21 years of scavenging, unaware of his pension

For 21 years scavenging in Hunan, Mr. Ru, 71, was completely unaware he had an accumulated pension fund of over 420,000 yuan (63,000 USD).

In late September, Mr. Ru received a bank card for his pension account. Upon checking, he found a balance exceeding 420,000 yuan. "I never thought this would happen," he stated, expressing gratitude to the social workers and authorities for their assistance.

Mr. Ru's journey to scavenging began after a previous career. He had worked for 30 years at a state-owned store in Zhuzhou city, following his graduation from a technical school. In the early 2000s, he lost his job and received compensation. However, after spending this money, he accumulated debt, experienced family conflicts, and subsequently left to scavenge for a living. For 21 years, he resided in isolation in Changde.

His situation came to light in the winter of 2024, when Wu Jinhui, a social assistance station worker, found Mr. Ru living in an abandoned building. Initially, Mr. Ru declined offers to move to a shelter. After repeated provisions of necessities and persistent persuasion, he eventually agreed to provide his personal information for verification.

Verification confirmed Mr. Ru's eligibility for a pension of approximately 3,700 yuan (550 USD) per month since 2015, stemming from insurance contributions during his time at the state-owned store. He had unknowingly forgone this fund for nearly 10 years, primarily because he did not own a mobile phone, lived in isolation, and mistakenly believed additional contributions were required to receive benefits.

In China, workers who have contributed to social insurance for a minimum of 15 years are eligible for a pension upon reaching retirement age. The retirement age for men in the country was 60 in 2015 and is currently being gradually raised to 63.

A social assistance station representative advised Mr. Ru to carefully secure his bank card and remain vigilant against phone scams. His immediate plan for the newfound money is to rent a decent apartment in Changde, followed by a visit to his hometown in Zhuzhou.