Older people receiving a household pension may be required to pay an outstanding RTV subscription of up to PLN 1500. The explanation doubts of the provisions of the Law on licence fees make any seniors, although gathering the criteria of income and age, formally lose the right to be exempt from fees. This problem has serious financial consequences and concerns peculiarly widows and widowers who have chosen a household pension alternatively of their pension.
Who has to pay the RTV subscription?
According to licence fee billany natural individual having recorded radio or tv receiver is obliged to pay subscription fees. Exemption from this work shall be granted to persons who fulfil strict conditions, specified as:
- age above 60 years,
- fixed right to pension,
- pensions not exceeding 50% of average remuneration.
For the year 2024, this amount shall be PLN 4090.86 gross, which means that the income threshold for exemption is PLN 2045.43. Seniors fulfilling these conditions may get an exemption by showing the applicable decision of the ZUS or KRUS at the post office. However, as practice shows – not all case is unambiguous.
Family pension problem
The top controversy concerns the downloaders family pension – mainly widows and widowers who gave up their own pension for the benefit of their deceased spouse. In theory, they have a ‘established right to a pension’, but in practice, they do not collect pensions but pensions.
By Position National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), Family pension is not included in the list of benefits entitled to an RTV licence waiver. This means that those who have resigned from their own pension do not formally meet the conditions for receiving the relief, even though they would be entitled to it erstwhile receiving the pension.
This explanation was besides confirmed Minister for Culture and National Heritage in consequence to an authoritative request. As indicated:
"It is not clear, according to the National Council, that a individual who has a fixed right to a pension but receives a survivor's pension is able to show the current pension amount".
Financial implications for seniors
Lack of cognition or misinterpretation of regulations can cost seniors very expensively. If the receiver has been registered, but no subscription fees were paid, the Polish Post Office may issue a call for payment for the period up to 5 years back. In practice, the arrears for 2020–2024 are:
PLN 1515.60 (no interest, penalties and collection costs).
If this amount is not settled, the case may go to the taxation officewho has the power to enforce the backlog by, inter alia:
- occupation pensions,
- occupation bank account funds,
- blocking part of income or property.
No strategy clarity
The case shows that The current RTV licence waiver strategy is not adapted to all life situations, especially those concerning the elderly. Many household pensioners have lived for years to believe that they are exempt from the work to pay – especially erstwhile their income was low and the age and position of pensioners met the another criteria.
The problem is compounded by the fact that Family pension in many cases is lower than pension, so specified persons are additionally charged in hard economical circumstances.
Need for amendments or clarifications
Although the Minister of Culture felt that the current explanation did not let seniors to be included in the household pension waiver, in practice, there is no clear mechanics to take account of the real situation of recipients.
In public debate, demands are increasingly made to:
- update list of benefits entitled to exemption,
- simplify the mechanisms for reporting and confirming the exemption in the post office,
- introduce automation verification of allowances based on ZUS data.
Without specified changes, the problem will increase, and further elder groups may find themselves in a akin situation.
What can seniors do?
In the light of current legislation, survivors' pension recipients who They don't want to put themselves behind us.should:
- Check the RTV receiver registration status – you can do it in the post office.
- If the receiver has been registered – regulate current charges or get a certificate from ZUS/KRUS authorising dismissal (if they are retired).
- In case of uncertainty – submit an enquiry to the KRRiT or Ministry of Culture requesting an explanation of the individual situation.
The RTV licence and household pension case illustrates the importance of legal clarity for social benefits. Seniors, despite gathering real income and age criteria, may be excluded from the exemption strategy only due to the fact that they formally collect another benefits. Without prompt correction or clarification, thousands of older people may be wrongly burdened with delays of up to PLN 1500, which represents a serious financial burden for many households.
Continued here:
RTV subscription: Seniors are forced to pay up to 1500 PLN backlog
