What next with 800 plus payments? There is an announcement

The Sejm held a debate on the report of the Council of Ministers on the implementation of the 500 plus Act (currently 800 plus) in 2023. Deputy Minister of Family Aleksandra Gajewska announced that in 2023 the state budget expenditure on 500 plus program amounted to over PLN 41.7 billion. As she said, in 2023 by ZUS 5.3 million applications for parental benefits were submitted. – The applications concerned 8 million 100 thousand children – Gajewska pointed out.

The deputy head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, citing a government analysis, noted that the Family 500 plus program had a very limited impact on the fertility rate: it probably contributed only to a slight increase in births in the first years after the introduction of the benefit.

A government report shows that the introduction of child benefit has had a “significant impact” on reducing child poverty, but this has been offset to some extent by an increase in inflation in 2022-2023. The government emphasized in the document that increasing the amount of the benefit from PLN 500 to PLN 800 per child was intended to counteract the effects of this increase. The effects of this change are expected to be visible in 2024.

– At this point, I want to emphasize very clearly and loudly from the Sejm's rostrum: the 800 plus program is already a long-term permanent element of the household budgets of Polish families, which is why it will be continued in the coming years on the same principles as currently – assured Gajewska.

During the debate, MEPs pointed out that reversing unfavorable demographic trends requires a comprehensive policy consisting of many support elements. They mentioned here, among others: solutions in the area of ​​housing, flexible forms of employment for mothers and the development and improvement of the quality of care for young children.

Bożena Borys-Szopa (PIS) emphasized that 800 plus is one of the flagship programs introduced by the United Right government, which changed the role of the state in shaping family policy. – We are glad that after almost nine years of the program's operation, the current government has noticed the value of this solution – said Borys-Szopa. Joanna Frydrych (KO), in turn, pointed out that the PiS government had not valorized childcare benefits for many years, which led to an increase in poverty among children. Maja Nowak (Poland 2050 – Third Way) and Agnieszka Kłopotek (PSL – Third Way) indicated the need to develop a long-term demographic strategy.

Grzegorz Płaczek said that one benefit is not enough to help families with children (Confederation). – Soon, even the 1000 plus program will not be enough to ensure decent living conditions – he said. The Family 500 plus program was introduced by the PiS government on April 1, 2016. Under it, families with dependent children were entitled to an educational benefit of PLN 500 per child up to 18 years of age, regardless of the family's income. From January 1, 2024, the amount of this benefit is PLN 800 per month per child.