There will be no increase in retirement age by this government. That's obvious – assured the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz on Friday. She added that the return of 13th pensions for those who work longer may be an incentive to work longer.
– First of all – it is obvious that there will be no increase in the retirement age by this government. There is no such political will and it will not happen, everyone understands this very well – said Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, on Radio Jedynka.
“We have a very serious problem”
On Polish radio, the Minister was asked about her statement from a few days ago, which was quoted by the media, that “everyone has to work as long as possible, if we do nothing, pensions will be much lower than today”. On the Onet Rano program, the Minister was also supposed to have said that she did not rule out raising the retirement age in Poland.
– This sentence is not true – the minister stated. – What I am saying is (…) that we have a very serious demographic problem in Poland. 15 years ago, four people worked for every retiree, now less than three, in 2050 – less than two 2 people. We must act now so that future retirees receive decent pensions and that there are no disproportionate, unbearable burdens on future generations – she stressed.
She added that there are many possible solutions to this problem. – One very important solution is not “have to work”, but “want to work”. To create solutions that will make people want to work as long as possible – said the minister.
Incentives to work longer
She stated that it is worth thinking about incentives to work longer; one of the solutions is activation and giving “young generations the opportunity to work longer”. She assessed that “a lot has changed here”. She mentioned “grandmothers'” and 100 thousand places in nurseries, which will be “built in the coming years”. Another solution, serving to activate the older generation, may be, according to Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, “digital clubs”, a program financed under the National Housing Plan. In her opinion, older people can use them to improve their digital skills and stay in work longer.
Pełczyńska-Nałęcz also added that it is necessary to adopt such solutions that the pension is higher the longer one works. Meanwhile, as she said, currently many people are in such a situation that at the time of retirement they have “contributed” 70% of the minimum pension and receive the minimum pension, and if they work longer, they will reach 90% of the minimum pension and also receive the minimum pension.
– It is very important that people who work longer get more – always – said the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. – We should consider – and this is in the Poland 2050 program – the return of thirteenth pensions. A person retires, gets 13 retirement. Doesn't go through – doesn't get. For those years of work, when one doesn't retire, one should get a refund of the outstanding thirteenth pension, then this retirement bonus is worth it – added Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.
She emphasized that “this government will definitely not raise the retirement age.” She added, however, that although the topic is difficult, it should be discussed and solutions should be sought. She said that these concern both incentives to work longer and to professional activation, but there are also solutions in the field of “other public policies, which are also very difficult (…), such as housing.”
Housing programs
– If we invest well in housing – I personally believe that social housing is the solution, the availability of land is the solution, the “0% loan” project is not the solution – said Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.
The Minister was asked about the dispute with the Ministry of Development and Technology concerning both the “0% Loan” and social housing construction in terms of the possibility of obtaining ownership.
– There is agreement and dispute, so I can talk about agreement – said Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. – There is common ground and it is very large. The common ground – and I think in the entire government, which means that this solution will be – is support for social housing construction. And this will happen in 80 or even 90 percent, we have agreement in the entire government – she assured.
She noted that the difference only concerns the issue of SIMs, social housing initiatives that are supervised by the National Real Estate Resource.
– And there, one of the options – apart from 100% rental construction – is the possibility of achieving ownership. This means that people contribute more own contributionthey pay higher rent for several dozen years so that the entire investment returns and they have the opportunity to gain ownership – said Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.
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