Big change for seniors: Combination of pensions from 2025

As of July 2025 a revolutionary change will enter into force in Poland, which will enable widows and widowers combine their own pension with household pension. This breakthrough will supply additional financial support for the elderly, who frequently had to face hard financial choices after the death of their spouse. According to the fresh legislation, these benefits can even be PLN 5342.88 per month.

New strategy for pooling benefits

To date, those who lost their spouse had to decide between their own pension and household pension, choosing this benefit, which was higher. As of mid-2025, things have changed dramatically.

How does the fresh strategy work?

• Authorised persons will be able to hold 100% of your own pension and receive additional 15% household pension After his late spouse.
• Alternatively you can choose 100% household pension and 15% of your own pension.
• As of 2027, the percent of additional benefit will increase from 15% to 25%which will further improve the financial situation of seniors.

Conditions for granting double benefits

The fresh rules will apply only in certain cases:

1. The applicant must be completed 60 years (females) or 65 years (man).
2. Marriage must proceed until the death of the spouse.
3. The applicant cannot enter a fresh marriage.

The application process will start in January 2025. ZUS is already preparing to operate the strategy to guarantee efficient processing of applications. The payouts will begin from July 2025, allowing for a six-month period of preparation.

Benefits for Seniors

The introduction of the anticipation of combining benefits can importantly improve the quality of life of older people. The change is estimated to cover respective 100 1000 seniors across the country. With additional funds seniors will be able to:

• Pay for rehabilitation and the essential medicines, which so far have frequently put besides much force on the budget.
• Maintain the standard of surviving to date, despite losing his spouse's income.
• Financial support for children and grandchildren, which may be peculiarly crucial in the face of rising costs of surviving in Poland.

Social impact and possible challenges

Although the change is positively received, it besides introduces fresh challenges.

Informal relationships among seniors
The condition of not remaining in a fresh matrimony may lead to an increase in numbers informal relationships among the elderly. any seniors may knowingly quit legalization of the relation in order not to lose the right to double benefits. This situation can origin legal problems, especially in the case of inheritances or medical care.

Changes in household dynamics
Increasing the financial independency of seniors can reduce their dependency on children, which is crucial in the context of rising costs of living. Paradoxically, however, many seniors can opt for greater support for the younger generation, especially in the face of problems specified as deficiency of housing or rising education costs.

Impact on the state budget
The fresh solution will be a dense burden on the state budget. It is estimated that its introduction will cost several billion PLN per year. However, the government ensures that change is essential to counter poorness among seniors.

How to prepare for changes?

1. Check your benefits – It is worth verifying the pension account in ZUS and making certain that you are entitled to a household pension.
2. Apply on time – The application process starts in January 2025. The sooner you file the documents, the sooner you will receive additional funds.
3. Plan long term – fresh regulations can affect your financial and household decisions. It is worth taking them into account in planning the future.

Examples of benefits calculations

To better illustrate the benefits, we present respective scenarios:

• Person whose own pension is equal to PLN 3000and the household pension is 2000 PLN, will receive PLN 3000 + 15% of PLN 2000 = PLN 3300 A month.
• For a benefit of PLN 4000 and pensions 2500 złthe full amount shall be PLN 4375 from 2025 and after an increase in percent to 25% will increase to PLN 4625.

Thanks to these changes, elder citizens can importantly increase their income and improve the material situation.