Vietnam Social Security tightens oversight of postal benefit payments

Vietnam Social Security has issued official directive No. 3741/BHXH-TCKT to rectify systemic issues in the disbursement of pensions, social insurance, and unemployment benefits through the postal system.

The directive follows reports of significant administrative errors. In 2025, 12,449 cases required fund recovery due to delayed reporting of beneficiary changes by postal services. Additionally, as of August 2026, nearly 948,000 beneficiaries had identification data that did not match their citizen identity cards.

Key issues identified include inadequate facilities at payment points, loose control over authorization documents, and failure to maintain proper signature samples or photos. There have also been reports of staff members improperly using payment sessions to sell goods, collect debts, or sign on behalf of beneficiaries. Vietnam Social Security has strictly prohibited the unauthorized deduction of benefit funds to settle bank debts and has ordered Vietnam Post to reimburse any incorrectly paid funds within 48 hours.