On July 1, the Government issued Decree No. 76/2024/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021 regulating social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries.

In Clause 1, Article 1 of Decree No. 76/2024/ND-CP, the Government has made an important amendment to increase the social assistance standard from VND 360,000/month to VND 500,000/month from July 1.

With the social assistance standard increasing by nearly 39%, the social assistance level for social protection beneficiaries will also increase accordingly from the July payment period.

As a result, the highest level of social assistance for the elderly (poor households, no one with the obligation and right to support them, no conditions to live in the community, eligible for admission to social assistance facilities but have someone to raise and care for them in the community) is up to 1.5 million VND/month.

According to the summary report on the implementation of Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam currently has about 3.7 million people receiving monthly allowances, with an expenditure of about VND 28,000 billion/year.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs assessed the impact of social assistance policies on beneficiaries as very positive. The level of social assistance is continuously adjusted upward.

The standard subsidy level in 2000 was 45,000 VND, increased to 65,000 VND in 2006, 120,000 VND in 2007, 180,000 VND in 2010, 270,000 VND in 2013 and 360,000 VND in 2021. The increase to 500,000 VND from July 1, 2024 is the 6th time the Government has adjusted the increase.

According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, timely policy adjustments have contributed to stabilizing the lives and integrating into the community for the majority of social assistance beneficiaries, helping them increase their social status in their families and communities.