Income criteria for social assistance will change from January 1, 2025. It will be PLN 1010 for a single person and PLN 823 for a family member.
Income standards for social assistance are approved every three years, taking into account the results of minimum social intervention tests. However, the Law allows them to be audited annually. The last one was in 2021.
New income standards
In July, the government adopted a regulation, according to which from January 1, 2025, the rate of social assistance income per person will increase by PLN 1,010, which is PLN 234 or 30%. In turn, for one person in the family, the rate will be PLN 823, which means an increase of PLN 223 or 37%.
The change in the amount of income thresholds also leads to an increase in the amount of cash benefits related to the Law on Social Assistance, for example: cash assistance for self-employment will increase by PLN 229 (from PLN 1,837 to PLN 2,066), and the maximum permanent benefit – PLN 229 (from PLN to PLN 1,229).
The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy has announced in recent months that it wants to introduce a mandatory annual verification of income criteria for social benefits.
What is considered income?
Income is reduced by the amount of monthly income from the month before submitting the application or in the case of loss of income from the month of submitting the application, regardless of the title and source of their receipt: monthly income tax and income collection expenses; health insurance contributions provided for in the regulations on medical services from state funds and social insurance defined in separate regulations, as well as the amount of alimony paid to other persons.
Social assistance to individuals and families, including due to poverty, homelessness, unemployment, disability or long-term or serious illness.
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