Government Sets August 31 Deadline for 2026 14th Pension Payouts

The Polish government has confirmed that the 14th pension will be paid out in September 2026, with eligibility and full amounts determined by specific income thresholds and an August 31 cutoff date.

Government Decision on the 2026 14th Pension

The government has decided on the payment schedule for the 14th pension in 2026, with the additional benefit reaching retirees and disability pensioners in September alongside their basic pension or disability benefit. The Council of Ministers issued a regulation on August 10, 2026, specifying the payment timing, which was published on August 13 in the Journal of Laws under item 1092.

The regulation itself does not set the amount of the benefit; the amount and reduction rules are determined by the Act of May 26, 2023, on the additional annual monetary benefit for retirees and disability pensioners, which established the 14th pension as a permanent, annual benefit since 2023.

Gross Amount and the 2900 PLN Threshold

The basic amount of the 14th pension corresponds to the lowest pension in force from March of a given year, standing at 1978.49 PLN gross following the March 2026 indexation. The full amount of 1978.49 PLN gross will be received by individuals whose basic pension or disability benefit does not exceed 2900 PLN gross per month.

Exceeding the 2900 PLN threshold does not mean the senior automatically loses the right to the additional benefit. Under the “zloty for zloty” mechanism, the 14th pension is reduced precisely by the amount that the basic benefit exceeds 2900 PLN gross, with a statutory minimum payout limit of 50 PLN gross.

Net Payouts and the EPD-21 Form

While the net amount of 1800.43 PLN corresponds to 1978.49 PLN gross after deducting only the 9% health contribution of 178.06 PLN, not every senior will automatically receive this exact amount. ZUS deducts the health contribution and, depending on the tax situation, personal income tax advance payments, resulting in a standard net payout of around 1625.43 PLN for minimum earners.

Retirees and disability pensioners whose annual income does not exceed the tax-free amount can submit the EPD-21 form to ZUS to request no tax advances on income up to 30,000 PLN annually. This tax adjustment can leave the full 1978.49 PLN gross at approximately 1800.43 PLN net, though it changes tax collection rather than increasing the statutory benefit.

Automatic Entitlement and August 31 Cutoff

The 14th pension is granted and paid out automatically from the office, meaning seniors do not need to submit a separate application to ZUS, KRUS, or uniformed services pension authorities. Entitlement is determined based on the beneficiary’s situation on the last day of the month preceding the payment month, making August 31, 2026, the critical date for September disbursements.

Individuals whose basic benefit is suspended on August 31, 2026—such as working retirees exceeding permitted income limits before reaching retirement age—will not receive the 14th pension. The benefit covers a wide range of recipients from the general system, agricultural pensions, social pensions, pre-retirement benefits, and parental supplementary benefits.