500 PLN more for these retirees. There's only one key to the raise.

• 500 plus for seniors is a cash benefit paid by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) to people who are unable to live independently
• It may amount to a maximum of PLN 500 if the person is not entitled to a pension or disability pension and has no established right to another cash benefit financed from public funds.
• A pensioner may apply for the benefit if the total gross amount does not exceed PLN 2,052.39 - then it will be the difference between PLN 2,552.39 and the total amount of benefits to which they are entitled

The supplementary benefit, also known as the 500+ benefit for seniors, is granted to a person who:

• she is over 18 years old
• is incapable of independent existence, and this incapacity has been confirmed by a decision on incapacity for independent existence or a decision on total incapacity for work and incapacity for independent existence or a decision on total incapacity for work on a farm and incapacity for independent existence or a decision on total incapacity for service and incapacity for independent existence;
• you are not entitled to a pension or disability pension, you do not have an established right to another cash benefit financed from public funds, e.g. a permanent allowance or periodic allowance (this condition does not apply to one-off benefits), and you are not entitled to a benefit from a foreign institution responsible for pensions and disability benefits,

or

• is entitled to these benefits (pension, disability pension or other cash benefits financed from public funds, including the amount paid by a foreign institution competent for pension and disability pension matters), but their total gross amount does not exceed PLN 2,552.39 ;
• is resident in Poland;
• has Polish citizenship

or

• has the right of residence or the right of permanent residence in Poland if you are a citizen of one of the member states of the European Union or the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) - a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation

or

• has legalized residence in Poland (if you are a citizen of a country outside the EU or EFTA).

ZUS explains that when determining the amount of PLN 2,552.39, it does not take into account the amount of the survivor’s pension granted to a child who became totally incapable of work and independent existence or totally incapable of work before reaching the age of 16 or while studying at school before reaching the age of 25.

Required documents for the 500+ benefit

To receive the supplementary benefit, eligible individuals must submit an application. It can be submitted at any ZUS office, by post, or sent electronically via the ZUS Electronic Services Platform. The ESUN application form can be downloaded from the ZUS website.

The application for supplementary benefits must be accompanied by:

• a decision on the inability to live independently

or

• a decision on complete incapacity for work and incapacity for independent living

or

• a decision issued (before 1 September 1997) by the medical commission for disability and employment on inclusion in the 1st group of disabled people - if the period for which the disability was declared has not expired

If ZUS already has such a decision in the pension documentation, then it does not need to be attached.

• in the case of the right to a foreign pension or disability pension or other foreign benefit of a similar nature – a document confirming the right to these benefits and their amount issued by a foreign institution competent for pension and disability pension matters is required.

The document confirming the inability to live independently, on the basis of which ZUS may determine the right to a supplementary benefit, is also:

• a decision on complete incapacity to work on a farm and incapacity for independent living ,
• a decision on complete incapacity for service and inability to lead an independent life.

If there is no decision confirming the inability to live independently or the period for which it was issued has expired, the application may be accompanied by a health certificate issued by a doctor no earlier than one month before submitting the application, and (if available) medical documentation and other documents that are relevant for determining the inability to live independently , e.g.:

• preventive examination card,
• documentation of medical or vocational rehabilitation.

You can also attach a certificate of significant disability.

500 PLN for seniors. Rules for granting the benefit

The supplementary benefit is granted in the amount of PLN 500 if the applicant:

• is not entitled to a pension or disability pension and has no established right to any other cash benefit financed from public funds,

or

• has such benefits, but their total gross amount does not exceed PLN 2,052.39.

If the applicant receives a pension, disability pension, or other publicly funded benefit and the total gross amount of these benefits is more than PLN 2,052.39 but not more than PLN 2,552.39, the supplementary benefit will be less than PLN 500. This will be the difference between PLN 2,552.39 and the total amount of benefits to which they are entitled .

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