Turned 65? The State Will Pay You Thousands of Zlotys: 7 Pension Add-ons

Many Polish retirees unknowingly forfeit hundreds or thousands of extra zlotys in state allowances, benefits, and reliefs by collecting only their basic pension.

1. Free medicines with the “S” symbol

The free medicines program with the “S” symbol provides seniors who have reached the age of 65 with full entitlement to free pharmaceuticals. The entire program includes a wide list of free medications that are regularly updated by the Ministry of Health. For a patient to receive the preparation free of charge, the doctor must mark the prescription with a special “S” icon in the additional entitlement codes field. Crucially, following legal changes introduced in February 2025, prescriptions of this type can also be easily issued in private practices, removing the requirement for patients to visit public NFZ facilities exclusively.

2. Nursing allowance for age or health condition

The nursing allowance for age or health condition is a permanent, monthly cash injection for individuals requiring support or simply older people, paid as regular support to the collected benefit. Following the annual indexation, this benefit currently amounts to PLN 366.68 per month (the previous amount of PLN 348.30 was increased from March 1). These money amounts are granted to persons who are completely incapable of work and independent existence based on an appropriate medical certificate. Extremely convenient for seniors, upon reaching 75 years of age, the Social Insurance Institution grants this allowance fully automatically and ex officio, without the need to submit any applications or undergo additional medical examinations.

3. “Mom 4 plus” program (Parental supplementary benefit)

The parental supplementary benefit (known as the “Mom 4 plus” program) is a financial rescue for individuals who sacrificed their professional careers to raise a large family. The benefit is aimed at mothers (after age 60) or fathers (after age 65) who have raised at least four children. It is granted to those parents who, due to many years of raising children, did not take up work or resigned from employment and as a result did not earn the right to a minimum pension. Following the annual indexation, the maximum amount of this benefit has increased and currently stands at PLN 1,978.49 gross per month. Obtaining this support does not happen automatically – it requires submitting an appropriate application along with a statement on the financial situation to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) or the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS).

4. Guaranteed 13th pension

The guaranteed 13th pension is an additional annual cash benefit that reaches every retiree and disability pensioner in the country, supporting the household budgets of millions of seniors. A very important facilitation is the fact that the money is paid without any application – ZUS and other retirement-pension bodies grant them fully automatically ex officio. According to regulations, ZUS transfers this extra money usually in April, attaching it directly to the regular monthly basic payment. Crucially, the gross amount of this benefit does not depend on the amount of your permanent pension and is equal for everyone – it corresponds to the current lowest national pension rate, which after indexation is PLN 1,978.49 gross (approx. PLN 1,800 net in hand, depending on the deducted tax and health contribution).

5. Flexible 14th pension

The 14th pension is another one-off financial bonus paid in the second half of the year, constituting significant autumn support for seniors’ household budgets. ZUS and other pension bodies execute these additional transfers fully automatically, most often in September, attaching the money directly to the regular basic payment. In the case of this benefit, however, the restrictive “zloty for zloty” rule applies, which makes the amount of support dependent on the beneficiary’s financial situation. The maximum amount is PLN 1,978.49 gross and is granted to persons whose basic pension or disability pension does not exceed PLN 2,900 gross – after exceeding this income threshold, the allowance amount proportionally decreases, and upon reaching the limit of PLN 4,828.49 gross, it expires completely.

6. Energy lump sum for the deserving

The energy lump sum for the deserving is a special allowance for electricity, gas, and heating bills, which significantly facilitates the daily maintenance of a flat. This financial support is primarily available to combatants, victims of war and post-war repression, and soldiers of substitute military service forcibly employed inter alia in mines. Under the law, upon the death of an eligible person, the right to collect this money also passes to the surviving widows and widowers. Following another annual indexation, the amount of support has increased to PLN 336.16 per month. This allowance is paid regardless of the income achieved, and its handling is managed by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) or the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS).

7. Support for forcibly employed soldiers

The cash benefit for formerly forcibly employed soldiers is a specialized allowance for persons with a specific historical background, dedicated to former soldiers of substitute military service who in the years 1949-1959 were forcibly employed inter alia in coal mines, quarries, or uranium ore plants. The exact payment conditions of this benefit are regulated by the provisions on combatant rights, and the maximum amount of support after annual indexation currently stands at PLN 366.68 per month. Obtaining this money requires submitting an application to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and presenting official documentation confirming the course of service, including a certificate issued by the Head of the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression.