Comprehensive and stable social and family policies ensure the safety of Polish families and all their members, from parents with children to senior citizens to people with disabilities, who are less independent.

– The ending year 2020 was a difficult time for all of us. Numerous months of the difficult fight against the coronavirus pandemic have negatively impacted every area of social life. There were many challenges. It is both a concern for the health and life of Polish citizens, as well as a difficulty for the economy, job protection. What is certainly to be noted is that, despite the difficulties, all social programmes so far have been implemented smoothly and without disruption," says Marlena Maląg, Minister of Family and Social Policy.

A Secure Family

The best example is the “Family 500+” programme. Since the beginning of the programme, more than PLN 131 billion have been allocated to families and 6.5 million children received support.

– Today, this benefit is particularly important, and it is a guarantee of financial security for many families during the difficult time of the pandemic – Minister Marlena Maląg points out.

Without any change, despite remote teaching, the “Good Start” programme was also implemented, i.e., PLN 300 for a school pupil for every child in the school. Applications for the “Good Start” benefit could be submitted by the end of November. A great majority of the persons eligible for the support have used this opportunity.

A total of PLN 2.7 billion (over EUR 2.67 million) was spent in 2018 and 2019 for the implementation of the “Good Start” programme, excluding management costs. In 2020, we secured the amount of PLN 1.42 billion in the state budget for school education.

Another important form of support for families to better combine work and family life is the “Toddler+” programme. It supports the development of institutions providing care to the youngest children by co-financing establishing new care institutions and supporting the existing ones. In 2021, the budget for the “Toddler+” programme will amount to PLN 450 million, similarly to this year’s edition.

– 6.6 thousand nurseries and children’s clubs operating throughout Poland today offer some 191 thousand places of care for children. In the 2020 edition of the “Toddler+” programme, 20.5 000 new care places are to be created and nearly 90 000 existing ones will receive funding for further work – the head of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy points out.

The system of discounts for 3+ families, i.e., the large Family Card also functions without any issues. Currently, over a million families use the Big Family Card. In total, there are nearly 3.3 million active Cards, including nearly 870 thousand electronic. The programme involves the participation of 7.6 thousand partners, and the discounts are available at nearly 29 thousand locations.

Active Senior, Good Pension

The elderly constitutes the group which is particularly affected by both the effects of infection and the existing restrictions.

– We really want the elderly to be able to enjoy their activities as much as possible. That is achieved by programmes such as the “Senior+” and the Government Programme for Social Participation of Senior Citizens. – We are in constant contact with the sites and we know that employees are doing their best to provide senior people with secure access to classes such as online and interacting with others – she adds.

 “Senior+” involves PLN 80 million for establishing new houses and “Senior+” clubs and funding of existing ones. By the end of 2019, there were over 770 facilities across the country, offering a total of approximately 19 thousand places for senior citizens. In the 2020 edition, funding was provided to 258 new institutions, and 600 existing clubs and houses received subsidies.  

While the Government Programme for Social Participation of Senior Citizens amounts to PLN 400 million each year. In total, in the years 2016-2019, more than 1400 projects were funded in Poland as part of the programme, and almost 608 thousand people benefited from these programmes. More than 300 projects received funding in 2020.

Particular attention must also be paid to the increase in minimum pensions, as the Minister points out. Between 2016 and 2020, the minimum pension increased by 36 percent. – from PLN 882.56 to PLN 1,200.

The thirteenth pension – paid for the first time in 2019, and now legally guaranteed as an additional annual cash benefit was an additional support for the elderly. In 2020, the benefit was paid to nearly 9.8 million pensioners and the total value amounted to approximately PLN 11.7 billion

Care for Persons with Disabilities

– We also care about the less independent people, people with disabilities. We estimate that in 2020 our expenditures on initiatives for persons with disability will reach record PLN 27.4 billion – points out the Head of the Ministry of Family.

The Solidarity Fund is the pillar of the system of support for persons with disabilities. The Fund aims to provide social, professional, health and financial support to persons with disabilities. The Solidarity Fund is used to fund various support programmes.

They include, for instance “Personal Assistant for Persons with Disabilities.” Judging by the information we receive from assistants as well as those who receive support, this type of help is particularly important and necessary. Support for everyday activities is an opportunity for more autonomy.

It also includes “Care services for persons with disabilities,” aiming to increase access to care services, including specialist care services, allowing everyone who needs assistance to receive it, and ensures that assistance is provided to the greatest extent possible and at the highest level.

 “Respite care” is a programme that responds to the demands of disabled carers. It was designed to reduce the burden on carers who work with persons with disabilities on a daily basis.

In addition, Care and Residential Centres are also included. This is an important and necessary assistance for adults with disabilities. Programme participants will be provided with care and their daily carers will be supported, allowing them to carry out their daily activities.

The amount planned for the implementation of the Solidarity Fund's programmes in 2020 equals PLN 420 million.

The Solidarity Fund also provides supplementary benefits to those who are incapable of independent living since October 2019. This amounted to PLN 4.5 billion in 2020

In total, the assistance for persons with disabilities under the Solidarity Fund amounts to over PLN 9.1 billion in 2020 (the Solidarity Fund also funds additional annual cash benefits for pensioners).

It Was a Difficult Year, But We do Not Give Up

As Marlena Maląg, Minister of Family and Social Policy, stressed, the past year, although undoubtedly difficult for most of us, has shown that stable social policy is a guarantee of security for Poles.

– Despite the pandemic, all social programmes continued and continued without disruption. This shows that we are responsible and care for Polish families, we care for all citizens – Minister Maląg sums up.