VND 540,000 social assistance: who qualifies for the new 2026 benchmark?

The benchmark rises 8%, but the two dates must be read correctly

The Government issued Decree 335/2026/NĐ-CP on August 21, 2026 regarding social assistance policy. The benchmark rises from VND 500,000 to VND 540,000 per month, a VND 40,000 difference equivalent to 8%.

October 5, 2026 is the decree’s effective date. However, its transitional provisions state that recipients under Decree 20/2021/NĐ-CP and Decree 176/2025/NĐ-CP move to corresponding amounts from July 1, 2026. Commune-level People’s Committee chairpersons review recipient lists and decide payments at the corresponding level from that date.

It should therefore not be understood that every case begins using the new amount only in October. Existing recipients need to check the adjustment with the responsible authority where they live.

Groups eligible for regular community-based social assistance

Article 5 specifies eight groups, each with its own conditions. The list below provides an initial overview; specific cases require comparison with the complete text.

1. Children under 16 in the circumstances of absent parental care listed in the decree: abandoned without an adoptive parent; parents deceased, unidentified, declared missing or in institutional care, serving sentences or subject to administrative measures, under the specified combinations of conditions.

2. Recipients from the above child category who have reached 16 and continue in general education, continuing education, vocational education or a first university degree. Study must be continuous except for permitted suspension or deferred enrollment under the rules; support continues until study ends.

3. Children living with HIV/AIDS in poor households.

4. People in poor or near-poor households who are unmarried, or whose spouse has died or is legally missing, and who are raising children under 16. For existing recipients whose child reaches 16 and continues studying under the conditions, support continues until the child completes education. Not every single-parent household automatically qualifies.

5. Older people in poor households with no person having the duty and right to support them, or whose supporting person receives monthly social assistance. The decree also covers poor older people without a supporting person who cannot live independently in the community and qualify for admission to a social assistance facility, but have someone accepting responsibility for their community-based care.

6. People with severe or particularly severe disabilities as defined by disability law.

7. Children under 3 in poor or near-poor households living in exceptionally disadvantaged communes or villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, who do not fall under groups in Clauses 1, 3 and 6 of Article 5.

8. People living with HIV/AIDS in poor households without a salary, wages, pension or monthly social insurance allowance.

VND 540,000 is the calculation base; benefits can be higher

Under Article 6, monthly community-based social assistance equals the benchmark times the multiplier for each category. With a VND 540,000 benchmark, 1.0 means VND 540,000; 1.5 means VND 810,000; 2.0 means VND 1,080,000; 2.5 means VND 1,350,000; and 3.0 means VND 1,620,000 per month.

For example, a person with a severe disability receives a 1.5 multiplier, equivalent to VND 810,000. A child or older person with a severe disability receives 2.0, equivalent to VND 1,080,000. A person with a particularly severe disability receives 2.0; for a child or older person, it is 2.5, equivalent to VND 1,350,000.

An eligible poor single parent receives a 1.0 multiplier for each child being raised. Older people under Point a, Clause 5, Article 5 receive 1.5 from age 60 to under 75, and 2.0 from age 75. Cases under Point b, Clause 5 receive 3.0.

These examples use the common benchmark. Localities with adequate economic and social conditions may decide on higher benchmarks or assistance levels, or add other disadvantaged groups within their authority.

Do not automatically add benefits together or generalize eligibility

A person eligible for multiple assistance levels generally receives only the highest one, under the principle in Article 6. Exceptions exist for poor single parents who also fall into certain specified categories of older people, people with disabilities or people living with HIV/AIDS. Do not add amounts together without correctly identifying the case.

This article focuses on regular community-based social assistance. Social retirement benefits, care support funding, emergency assistance and institutional care have separate conditions and calculations. Mentioning the same VND 540,000 does not mean these schemes are identical.

How should families check their entitlements?

First identify which scheme the family member currently receives and the basis in their existing decision. Then compare the eligibility group, multiplier and supplementary local policies. Existing recipients should ask the commune-level People’s Committee about the review, adjustment and payment under transitional provisions.

People who do not currently receive benefits but believe they qualify can contact the commune-level People’s Committee or administrative reception office for guidance on suitable documents. A news report helps identify potential rights, while entitlement decisions depend on establishing each case’s conditions.

For communities and businesses undertaking social initiatives, helping people in need access accurate information is another practical form of support. When explaining policies, specify eligible groups and calculations; do not turn the benchmark into a promise that everyone will receive that amount.

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