The Social Insurance Institution paid out the household 800+ benefit in the first half of this year for over 365 1000 children whose parents declared citizenship another than Polish. That's 1.5% little than in the same period. The full amount amounted to PLN 1,613 billion, i.e. by 4.5% little than the year before, erstwhile it was PLN 1,689 billion. Most recipients of the above-mentioned benefits come from Ukraine. ZUS donated PLN 1,438 billion to nearly 305 1000 Ukrainian children. Further groups are Belarusians, Romanians and Russians. Beneficiaries with Indian, Vietnamese, Georgian, Bulgarian, Moldovan and Chinese citizenship were on the next stage.
The educational benefit of PLN 800 is paid to citizens in Poland who show compliance with the conditions provided for in the Act. According to ZUS data, in the first half of 2025 they were paid to 365,3 1000 children of foreigners. This is 1.5% little than in the same period last year. At the same time, the amount of benefits paid amounted to PLN 1,613 billion, i.e. by 4.5% little than a year earlier, erstwhile it was PLN 1,689 billion. Dr. Tomasz Rzychoń, Chief Economist of the Higher economical and Humanities School in Bielsko-Biala, notes that the program is inactive popular among foreigners, and a fluctuation of 1 and a half percent means stabilising the number of applicants in the average term.
– If political or ideological issues are removed from the analysis, these 365.3,000 children of foreigners utilizing the program can be compared with the declining population forecast in Poland, which in 10 years may be close to 36 million compared to today's 37.4 million. As you can see, these additional 365 1000 or 370 1000 children of foreigners receiving the benefit do not reverse this negative trend," adds the expert.
Dr. Tomasz Kopysciński of the University of WSB Merito argues that this tiny decrease in the number of children of people declaring citizenship another than Polish is not a signal of retreat from the program. This can be read as a correction resulting from the mobility of this group. A slight decline may besides reflect the end of the transition period following the massive influx of migrants. Further trips or return to the country may be the reason why the number of beneficiaries of the programme with Ukrainian citizenship has decreased. In the first half of last year, the benefit was granted to 315.5 1000 children from Ukraine (it was allocated to it – PLN 1,342 billion), and in the same period of that year almost 305 1000 (PLN 1.438 billion) received it. This, according to the expert, is not the only reason for the decrease in the number of Ukrainian beneficiaries.
– any of the children who utilized the program in erstwhile years now reached the age in which they were no longer entitled. Moreover, the legal position of Ukrainian citizens is changing, e.g. obtaining Polish citizenship, which changes the statistical classification. It cannot be excluded that any families have not renewed applications or fulfilled formal conditions. In my opinion, therefore, these data do not indicate a decrease in interest in the programme, but alternatively about changes in the structure of the Ukrainian population in Poland – Dr. Tomasz Kopysciński says.
Other beneficiaries, for whom in the first half of this year ZUS paid out the most benefits household 800+, were applicants with Belarusian citizenship – 24,7 1000 and 117.5 million PLN (a year earlier – 24.5 1000 and 115,6 million PLN). Children of applicants with Romanian citizenship – over PLN 7 1000 and PLN 26.1 million (earlier – PLN 4.9 1000 and PLN 19.9 million), Russian – nearly PLN 4 1000 and PLN 18.5 million (nearly PLN 4 1000 and PLN 18.2 million), Indian – PLN 2.8 1000 and PLN 12 million (PLN 2.5 1000 and PLN 10.7 million), Vietnamese – PLN 2.7 1000 and PLN 12.5 million (PLN 2.7 1000 and PLN 12.2 million), Georgian – over PLN 2 1000 and PLN 8.6 million (PLN 1.7 1000 and PLN 7.6 million), Bulgarian – PLN 1.8 1000 and PLN 8.3 million (PLN 1.8 1000 and PLN 7.9 million), Moldovan – PLN 1.1 1000 and PLN 5 million (PLN 1.1 1000 and PLN 4.7 million) and Chinese – PLN 833 and PLN 3.6 million (PLN 821 and PLN 3.6 million). Dr Tomasz Rzychoń notes that the vast majority of migration to Poland is of an economical nature, and these arrive.
– The number of migrants is expected to increase in the coming years. Let us remember that earnings in Poland have increased importantly in the last fewer years and are very akin to the European average, and Poland is simply a country of the European Union neighbouring countries where earnings cannot be called European – the Chief Economist of the Higher economical and Humanities School in Bielsko-Biala forecasts.
Dr. Tomasz Kopysciński explains the increase in the number of children covered by the benefits among citizens of Romania, India, Georgia and Moldova, the increasing presence of these communities in Poland. In the case of Romanians, an increase of more than 2,000 children can be a consequence of labour migration within the EU, where citizens of that country have full freedom of movement.
– Growth among Indian or Vietnamese citizens may be linked to the influx of IT, gastronomy and logistics workers. Educational provision is available to all legally resident and working parents, making them an attractive part of household support. These data show that Poland is becoming an increasingly diverse country in terms of nationality," adds the expert at the University of WSB Merito.
There are sometimes proposals to change the rules on the payment of educational services to foreigners. It is not about stopping payments, but above all about sealing the strategy by introducing additional criteria. 1 of the objectives of reducing the number of beneficiaries is to reduce budgetary expenditure on social transfers. In 2024 the programme cost nearly PLN 70 billion.
– There is consensus in the ruling coalition that 800+ should only be received by foreigners who want to work, live and pay taxes in Poland. The criterion of legal employment seems crucial. This is supported by the voters of Law and Justice. In my opinion, implementation of the changes is inactive possible this year – says Dr. Tomasz Rzychoń.
On the another hand, the expert at WSB Merito notes that, from the point of view of the state budget, the payment of the educational benefit to foreigners represents a tiny fraction of the full cost of the program. The expert is of the opinion that the current rules governing the right to benefit from legal residence and employment are reasonable and consistent with the rule of equal treatment.
– Any changes should be aimed at improving verification of allowances alternatively than limiting access. The introduction of additional criteria could be hard to implement effectively and possibly contrary to EU law. There are no signs of extremist change in the close future, although it is worth monitoring the situation and responding to possible abuses. It is crucial to keep the balance between household support and fiscal responsibility," concludes Dr. Tomasz Kopysciński.
text and photograph source: MondayNews.pl
