Senior Voucher 2026: Beneficiaries, Amounts, and Income Thresholds

Starting August 7, 2026, Poland will introduce a senior voucher worth up to 2,150 PLN monthly for citizens aged 65 and over to fund home care services.

New support service for seniors: How does the senior voucher work?

The senior voucher is a completely new care support instrument in Poland. Unlike other forms of assistance, it is not paid directly to the senior or their caregiver. Instead, the money goes to local governments, which pay for specific care services carried out in the beneficiary’s home. According to announcements, in the first three years of implementation, the government will allocate a total of one billion PLN for this purpose. And what later? In subsequent years, funding will amount to 500 million PLN annually for a period of 10 years.

Who will receive support? Income and age criteria

Not every senior will be able to use the voucher. A person who simultaneously meets the following conditions may apply for support:

Scope of services: What can the senior voucher be used for?

Funds under the voucher, up to a maximum amount of 2,150 PLN per month, are intended to cover the costs of daily assistance. What does this mean in practice? The municipality organizes and finances help including:

Practical example: How does the voucher work in practice?

Mrs. Maria (72 years old) receives a gross pension of 2,800 PLN. She lives alone and, due to mobility limitations, has difficulty preparing meals and getting to the clinic. Since she meets the age criterion (over 65) and the income criterion (below 3,410 PLN), she is entitled to support from the senior voucher. The municipality sends a caregiver to her home who helps with daily duties and accompanies her during medical visits. The municipality directly pays for the services from the program’s funds.

These benefits cannot be combined with the senior voucher

Attention! The program excludes the possibility of simultaneously using certain other forms of public assistance. The senior voucher is not available to people who use:

Implementation and deadlines: When are the first applications?

The act will enter into force on August 7, 2026. The exception is the provision concerning the transfer of data from the National Health Fund (NFZ) to long-term care coordinators, which will start to apply after 6 months. The program will be implemented gradually throughout Poland. First, municipalities that have not previously implemented their own care services will benefit from the funds.