Poland will raise the care allowance to 366.68 złoty monthly from March 2026, with a further increase planned for 2027, benefiting eligible pensioners and those with disabilities.
Eligibility for the Care Allowance
The care allowance, established under Article 75 of the 1998 Act on Pensions and Disability Benefits, is available to individuals receiving a pension or disability benefit.
To qualify, recipients must be recognized as totally unable to work and live independently, or have reached the age of 75.
Exclusions from Receiving the Allowance
The allowance is not payable to individuals residing in long-term care facilities—hospital or nursing homes—unless they spend more than two weeks outside the facility each month.
How to Apply for the Allowance
Individuals who have reached 75 years of age receive the allowance automatically, without needing to submit an application.
Younger beneficiaries deemed unable to live independently must apply to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and include a relevant medical certificate.
Application Requirements
Applicants with a certificate of total disability must submit a request to ZUS, along with a health certificate issued by a physician on form OL-9.
The health certificate must be issued no more than one month before submitting the allowance application.
Restrictions and Combinations
The allowance is not available to those in publicly funded, full-time care facilities and cannot be combined with a care benefit paid by the municipality.
Allowance Amounts and Annual Adjustments
From March 2026, the care allowance will be 366.68 złoty per month, with war veterans receiving a higher amount of 550.02 złoty.
These amounts are adjusted annually through pension and benefit indexation, taking place in March each year, with the next adjustment scheduled for 2027.
Indexation Process
Indexation, as defined in Article 88 of the Act on Pensions and Disability Benefits, involves multiplying the benefit amount and its calculation basis by an appropriate index.
The index is based on the average inflation rate from the previous year, increased by at least 20 percent of the real growth in average wages.
