Big January Rise: ZUS to Pay More to Pensioners

13 September 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Poland’s widow’s pension change will raise the partial second benefit from 15% to 25% from 1 January 2027, boosting many seniors’ monthly income.

From 1 January 2027 Poland will apply a significant widow’s pension change that raises the partial share of a second benefit from 15% to 25%. The law already prescribes this step, and ZUS confirmed the move in a 12 August 2026 statement.

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Widow’s pension change: what will rise from January 2027

Under the current arrangement, eligible people can receive either 100% of their own pension plus 15% of the survivor’s pension, or 100% of the survivor’s pension plus 15% of their own. The law set this 15% rate as a temporary measure from 1 July 2025 through 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027 the lower component will increase to 25% for those entitled.

How much more will beneficiaries receive?

The extra money depends on each case. ZUS reports that the average additional amount currently paid under the 15% rule equals 379.10 zł monthly. Raise that partial share by ten percentage points and the extra cash can be noticeable. For a partially paid benefit of 2,000 zł the 15% share equals 300 zł; at 25% it becomes 500 zł. The monthly difference equals 200 zł. At 3,000 zł the difference is about 300 zł, and at 4,000 zł it reaches roughly 400 zł. On an annual basis, the larger share can mean thousands of złoty more than under the earlier rule.

Important limit still applies

However, the higher percentage will not lift the statutory cap on combined payouts. Law caps the total of overlapping benefits at three times the minimum pension. Since 1 March 2026 the minimum pension equals 1,978.49 zł gross. That produces a current cap of 5,935.47 zł gross per month. If combined benefits exceed this ceiling, ZUS will reduce the payment accordingly. KRUS has pointed out that the cap will not rise automatically because of the percentage change on 1 January 2027. Thus final amounts will vary by individual.

Who qualifies and how many people benefit?

Eligibility requires more than widow or widower status. Women must be at least 60 years old and men at least 65. The claimant must have remained married to the deceased until their death. The right to the survivor pension must have arisen no earlier than five years before reaching the statutory retirement age. Claimants also cannot be currently remarried. ZUS data show that in June 2026 about 993,400 people already received payments under the scheme. Since the programme began, at least 1.1 million people have received one payment or more.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: ZUS is Poland’s Social Insurance Institution and manages pensions and benefits. KRUS is the farmers’ social insurance body. If you are a foreign resident in Poland, check your eligibility with ZUS because rules depend on the exact statutory conditions and your marital and contribution history. Visit the official government portal or contact ZUS for personalised information and application steps.

For many retirees the change will be one of the more important financial shifts next year. The law already sets the timetable: 15% until 31 December 2026, and 25% from 1 January 2027. For eligible seniors the January payment cycle may bring noticeably higher transfers, subject to the statutory cap.

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