New rules in the 800 plus program. Who will lose benefits?

The 800 plus program, which has been a pillar of the government’s pro-family activities for years, may soon undergo significant changes. Although the government’s official assurances indicate that in 2025 the program will be implemented according to the current principles, the upcoming excessive budget deficit procedure forces a discussion on the need to reduce spending. Introducing an income criterion or freezing new benefits are just some of the proposals aimed at rationalizing the budget.

No agreement in the coalition

So far, there is no consensus among the coalition parties as to the future of the program. The Minister of Finance reassures that no changes should be expected until the end of the current benefit period, i.e. until June 2025. At the same time, it does not rule out that introducing an income criterion or limiting payments to families that meet certain conditions may become necessary in the next budget.

The budget for 2025 provides PLN 62.8 billion for the implementation of the program. However, after the presidential elections, the government will have to present specific plans to reduce the deficit. Among the largest expenditure items, such as indexation of pensions or additional retirement benefits, it is PLN 800 plus that constitutes the most serious budget burden.

Income criterion or limitation of benefits?

According to economists, savings in the program can be achieved by introducing an income criterion, which would allow funds to be directed only to the most needy families. Another proposal is to limit payments only to families where at least one parent works. Such solutions could also allow for the indexation of the benefit to PLN 900, which would compensate for inflationary losses in its value.

The indexation of 800 plus is another topic that has gained importance in the face of inflation. Economists indicate that the loss of the real value of the benefit, amounting to approximately PLN 80, may prompt the government to increase its amount. However, such a solution would have to go hand in hand with limiting the group of beneficiaries to avoid additional budget burden.

Plan for 2026

According to media reports, the European Union has agreed to implement the program in 2025 without changes, but the following years may bring a freeze of the program or its deep reform. The government plans to develop the details of changes to the program in the fall of 2025, which will avoid the impact of unpopular decisions on the presidential elections.

It is also possible that the changes may only apply to newborn children, and the benefits currently granted will be maintained. Such a mechanism would be similar to the reform of the Clean Air program, where changes were introduced gradually, minimizing their social effects.

What’s next for 800 plus?

Although the government denies that any work on reforming the program is currently underway, experts agree: changes are inevitable. The introduction of the excessive deficit procedure will force budget savings, and the 800 plus program, which is the largest social expenditure, will be at the top of the list of items to be verified.

The coming months will provide an answer to the question of how the government will decide to reduce spending without giving up a key element of social policy. However, the final shape of the program will be known in the second half of 2025 at the earliest.