New ZUS benefit: PLN 320 added, PLN 260 taken away. The first payments went out in July.
Author: prepared by JKB • Source: Rynek Zdrowia • Published: July 11, 2025 10:41 • Updated: July 11, 2025 10:41
A widow's or widower's pension is a combination of benefits, for example, 100% of the beneficiary's own benefit and 15% of the survivor's benefit, or vice versa. ZUS calculations indicate that the widow's or widower's pension is approximately PLN 300 higher than the benefit currently received. However, beneficiaries have doubts, suggesting they gain only PLN 38.
- ZUS has started paying a new benefit to eligible persons - widow's pension
- According to ZUS estimates, the widow's pension is nearly PLN 359.82 gross higher than the benefit currently received
- However, beneficiaries themselves have doubts on this matter, as evidenced by the letter addressed to Infor.pl
- It shows that widows/widowers can only count on a PLN 38 raise.
According to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy (MRPiPS) guidelines, the widow's pension was introduced to support single seniors. According to ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) calculations, the widow's pension is nearly PLN 359.82 gross higher than the current benefit.
However, a reader of Infor.pl cast doubt on this benefit. In her letter, she expressed her indignation and disappointment, pointing out that widows/widowers do not receive much at all.
"[…] I hasten to clarify that they receive a raise of not 300 PLN, but 38 PLN after receiving the benefit – a widow's pension . They chased these elderly people away from the offices because they needed a marriage certificate, a husband's death certificate... then they submitted an application – and what? And that was only the promised 300 PLN. My mother and her friends had already received decisions from the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS) regarding the widow's pension amount, and they were awarded 320 PLN, of course. But in the end, the pension increase was only 38 PLN. Because they took away 260 PLN from the supplementary benefit, the so-called 500+, for those unable to live independently," wrote an embittered reader to Infor.pl.
Widower's pension will be granted upon application after meeting certain conditions:
- you must have reached retirement age of 60 for women and 65 for men,
- remain in the marital community until the death of the spouse,
- acquire the right to a survivor's pension after the death of a spouse no earlier than before reaching the age of 55 (women) and 60 (men).
However, widows and widowers can choose whether to receive the entire survivor's pension and 15% of their own benefit, or vice versa. As of January 1, 2027, the second benefit will be increased to 25%. This choice is also available to individuals entitled to a pre-retirement allowance or benefit, a bridging pension, a teacher's compensation benefit, or a training pension.
From January 1 to July 10, 2025, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) received over 1 million applications for widower's pensions. During this time, ZUS paid out PLN 1.118 billion gross to over 320,000 individuals, of which over PLN 114 million increased due to the application of overlapping benefits.
It's worth noting that for individuals entitled to a survivor's pension and a retirement pension, the total of the combined benefits cannot exceed three times the minimum retirement pension. Benefits paid by foreign institutions and other benefits are also included in this limit.
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