On September 22, 2026, Vietnam's Social Insurance Agency (BHXH) released a directive addressing several issues in the payment of pensions and social insurance benefits. One significant concern highlighted was the practice of employees signing for beneficiaries, which raises questions about the integrity of the payment process.

According to the agency, there are ongoing problems that need urgent attention. These include inadequate facilities at some payment points, insufficient control over authorization, and a lack of proper documentation, such as signatures and photographs of beneficiaries and their authorized representatives. Furthermore, it was noted that some employees have been combining their duties with selling products and collecting debts, which complicates the payment process.

The directive also pointed out that in 2025, there were 12,449 cases nationwide where funds were incorrectly disbursed due to delays in reporting by postal services. As of August 2026, there were still 947,989 beneficiaries whose information did not match their identification cards or who had not updated their ID numbers.

In response to these issues, the BHXH has instructed local social insurance offices to enhance supervision of postal services during payments and to rectify any identified shortcomings. They also emphasized that postal employees must verify identification documents and authorization letters before processing payments. Payments should not be made to individuals acting on behalf of others without valid authorization.

Additionally, the BHXH has mandated that postal services refrain from deducting pension payments to recover bank loans and should not pressure beneficiaries to use other services provided by the postal agency or affiliated organizations.

To ensure compliance, the BHXH has required regular reviews and updates of beneficiary information, especially for the elderly and those who have authorized others to receive payments on their behalf. Direct checks at beneficiaries' residences must occur at least once a year to maintain accurate records.

For beneficiaries living abroad who receive payments through personal accounts or have authorized others to collect on their behalf, the postal service is responsible for coordinating with relevant authorities to verify their information annually or when suspicions arise.

In conclusion, the BHXH has urged local offices and the Vietnam Postal Corporation to implement corrective measures diligently and report quarterly on their progress to the BHXH.