Urgent announcement from ZUS. It’s about supporting services
ZUS appeals to people with disabilities and their relatives to be careful with offers of paid assistance in obtaining support benefits. You can count on free support from the institution’s employees in this matter.
– Don’t pay intermediaries for support services – appeals the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).
In a statement issued on Thursday, ZUS informs that it receives signals from people with disabilities who are to receive offers of paid support services. – Representatives of some law firms visit disabled people at home. These are often older people who do not always carefully read the content of the documents they sign. Sometimes they learn about the high fees specified in the contract only later – we read in the announcement.
Important appeal from ZUS
Recently, the granddaughter of a person who used the services of a law firm offering assistance in obtaining support benefits came to one of the ZUS offices. The woman signed the contract and granted power of attorney to act on her behalf. The compensation and the first payment of the benefit were transferred to the law firm’s account. It was almost PLN 22,000. zloty. After settling the receivable, the law firm, acting on behalf of the client, submitted to ZUS documents regarding changing the bank account for further payment of the benefit to the client’s account and revoking the power of attorney. The money that went to the law firm as remuneration for its services could have been used to cover the costs of the client’s care, treatment or rehabilitation.
– Similar situations also occurred last year. Customers informed ZUS employees about the offers of intermediaries who offered help in exchange for a very high remuneration, up to PLN 10,000. PLN or six times the monthly benefit – informs ZUS.
The institution appeals to people with disabilities and their relatives to be careful with offers of paid assistance in obtaining support services. ZUS reminds that you do not have to use paid services of a law firm or intermediary to receive support benefits. You can submit the application yourself online on the eZUS portal or with free support from ZUS employees. A person with a disability may also authorize a trusted person, for example a family member or close relative, to handle matters at ZUS. Such an attorney can also count on free assistance from ZUS employees when submitting the application.
ZUS also reminds that in order to apply for a support benefit from ZUS, you must have a decision specifying the level of support need, issued by the Provincial Disability Assessment Team. This decision must award at least 70 points. Only then can you submit an application for a support benefit to ZUS. Law firms or intermediaries have no influence on this decision or the number of points awarded.
