In 2015, the term “Family” was added to the name of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. It was more than merely a cosmetic change, that symbolic addition was a harbinger of a real revolution in the Polish family policy. - Today, after nearly four years under the Law and Justice government, we can say with full responsibility that the family is our top priority and our best investment - says Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa.

Over the last four years the Polish labour market has been gradually changing. A stable economic growth rate translates into a very good condition of the labour market. The unemployment rate is at record low levels. The salaries of Polish citizens are also increasing. Actions taken by the government are improving the situation of the persons with the lowest income.

On Tuesday, the Government passed a bill on an additional benefit for persons unable to live independently. The additional benefit of 500 PLN is to be paid already this year. “To receive the benefit, one should submit an application to the authority that issued a disability certificate” said Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa at a press conference.

Applications for the “Good Start” benefit may be submitted online beginning on 1 July. Until today, Polish citizens have submitted over a million applications for the benefit. Please note that important changes are pending this year. Last Tuesday, the Council of Ministers has passed a draft of a new regulation extending the scope of persons who are eligible to receive the benefit, the list now includes adults and post-secondary school students. The changes shall enter into force in August.

If I live with my family abroad, but my place of domicile is in Poland, am I entitled to get the “500+” child benefit? The answer is only one - no. You must live in Poland in order to receive the benefit. The only exception is when one parent lives in Poland with children, and the other works abroad - provided that the other parent does not receive a full amount of a similar benefit for the same children in another country.

Social assistance, aid for senior citizens and families, health and safety at work - these and other issues were discussed by Deputy Minister Kazimierz Kuberski with representatives of the National People’s Congress Social Development Affairs Committee.

According to the latest Eurostat survey, in April this year, the unemployment rate in Poland was 3.7 percent - 0.1 percentage point less than in the month before. This is much below the European average, which in April, was 7.6 percent in the euro area and 6.4 percent EU-wide, seasonally-adjusted. “This is a very good result and great news”, says the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Bożena Borys-Szopa.

More than 3.5 years of work of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is a period of revolutionary changes in family-oriented activities and a considerable improvement of the situation on the labour market.

On Tuesday, at the request of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, President Andrzej Duda appointed Bożena Borys-Szopa as Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy. She replaced in this position Elżbieta Rafalska, who obtained a mandate to the European Parliament.