Vietnam Social Security prohibits pension deductions for bank debts

Vietnam Social Security (BHXH) has issued Official Dispatch No. 3741/BHXH-TCKT, prohibiting the direct deduction of pensions, social insurance benefits, and unemployment benefits to recover bank loan debts.

The directive instructs local social security agencies and Vietnam Post to improve management and the quality of benefit payments. The agency identified several issues that require correction, including inadequate facilities at payment points, loose control over authorizations, and instances where payment staff combined duties with sales, debt collection, or signing on behalf of beneficiaries.

Additionally, the agency noted administrative challenges, such as delayed reporting of beneficiary changes and discrepancies in personal identification data. As of August 2026, nearly 948,000 beneficiaries had information that did not match their citizen identity cards. Local directors are required to strictly follow established payment processes and enhance internal supervision to prevent incorrect disbursements.