The fourteenth pension is an annual benefit guaranteed by law. The cabinet estimates that in 2023 a total of about 8.3 million pensioners will receive it.
Fourteenth is paid on the same dates as pensions. You do not need to submit applications to receive them.
In 2021, the fourteenth pensions will be paid out for the first time. July 19 President Andrzej Duda signed a law according to which they will be granted permanently.
The law stipulates that the date of payment of the 14th is set each year by 31 October at the latest by regulation of the Council of Ministers.
Check the details
The benefit is paid on the same dates as the pensions. You don’t need to apply to receive fourteen.
The law stipulates that the full amount of the fourteenth pension is at least the amount of the lowest old-age pension applicable from 1 March of the year in which the next annual supplementary cash payment is made. This year it is PLN 1588.44 gross. As calculated by ZUS at the end of July, for people with a main benefit between PLN 2,900 and PLN 4,438.44, the fourteenth is reduced according to the principle of one zloty for one zloty.
However, the law provides for the possibility of setting a higher amount of the fourteenth retirement pension. The Council of Ministers will be able to determine this by national ordinance no later than October 31 of a given year.
The minimum amount of fourteen must be at least PLN 50 for the benefit to be due.
Millions of pensioners and retirees
According to government data, a total of some 8.3 million retirees will receive the 14th this year. The cost of paying benefits is estimated at almost PLN 12 billion.
The payment is free of deductions, such as bailiff’s attachment. When applying for assistance, alimony or 500 plus for surviving relatives, it does not count towards income. Only the health insurance premium and withholding tax are deducted from the payment.
Fourteen is not awarded to benefit claimants whose payment is suspended on the date of the examination of the entitlement to fourteen, for example due to exceeding the limit of additional earnings.
From 2019, pensioners will also receive the thirteenth pension. In 2023, 9.7 million people received it. The cost of paying thirteen is about PLN 13.6 billion.
This year, the government has allocated a total of more than PLN 74 billion for indexation of benefits and for the thirteenth and fourteenth pensions.
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edy/PAP
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.