Bad news regarding the senior voucher. Eloquent words from the minister
Contrary to previous announcements, the senior voucher will not come into force at the beginning of 2026. Minister Maciej Berek admitted that the draft law on this matter will certainly not be adopted by the Parliament this year.
Work has been ongoing for over a year on the so-called senior voucher. This is to be support in the form of care for seniors aged 75 and over in their place of residence and in situations when their loved ones cannot take care of them. Importantly, the voucher will not be paid in cash.
Senior voucher later than announced
Last month, the Minister for Senior Policy, Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, announced that the bill regarding the senior voucher “should be adopted at the end of this year and become operational in the new year.” However, as “Fakt” reported a week ago, this date is in danger. This is due to the fact that the project in its current form raises doubts about the Government Legislation Center, and the opinion of this institution is crucial.
The project is currently at the stage of work in the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers. And even if it was adopted by the government in November, it would still have to be dealt with by the Sejm and the Senate. For the act to come into force, it must still be signed by the president. All this would have to happen by December 31 this year.
Maciej Berek’s words clearly indicate that the senior voucher will not come into effect at the beginning of 2026. The Minister for Supervision over the Implementation of Government Policy admitted in the “Polityczny WF z guest” program on Polsat News that the project “will definitely not be adopted by the Parliament this year.” Berek emphasized that the shape of the project “still requires modification.”
– The minister’s project is just getting to the stage where we can consider it in the committee – said the minister.
Berek admitted that he would like the project to be submitted to the committee in a ready version this year. – We need it this year to be able to proceed with it in parliament in the first part of the first quarter – said the minister.
The project assumes that the maximum monthly value of the senior voucher will be PLN 2,150 gross, i.e. 50%. minimum wage in the second half of 2024. First of all, the voucher is to be awarded to people aged 80 and over. Only after three years will the program cover people aged 75 and over.
