Parliamentary Committee Rejects Proposal for Universal Basic Income in Poland

A petition proposing the replacement of current social welfare programs with a universal basic income of 2403 PLN per month has been officially rejected by the Sejm’s Committee on Petitions.

Proposal for 2403 PLN for Every Citizen

The Sejm received a petition advocating for a deep reform of Poland’s social security system. The project proposed an unconditional basic income (UBI) of 2403 PLN monthly for all residents aged three and older. The mechanism was to be indexed to the minimum wage, specifically set at half the gross minimum salary.

Consolidation Costs and Elimination of Benefits

The authors aimed to simplify administrative procedures and guarantee economic security by replacing most existing social programs. Implementation would have required the total liquidation of established support systems, including the 800 plus child benefit and thirteenth-month pension payments.

Ministry of Finance: Risks to State Stability

The Ministry of Finance evaluated the proposal negatively, stating that the costs would threaten the stability of public finances. The ministry confirmed it is neither conducting nor planning any work on implementing such solutions, as its simulations indicated that the program would lead to a collapse of the national budget.

Decision of the Committee on Petitions: Project Rejected

Following a review of economic opinions and the Ministry of Finance’s stance, members of the Committee on Petitions unanimously rejected the petition in its entirety. Parliamentary work on the universal basic income has concluded, ensuring that the current social security system, including 800 plus and supplementary pensions, remains unchanged.