A new program for families is starting. Who will get 1500 PLN?

We already know exactly how the Active Parent program (popularly known as “granny”) will work, which will come into effect on October 1. On Friday, June 12, the act was announced, which specifies the principles on which the money will be paid. The new regulations assume the introduction of three new benefits:

• “Active parents at work” benefit;

• “Actively in the Nursery” benefit;

• “Actively at Home” benefit.

The active parents at work benefit is available for every child aged 12 to 35 months.

We explain the most important issues regarding the “Active Parents at Work” programme.

Family care capital disappears

Parents of the youngest children will have to choose one of the three available benefits and apply for it to ZUS.

At the same time, the provisions concerning the Family Care Capital program are repealed, while the acquired rights will be preserved. Parents have the right to keep the family care capital previously granted, with the possibility for that parent to switch to a new benefit that will be more beneficial for them.

Benefits from the Active Parent program are available regardless of family income and are not subject to administrative or bailiff enforcement. No advance payment of personal income tax, social security contributions or health insurance contributions are charged on benefits.

Who is the “Active Parent” for?

Benefits from the Active Parent program are available to persons residing in Poland:

1. Polish citizens,

2. EU/EFTA and UK citizens

3. other foreigners, provided they meet the condition of legal residence in Poland on the basis of a residence card with access to the labour market or on the basis of another document confirming legal residence and access to the labour market.

What about Ukrainian citizens?

• The benefits for active parents at work and active at home are not available to citizens of Ukraine who came to Poland in connection with military operations.

• The active nursery benefit is available to Ukrainian citizens who came to Poland in connection with war operations, if they have been legally residing in Poland as persons with the status of “UKR” for an uninterrupted period of at least 365 days. This also applies to a child of a Ukrainian citizen who has the status of “UKR”.

“Active parents at work”

This benefit is available to professionally active parents or guardians for a child aged 12 to 35 months. The benefit is not available for a child who attends a kindergarten, nursery, children’s club or is under the care of a day carer.

How should professional activity be understood? It can be defined in various ways and, importantly, it does not have to be based on a full-time job, although such a reservation was included in the first draft of the act. The basis for establishing that a parent is professionally active may be retirement and disability insurance, which is due when the parent:

• works under an employment contract,

• performs outwork,

• works on the basis of an agency agreement or a contract for the provision of services or another contract for the provision of services to which the provisions on the contract for services apply in accordance with the Civil Code, and if he or she cooperates with such a person,

• runs a sole proprietorship or collaborates in running it,

• is a member of agricultural production cooperatives and agricultural circle cooperatives,

• is a member of parliament or senator who receives a salary,

• is a spiritual person,

• receives scholarships: doctoral, sports, for students of the National School of Public Administration.

The benefit will also be available to persons insured in KRUS, as well as those working:

• in uniformed services, on the basis of a service relationship (professional soldiers, police officers, officers of the Intelligence Agency, Internal Security Agency, Military Counterintelligence Service, Military Intelligence Service, State Protection Service, Border Guard, Marshal’s Guard, Customs and Fiscal Service, Prison Service, State Fire Service, judges, prosecutors, trainees of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution);

or the one taking it

• maternity benefit,

• sickness benefit (including accident insurance benefit),

• care allowance,

• compensatory allowance (including accident insurance allowance),

• rehabilitation benefit (including accident insurance benefit),

• remuneration for the period of incapacity for work based on the Labor Code.

To receive the benefit, you must prove a minimum level of income from which pension and disability insurance contributions are paid (minimum level of the contribution assessment base). This applies to you and the person with whom you are raising a child together.

How much is the Active Parents at Work benefit?

You are entitled to the active parents at work benefit in the amount of:

• PLN 1,500 per month per child,

• PLN 1,900 per month – if the child has a disability certificate.

ZUS provides practical examples on its website, based on which parents can determine whether they meet the program conditions.