The funeral benefit has not covered the full cost of burial for years. From 2026 it rises to PLN 7,000. Will this change push funeral prices up as well?
Funeral benefit 2026 – the key changes
From 1 January 2026, the funeral benefit will be raised from PLN 4,000 to PLN 7,000. This is the first increase of this size since 2011. The new rules also provide for indexation of the benefit if inflation exceeds 5% since the amount was last changed. The funeral benefit is paid to persons who have covered the costs of a funeral, regardless of their degree of kinship with the deceased.
Who will receive the higher amount, and when?
- The new amount will cover deaths occurring after 1 January 2026.
- The benefit will not rise automatically every year – indexation will apply only when prices increase significantly.
How much does a funeral cost in Poland in 2025?
Funeral costs keep rising. In 2025, the average spending on a burial is between PLN 8,000 and PLN 12,000, and in large cities even above PLN 15,000. The final price is influenced by:
- the type of ceremony (secular or religious)
- the choice of coffin or urn
- cemetery fees
- transport and preparation of the body
- decorations, flowers, wake
Below is an example cost table:
| Category | Price range (PLN) |
|---|---|
| Transport of the body | 300–1000 |
| Preparation of the body | 350–550 |
| Coffin/urn | 800–4000 |
| Flowers and decorations | 250–800 |
| Cemetery services | 2300–7300 |
| Religious rites | 500–1500 |
| Administration | 100–300 |
| Total | 5000–15 000 |
Will the increase in the funeral benefit lead to higher funeral prices?
Market mechanisms and practice
Raising the funeral benefit could theoretically push up the prices of funeral services, especially if funeral homes conclude that clients have a larger budget. However, experts point out that funeral prices rise regardless of the level of the benefit – the main drivers are inflation, rising prices of materials (e.g. wood for coffins), energy and labour costs.
Raising the funeral benefit to PLN 7,000 is an important change that will make it easier to cover part of the funeral costs. However, rising service prices mean that even a higher benefit will not be enough to cover the full expenses.
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