Ru, a man known only by his surname, was given a social security card on Sept. 24 by staff at a social‑assistance centre in Changde, Hunan. The card showed a balance of 424,204 yuan, the South China Morning Post reported.

He attended a commercial technical school in Zhuzhou in the 1970s and then worked for about 30 years at a state‑owned shop there. The shop went bankrupt in the early 2000s, and the new owners bought out his years of service.

After losing his job, Ru fell into debt, quarrelled with relatives and began scavenging for a living. He later moved to Changde, where he has lived for about 13 years, often sleeping in an abandoned building.

Social‑assistance worker Wu Jinhui and his team spotted Ru in an abandoned building during the winter of 2024. At first he refused help, but after months of visits and daily‑necessities deliveries he finally gave his personal details, allowing officials to start the claim process.

Records show Ru turned 60, the retirement age, in 2015 and was entitled to roughly 3,700 yuan ($550) a month. Because the money was never collected, the monthly amount accumulated for more than 10 years, reaching the 424,204 yuan shown on his card.

Chinese law states that anyone who has contributed for at least 15 years qualifies for a monthly pension at retirement. During his three‑decade career, Ru’s employer deducted pension premiums from his salary, meeting the legal requirement.

From Jan. 1 2025, China began raising the retirement age for men from 60 to 63, implementing the change in steps over the next 15 years. The reform aims to keep the pension system sustainable as the population ages.

Ru’s case highlights how people without stable housing, a mobile phone or an individual household registration can slip through the system. Unclaimed pensions not only leave vulnerable individuals without support, they also reveal weaknesses in outreach and record‑keeping that affect the whole social‑welfare network.

On Sept. 28, Ru said he would repay his sister and cousin who helped him, settle his debts and keep the remaining money for his old age. He also plans to rent an apartment and buy a smartphone.