The family-oriented policy means support at many levels and in many areas. During the Thursday session, the Sejm discussed the changes concerning, inter alia, the “Good Start” programme and the maintenance fund.

“Good Start”

The amendment to the Act on family support and the foster family system with regard to “Good Start” means, first of all, transferring the task of implementing the Programme to the Social Insurance Institution.

The amendments also include the form of submission of applications for the benefit. Soon, it will be possible online only. As Minister Maląg explains, parents and guardians already largely use the Internet for this purpose. In 2018, online applications accounted for less than 50%, in 2020 – already more than 70%.

Maintenance fund

The amendment adopted by the Sejm regarding the maintenance fund benefits means the introduction of a permanent mechanism for increasing the income criterion which gives the right to receive the maintenance fund benefits. Every three years, this amount will increase by the revaluation rate (the percentage cumulative increase in the minimum salary). The first revaluation under the new rules will take place in 2023.

In addition, the way in which the thirteenth pension granted in 2019 is excluded from income giving the right to receive family benefits and maintenance fund benefits has been clarified.

Also, the possibility for communes to obtain tax data from the Ministry of Finance on their own has been introduced. The point is to establish income regarding activities taxed under the flat-rate income tax rules on certain income gained by natural persons. This also applies to income of persons below 26, which is exempt from taxation.

The amendment also included the solutions to accelerate the way in which voivodes handle matters regarding parental and family benefits as part of coordination of social security systems.

In addition, the reduction of salary, i.e. income due to COVID-19 will be taken into account when determining the right to receive family benefits and maintenance fund benefits for the period 2021-2022. The loss of the solidarity allowance will also be taken into account when determining the right to receive family benefits and maintenance fund benefits for the period 2021-2022.

In turn, information on debts of maintenance debtors will not be removed from the Economic Information Bureaus until they have repaid the debt to the Treasury.