Poland’s child benefit hike to be introduced on New Year’s Day

Poland's flagship child benefit programme is to be increased by PLN 300 (EUR 68) to PLN 800 (EUR 181) starting on New Year’s Day.

Polish President Andrzej Duda (right) signs into law an increase in the country's child benefit, accompanied by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (centre) and Family and Social Policy Minister Marlena Maląg (left) in the central town of Tarczyn, on Monday, August 7, 2023.

Twitter/Office of the President of Poland

Gertruda Uścińska, head of Poland's Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) told Polish Radio that although the first increased payouts were initially scheduled for January 2nd, some families have already received their handouts.

Uścińska added that ZUS already transferred some PLN 569 million to Polish families, and more payouts are expected on January 3 (PLN 562 million) and 4 (PLN 561 million).

Some two million families are to benefit from the increase in just the first week of January, Uścińska said, adding that according to government data around 6,668,000 children are to receive the handout in 2024.

The increase of the child benefit was signed into effect by Polish President Andrzej Duda in August.

Introduced by Poland’s ruling conservatives Law and Justice (PiS) in 2016, the measure, originally named Family 500+, and now set to be renamed Family 800+, is a universal monthly benefit available to all children from birth until they turn 18.

Source: IAR

(tf)