RKO as a new mechanism to support families

Family care capital (RKO) is a new support mechanism for Polish families with young children. Its task is to provide financial assistance being the support in raising children and to facilitate the decision on having another child.

The benefit is granted for the second and subsequent children in the family aged between 12 and 35 months. In 2022, about 615 thousand children will make use of this benefit. The amount of the benefit is even up to PLN 12 thousand. It is paid for two years in the amount of PLN 500 a month, or for a year in the amount of PLN 1 thousand a month. The funds allocated for this purpose in 2022 amount to about PLN 3.1 billion. Applications for family care capital should be submitted electronically and the support is paid to a bank account provided by a parent.

Co-financing for childcare

As from 1 April 2022, funds will be launched to co-finance the fees for a nursery, children’s club and day-care provider. The support will cover, inter alia, the first and only children in the family and toddlers below 12 months and after turning 35 months old. Therefore, it is addressed to children who will not be covered by family care capital. The amount of co-financing will be up to PLN 400 a month. However, it does not exceed the amount of the fee paid by parents for the stay of their child in the above-mentioned establishment. The funds under this support will go directly to the care institution and are granted for the period of attending a nursery, children’s club or care provided by a day-care provider. The co-financing will enter into force from April 2022 and in the case of applications submitted by 31 May 2022, it will be granted with compensation from 1 January 2022. The support will cover about 110 thousand children.

Zero PIT for families 4+

PIT-0 for families with four children. As from this year, every parent with at least four children with income up to PLN 85,528 will not pay PIT. In the case of both parents, it will be PLN 171,056. What is more, parents settling on general principles will still benefit from the tax-free amount, which as from 2022 amounts to PLN 30 thousand. This means that in the case of joint settlement, the PIT-free amount will be PLN 231,056. According to the government estimates, this will benefit more than 110 thousand parents – taxpayers, in whose pockets about PLN 335 million will be left annually.

Tax-free pension

A tax-free pension of up to PLN 2.5 thousand per month will cover about 2/3 of pensioners in Poland. Old age and disability pensioners with higher benefits will pay tax only on the amount exceeding PLN 2.5 thousand. PIT will also not be paid by the poorest persons. In total, to about 90% of old age and disability pensioners, i.e. more than 8 million persons, the new solutions are beneficial or neutral. The others will pay tax only on the surplus amounting to more than PLN 30 thousand. The programme is implemented as part of the Polish Order.

Working seniors with PIT-0

PIT-0 for seniors is an incentive for elderly people to stay in the labour market. This is a relief for seniors employed on a full-time basis, having a contract of mandate and being entrepreneurs who, despite having reached the retirement age, gave up receiving a pension and are still economically active. PIT-0 will cover annual income from such work up to the amount of PLN 85,528. Seniors settling on general principles will also have a tax-free amount to use, which will stand at PLN 30 thousand. Economically active elderly people who do not receive pensions will pay tax only after exceeding PLN 115,528 of earnings (PLN 30 thousand of the tax-free amount + PLN 85,528 of relief). 142 thousand persons will make use of this relief, and in the future there may be even more of them. Only in 2022, they will save about PLN 500 million on tax.

Minimum remuneration goes up

As from the new year, the minimum remuneration for work increased to PLN 3,010 and the minimum hourly rate for civil law contracts to PLN 19.70. This is an increase by PLN 210 when compared to the minimum remuneration in 2021 and by PLN 1.40 when compared to the hourly rate last year.

Increase in the care benefit

The amount of the care benefit increased to PLN 2,119 this year and is higher by PLN 148 when compared to the previous year and by as much as PLN 919 higher than in 2015. The increase in the amount of the care benefit depends on the percentage increase in the minimum remuneration for work, which is PLN 3,010 gross this year.

An extra billion for SAM!

The “Independence – Activity – Mobility!” (SAM!) package includes measures for the years 2022-2024. They apply to social, vocational and therapeutic rehabilitation of persons with a significant degree of disability. An additional amount of PLN 1 billion will be allocated for implementing the programme.

Higher expenditure on personal assistants to persons with disabilities

Expenditures on supporting personal assistants to persons with disabilities also increased to PLN 610 million. The amount of support for local governments taking part in this programme is nearly PLN 510 million. Initially, it was PLN 150 million. On the other hand, the budget for non-governmental organisations is PLN 100 million. The programme is implemented under the Solidarity Fund.

Respite care – edition for 2022

Due to the great interest of local governments, we are increasing the co-financing for the implementation of the ministerial “Respite Care” programme from PLN 60 million to more than PLN 150 million in 2022 – for local government units. For non-governmental organisations, this amount is PLN 40 million. Almost 960 communes/districts from 16 voivodeships applied for participating in this year’s edition. The programme is implemented under the Solidarity Fund. The objective of the Programme is to support family members or caregivers taking direct care of children with a disability certificate and persons with a certificate of significant disability or a certificate treated on an equal footing with a certificate of significant disability, who require respite care services. The programme is to provide them with temporary relief from everyday duties related to taking care, and to give them time to rest and regenerate.

Higher income for persons receiving a social pension who are still economically active

Changes in the provisions on social pensions. As from this year, persons receiving a social pension and still economically active can obtain income of up to 130% of the average remuneration. Pursuant to the new regulations, the social pension is subject to the same suspension or reduction rules as old age and disability pensions. The amount of this benefit will not be reduced if up to 70% of the average remuneration is obtained. On the other hand, income of disability pensioners in the amount of 70 % to 130 % will reduce the amount of the social pension, however, not more than by the maximum amount of reduction. Only exceeding the ceiling of 130% will result in the suspension of the benefit.