Phu Tho province has successfully recovered over one billion VND after identifying errors in the calculation of early retirement benefits. This information was announced by a representative of the Phu Tho Department of Home Affairs at a press conference on the socio-economic situation in QIII on 8/10.

The extensive review, covering 4,469 records, uncovered 15 cases with discrepancies. Among these, one individual was found to have had their early retirement period incorrectly calculated, leading to an overpayment that has now been fully recovered. The remaining 14 individuals were either ineligible for benefits under Decree 178/2024 and Decree 67/2025, or their cases did not result in financial discrepancies requiring recovery.

The most significant error involved an individual whose early retirement period was initially calculated as seven years and eight months. After re-evaluation, the correct period was determined to be two years and five months. This substantial discrepancy arose from data entry errors and incorrect summation of years during the record processing. While this adjustment did not alter the individual's eligibility for early retirement, it necessitated a recalculation of the support amount.

The initial support provided to this individual was 2,255,477,000 VND. Following the recalculation, the revised amount stood at 1,239,084,756 VND. Consequently, a difference of 1,016,392,244 VND was identified for recovery. This individual was employed at the Sub-Department of Forestry and Forest Protection, which falls under the Department of Agriculture and Environment. The entire recovered amount has since been deposited into the state budget.

All 15 erroneous cases had initially been approved by the former Hoa Binh Provincial People's Committee, with 13 cases at the provincial level and two at the communal level. For the 14 individuals deemed ineligible for benefits, three had already retired at the correct age, 8 continue to work, two resigned under labor contracts, and one transferred to a different sector. These 14 cases did not involve the disbursement of support funds, meaning no recovery action was needed.

Phu Tho province held a press conference on 8/10. *Photo: Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee*

The Department of Home Affairs affirmed that the process of resolving benefits for officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers taking early retirement or resigning within the province generally adhered to established regulations, procedures, and guidelines from competent authorities. The review process was implemented to rectify any non-compliant cases, ensuring that policies are correctly applied to the intended beneficiaries, at the appropriate benefit levels, and to mitigate the risk of budget loss.

Out of the total 4,469 individuals approved for benefits under the two decrees, 1,215 cases originated from the former Phu Tho province, 911 from the former Vinh Phuc province, and 1,427 from the former Hoa Binh province. Following administrative unit reorganization, Phu Tho province processed an additional 916 cases.

This situation in Phu Tho is not an isolated incident. The State Audit Office previously conducted sample checks in 10 localities, including Ha Noi, TP HCM, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Can Tho, Ca Mau, and Son La. The audit also covered four central agencies: the Government Office and the Ministries of Education and Training, Culture Sports and Tourism, and Construction. Beyond comments on the Ministry of Construction's budget estimates, the State Audit Office identified errors in several locations regarding the identification of beneficiaries and the calculation of benefits. Notably, in Son La, the report highlighted a case of incorrect expenditure to an ineligible individual, where not all funds had been recovered.

Decree 178, issued by the Government in late 2024 and later amended and supplemented by Decree 67/2025, outlines the benefits for individuals resigning due to organizational restructuring. Eligibility for early retirement or resignation benefits depends on factors such as the individual's role, length of service, and the number of years remaining until the standard retirement age. According to the State Treasury, by late 2025, the national budget had disbursed 163,482 billion VND to 117,073 individuals who resigned under this policy.

Gia Chinh