. Phan Van Hung (73 years old, Son Tay ward - Hanoi) shared with Lao Dong reporters.

Ms. Doan Thi Ha (70 years old, Bac Ninh) could not hide her joy at the information that pensions and allowances may be increased from March.

Ms. Ha has worked at a hotel in Phu Tho province (former Vinh Phuc province) since 1978. Ms. Ha retired and started receiving pensions from 2005. Currently, the pension she receives is nearly 6 million VND per month.

This pension is used by Ms. Ha for living expenses and saved for illnesses.

The pension of 6 million VND is my main support in my old age years, but the cost of living is increasingly expensive. I have to be frugal and save everything I buy, in case I am sick, the amount of money to spend is very large. If I don't save to have a contingency, my children will be very vất vả" - Ms. Ha confided.

For the group receiving salaries from the budget, the adjustment of the base salary is seen as a positive sign, especially in the context of slow salary reform.

However, many people are also quite realistic, comparing the old increase with living costs, questioning whether income has actually improved or only "increased nominally".

People are looking forward to and supporting salary increases, pension increases, and social insurance allowances because they are in line with the goal of ensuring social security. In parallel, there is a psychology of waiting for early announcement of the adjustment level, payment time, funding sources... to be able to improve the current living standards.

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