“This day is very important to me. For the first time after 1989, an act which means state support for those who are the most important to us – for Polish families – has been created,” said Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland.

The Act introduces the ‘Family 500 plus’ programme under which parents will receive a child benefit of PLN 500 per month for second and subsequent child, regardless of income. Families whose income does not exceed PLN 800 net per person or PLN 1200 net (in families raising a disabled child) will also receive it for first or only child. That is even PLN 6000 net of annual support for a child. The programme will cover 2.7 million families raising 3.7 million children.

The ‘Family 500 plus’ programme is the first such broad and systematic support for Polish families. Parents and carers of children up to the age of 18 will be able to benefit from it. Its purpose is to improve the living situation of families and to reverse the negative demographic trend in Poland.

“I believe that this programme will make a change that will increase the standard of living of Polish families and will contribute to demographic improvement and stimulation of the Polish economy,” President Andrzej Duda added.