Family benefits after the child’s birth

Family benefits are available for the following groups of foreigners:

Foreigners to whom the provisions on the coordination of social security systems apply;
Foreigners covered by the bilateral agreements on social security binding on the Republic of Poland;
Foreigners residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland under a permanent residence permit, a residence permit for long-term EU residents or a temporary residence permit, granted with regard to the circumstances referred to in Article 127 or in Article 186 section 1 pt. 3 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners, or of a refugee status or subsidiary protection obtained in the Republic of Poland;
Foreigners who hold a residence card with the “access to the labour market” note, with the exception of third-country citizens who have obtained a work permit for the territory of a member state for a period not exceeding six months, third-country nationals who have been admitted for the purpose of study and third-country nationals who are allowed to work under a visa.

Family benefits are available to persons domiciled in the territory of the Republic of Poland during the family benefit period, unless the provisions on the coordination of social security systems or bilateral international agreements on social security provide otherwise.

The following childbirth allowances are available:

Maternity grant (“Becikowe”) is one-off financial assistance in the amount of PLN 1000, awarded to families in which net income per household member does not exceed PLN 1922. In order to obtain the grant, the woman is required to remain under medical care from week 10 of the pregnancy. Application for the grant should be filed in the relevant Municipality Office or Municipal Social Welfare Centre, competent for the area of the family’s residence, within one year of the child’s birth. Medical evidence confirming that the mother of the child remained under the care of a gynecologist obstetrician or of a midwife from week 10 of the pregnancy needs to be provided together with the application.

Child benefit – available to families in which net income per household member does not exceed PLN 574 (PLN 664 in case of disabled children). The benefit payout is coordinated by the Social Welfare Centres. Documentation evidencing the income for the previous year needs to be provided together with the application for the benefit.

Currently, the amount of child benefit is:

PLN 77 per child under 5 years of age;
PLN 106 per child aged 5-18;
PLN 115 per child aged 18-24.

Families eligible for child benefit may also apply for the following allowances:

single parent allowance – PLN 170 per child per month, however, not more than PLN 340, if a single parent is raising more than one child
allowance in the amount of PLN 400 for a parent taking care of a child during parental leave
allowance for parents of a disabled child – PLN 240 per child, in case of large families – PLN 80 for the third and the subsequent children