The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) has issued essential deadlines and updated eligibility requirements for the 800 plus child benefit to ensure uninterrupted payments for the 2026/2027 period.
Application Status for the 2026/2027 Period
The new 800 plus benefit period begins on June 1, 2026, and lasts until May 31, 2027, with applications being submitted exclusively through electronic means. Between February 1 and April 29, 2026, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) received 3,589,299 applications covering 4,965,806 children.
Deadlines to Prevent Loss of Benefits
To maintain continuous payments, applications should be submitted by April 30, with the first funds arriving no later than the end of June. Applications submitted in May or June will still secure June benefits, although a temporary payment gap may occur before ZUS provides retroactive payments.
Crucially, if an application reaches ZUS after June 30, the benefit will only be valid from the month of submission, meaning there will be no reimbursement for June.
New Rules for Ukrainian and Foreign Residents
From February 1, 2026, new rules apply to Ukrainian citizens with UKR status, requiring parents to be professionally active and children to meet schooling or preschool requirements, except for those under age six. Both the applicant and the child must reside in Poland.
Similar professional activity requirements will be introduced on June 1, 2026, for other non-EU and EFTA foreigners legally residing in Poland. These changes do not apply to Polish citizens or citizens of the EU, EFTA, and the United Kingdom.