Widow’s pension already in 2024? A surprising answer from the Minister of Family
Widow’s pension, the left’s most important election promise for retirees, was not included in next year’s budget. This leads to the conclusion that we will have to wait for its payment. However, the Ministry of Family argues that the initial benefits will be paid soon.
On Friday, we informed that neither the financial plan of the Social Insurance Fund for 2024 nor the special reserves included money for widow’s pension – one of the flagship promises of the Left. This costs approximately PLN 13 billion per year. The government’s announcement after the adoption of the draft state budget confirmed other promises for pensioners, including: double indexation of pensions in the event of high inflation, but widow’s pensions disappeared somewhere. Hence, it was assumed that the benefit would come into force in 2025 at the earliest.
Widow’s pension still in 2024?
Business Insider reports about the turnaround in the case. The website asked the ministries of finance and labor whether money for widow’s pension is secured in next year’s budget and whether we can count on its implementation in 2024. The first of the mentioned institutions sent questions to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy.
Information provided on behalf of Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy, shows that money for widow’s pensions is secured in the 2024 budget, but “in a rolling variant, which assumes a gradual, year-by-year achievement of target benefit amount provided for in the citizens’ project.
How should this be understood?
This means that the solution for widowed spouses will be introduced “in installments”. In 2024, they will not receive the full amount, i.e. their entire pension and half of the deceased spouse’s benefit, but their entire pension and a certain percentage of the benefit due to the deceased. This paid share will increase over time.
The deceased’s pension. What is it like now?
Currently, in the event of the death of a spouse, the other partner either retains his or her own pension or decides to receive 85%. pension of the deceased spouse (survivor’s pension) – however, the condition for receiving it is the resignation from your benefit. The left believes that this is unfair and has prepared – in cooperation with the All-Poland Agreement of Trade Unions (OPZZ) – another mechanism. Under the bill, a widow or widower could keep his or her pension and half of the deceased spouse’s benefit, or the entire pension of his or her husband or wife and half of his or her pension.