Yesterday, the government announced a new benefit that is expected to be as much as 200 percent of the social pension, or nearly approx. 3,200 PLN for a disabled person. We have analyzed the assumptions of the new bill and explain who will be able to benefit from it and under what conditions.

For whom?

On 22/03/2023, a bill introducing a new support benefit for people with disabilities was referred to the Council of Ministers for deliberation. This benefit will go directly to the person with a disability, regardless of the person's age. It will also be entitled regardless of other forms of support (those who are entitled to a social pension will continue to receive it) and regardless of the income earned by the person with disabilities (no income criterion), thus freeing them from enforcement.

Conditions to be met.

• If a person with a disability is receiving a support benefit, his or her caregiver who has previously received a nursing benefit, special care allowance or guardian's allowance will no longer be able to collect them.
• If the caregiver of a disabled person wants to continue collecting the benefits received so far, then the person with disabilities will not be able to take advantage of the new support benefit.
• In addition, a special program for their activation with a budget of PLN 100 million will be launched for caregivers who will stop caring due to the introduction of the support benefit for people with disabilities.

Schedule for introducing the benefit

As part of the introduction of the benefit in question, a special timetable was developed, according to which three stages were distinguished:

• Stage I - starting January 1, 2024. - the support benefit will be available to people with disabilities with the highest level of need for support and will be entitled to 200% of this year's social pension. i.e. PLN 3176.88 gross.
• Stage II - starting January 1, 2025. - the support benefit will also be available to people with disabilities with an average level of support needs and will be entitled to 100% of this year's social pension. PLN 1588.44 gross.
• III - the final stage - from January 1, 2026. - the support benefit will also be available to people with disabilities with the next level of support needs and will be entitled to 50% of this year's social pension. i.e. PLN 794.22 gross.

Decisions determining the level of need for support will be issued by provincial disability assessment teams at the request of disabled persons.

To take advantage of the new benefit, there is no need to obtain a new or change an existing judgment. All entitlements under current rulings remain unchanged.

ICF, or benefit for points

For people with disabilities aged 0-3, the level of need for support will be expressed in point values on a scale of 1 to 3.

Disabled 3+ year olds' level of need for support will be expressed in point values on a scale of 70 to 100. With a score of 69 points or less, no benefit will be provided .

Possibility to make up

The draft also provides for the possibility for caregivers to earn extra income on top of the nursing benefit. However, it is worth noting here the use of the word "coddling," which should not be confused with taking a job. As Article 38(1)(b) of the document in question indicates: "The special care allowance is not due if she earned income from employment or other gainful employment in a given calendar year in an amount exceeding six times the amount of the minimum wage referred to in the Minimum Wage Act of October 10, 2002 (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 2207) in effect on December 31 of the calendar year." 

According to the current calculations adopted for 2023, this amount is 20,940 gross per year, or about 1,745 gross per month.