500+ for retirees. It's not automatic - ZUS grants it upon application.

• 500+ is a supplementary benefit paid by ZUS to people unable to live independently
• It may amount to a maximum of PLN 500 if the person is not entitled to a retirement or disability pension and has no established right to another cash benefit financed from public funds.
• A pensioner may also apply for the benefit if the total gross amount does not exceed PLN 2,052.39.
• In this situation, it will be the difference between the amount of PLN 2,552.39 and the total amount of benefits due

It is worth noting that the supplementary benefit (500+ benefit for seniors) is granted to a person who:

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

Other eligible persons must meet the following criteria:

• over 18 years of age;
• are 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;
• are not entitled to a pension or disability pension, have no established right to another cash benefit financed from public funds, e.g. permanent allowance or periodic allowance (this condition does not apply to one-off benefits), and are not entitled to a benefit from a foreign institution competent for pension and disability pension matters,

or

• have the right of residence or the right of permanent residence in Poland if they are citizens of one of the member states of the European Union or the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) - parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation

or

• have legalized residence in Poland (if they are citizens of a country outside the EU or EFTA).

Important documents needed to benefit from the 500+ program

For supplementary benefits, the eligible person must submit an application. It can be submitted at any ZUS office, or sent by post or 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.

However, 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 important 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.

Not always PLN 500. Important rules for granting benefits

It is worth emphasizing that the supplementary benefit of PLN 500 is granted 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 does not exceed PLN 2,552.39, the supplementary benefit will be less than PLN 500. This is the difference between PLN 2,552.39 and the total amount of benefits due.

ZUS reminds 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.

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