President Andrzej Duda signed the Thirteenth Pension Act during the Intergenerational Activity Day in Żyrardów.

‘I am happy with seniors’ joy, but I am also happy that young people see this joy, too – those much younger than me, who will handle Polish affairs in the future,’ said President Andrzej Duda in Żyrardów on Tuesday. ‘We want every generation to be adequately secured ... To guarantee a fair benefit and a trouble-free life also to those who have worked all their life and deserve rest. This is a very important element of social market economy,’ he added.

The thirteenth pension – an extra annual financial benefit for retired persons and disability pensioners – is one of the elements of a prudent and solidary aging policy. The thirteenth pension will be paid in the form of the lowest pension – in 2020, it will amount to PLN 1,200 (applicable from 1st March this year). This amount will be free of deductions and enforcements, and, as in the previous year, the extra benefit will be paid ex officio, without the need to submit an application.

This year the thirteenth pension should be received by 9.8 million persons, and the cost of this benefit is around PLN 11.75 billion.

Referring to the adoption of the draft act on the “fourteenth” pension by the Council of Ministers announced by the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Marlena Maląg, President Andrzej Duda stated that he would sign such an act.

‘If this act is submitted to me, and I strongly believe that it will, you can be sure that this benefit will become valid, too, simply because Polish pensioners need it. I always keep saying that it is very important, it is of utmost importance to me that the standard of living of my compatriots improves,’ assured President Andrzej Duda.