New year - new developments in the field of social policy. What has changed? Read more.

Honorary benefit for centenarians

On 1 January 2025, a law came into force guaranteeing a honorary benefit to centenarians. Thus, all persons entitled to the benefit on 1 January this year will receive it in the amount of PLN 6,243.13. Importantly, this amount will be indexed annually on 1 March on the same basis as pensions.

The honorary benefit is granted ex officio, which means that no application is necessary to receive it.

Call for applications for widow's pension has started

A call for applications for a new benefit, the widow's pension, started at the beginning of 2025. Applications are received and processed by the Social Insurance Institution.

Benefit payments will start on 1 July 2025.

Income criteria in social assistance go upwards

1 January 2025 also brought an increase in the income criteria for entitlement to social assistance support. Today they amount to:

• PLN 1,010 for a single person (an increase of PLN 234, or 30 per cent),
• PLN 823 for a person in a family (an increase of PLN 223, or 37 per cent).

Higher minimum wage

The new year also saw a higher minimum wage, which rose from PLN 4,300 to PLN 4,666 gross. That's take-home pay in the amount of PLN 3,510.92 for a full-time job. The minimum hourly rate has meanwhile increased to PLN 30.50 gross - previously it was PLN 28.10.

Higher wage subsidies for people with disabilities

On 1 January this year, the call for applications for higher wage subsidies for employees with a disability certificate began.

These amounts are, respectively:

• PLN 2,760 (previously PLN 2,400) for people with a significant degree of disability,
• PLN 1,550 (previously PLN 1,350) for people with a moderate degree of disability,
• PLN 575 (previously PLN 500) for people with a mild degree of disability.

More people will benefit from the support allowance

This year, more adults with disabilities will receive support allowance. The first step is to apply to the provincial disability assessment team, which determines the need for support on a scale of 70-100 points. Once the decision has been received, the application for the allowance must be submitted to the Social Insurance Institution.

From 1 January this year, people with a support needs score of 78-86 can apply for support allowances. Last year, the threshold for receiving the allowance was 86 points.

Supplementary allowance to the social pension

The beginning of 2025 marks the entry into force of the law on a supplementary allowance of PLN 2,520 for people who have the right to a social pension and a certificate of incapacity for independent living. This allowance will be indexed annually.