From 1 January 2027, the care benefit (świadczenie pielęgnacyjne) will be PLN 3,488 a month, PLN 102 more than now, according to a notice from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.
What the notice says
The Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy signed the notice on 22 October. It was published in Monitor Polski under item 1042 (M.P.2026.1042) and takes effect on 27 October. The document states that the amount of the care benefit in 2027 is PLN 3,488.00. The legal basis is Article 17(3d) of the Act on Family Benefits. The provision requires the minister to announce the amount for the following year by 15 November.
How much more in your pocket
From 1 January 2026, the benefit is PLN 3,386. The increase is PLN 102 a month, or PLN 1,224 a year. Paid over 12 months, that comes to PLN 41,856. The care benefit is exempt from income tax.
The benefit is indexed every year on 1 January. The law links it to growth in the minimum wage: the indicator is the ratio of the minimum wage in force on 1 January of a given year to the minimum wage on 1 January of the previous year. The amount is rounded up to the nearest whole złoty.
Do you need to apply?
No. The increase applies automatically, and the paying authorities, that is the municipalities (gminy), change the amount on their own initiative as long as the right to the benefit remains in force. An application is only needed when first applying for the benefit or when a certificate or decision expires.
The same amount applies to the benefit granted under both the old and the new rules. According to the family ministry, since 2024 the benefit has been available to parents and guardians of children with disabilities until the child turns 18, without restrictions on work and regardless of income. If a family has more than one such child, the amount increases by 100 percent for the second and each subsequent child.
This is not the only change to benefits from the new year. We have already written that ZUS is raising the widow’s pension from January.
