Since the beginning of the year, more than 1 million 287 1000 applications for the entitlement to widow's pension have been received by all pension bodies in Poland. This information was provided by Sebastian Kamiński, Deputy manager of the Social safety Department of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, during the session of the elder Policy Committee on Tuesday.
The highest number of applications, due to the fact that 1 million 114 thousand, went to the Social Insurance Institution. More than 160 1000 applications were submitted to the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund, to the Pension and Rent Office of the Ministry of abroad Affairs (MSWIA) 8,1 thousand, to the Military Pension Offices, 4.8 thousand, and to the Prison Pension Offices, 742 applications.
Seniors dominate the applicants
More than 73 percent of all applicants were over 71, as reported by ZUS manager Bartosz Gaca. Most of the applications to ZUS were received from the Silesian, Mazowieckie and Wielkopolska provinces, and at least from Podlaskie, Lubuskie and Opole.
By the end of August, ZUS had activated the payment of benefits in a fugitive for over 804.5 1000 people. The full amount of benefits paid exceeded PLN 2 billion 933 million, of which PLN 280 million is an additional amount resulting from the usage of the widow's pension.
The average benefits are PLN 300-350
The recipients gained PLN 352,21 on average thanks to the widow's pension, as Gaca explained. Katarzyna Witczak of KRUS stated that Kasa paid out over PLN 290 million in the widow's pension, of which about PLN 45 million is an additional amount. The recipients of KRUS averaged around PLN 300 for their benefit.
Commission president Joanna Borowiak (PiS) assessed that the widow's pension bill did not meet the expectations of elder citizens. According to her, elder citizens disappoint the limits and criteria that limit the right to receive this benefit.
Controversy around income limits
The president of the University of the 3rd Century of the School of Economics Krystyna Lewkowicz pointed out that the most emotional was the criterion of the limit of 3 times the minimum pension. A widow’s pension cannot be obtained above this amount.
In response, Sebastian Kamiński of the MRPiPS stressed that the criterion of the age and amount of his own benefit was introduced as the bill is directed to the most vulnerable. He besides pointed out that the limit adopted would be increased in the future.
The widow’s pension is due to widows and widowers who have aged at least 60 years for women and 65 years for men and remained in marital union until the death of their spouse. As a widow’s pension, you can receive 100 percent of your own benefit and 15 percent of the benefit from your deceased spouse or vice versa.
Sources used: "PAP" Note: This article has been edited with the aid of Artificial Intelligence.
