A carer from MOPS or GOPS is granted by the social welfare centre (ośrodek pomocy społecznej) by decision, at the request of the senior, their family or on the centre's own initiative. It is available to a person living alone who needs help from others because of age or illness, and to a person whose family cannot provide that help. If the senior's net income does not exceed 1010 zł a month for a person living alone, or 823 zł per person in a family, the services are free in most gminas. Above that threshold the senior pays part of the hourly rate, which in 2026 ranges from 32 to 47.10 zł in sample gminas. The income thresholds have applied since 1 January 2025 and, under the statutory three-year review cycle, remain in place for the whole of 2027. Gminas set hourly rates themselves and often change them from the new year.
In short
- Care services under Article 50 of the Act on Social Assistance cover help with daily activities, hygiene care, nursing recommended by a doctor and, where possible, contact with others.
- With income up to 1010 zł (person living alone) or 823 zł per person in a family, the services are usually free. Above that, you pay a percentage of the rate set in a gmina council resolution.
- The full hourly rate in 2026 is, for example, 32 zł in Pisz, 35.61 zł in Radom, 46 zł in Mielec and 47.10 zł in Bełchatów.
Who can get a carer from MOPS?
The Act covers two situations. The first is a person living alone who, because of age, illness or other reasons, needs help from others and has none. The second is a person who needs such help and whose family, including a spouse, children and grandchildren living separately, cannot provide it. That second sentence matters more than it seems. The mere fact that the senior has adult children does not close the door to the services. What counts is whether the children can really help: whether they work, how far away they live, whether they are ill themselves or already caring for someone else.
The centre assesses this in a family community interview, a visit by a social worker to the senior's home. Prepare for it honestly and specifically: what the senior manages alone, what they need help with and who helps them today. For people with mental disorders and with specific needs arising from illness, there are also specialist care services, provided by staff with the relevant training.
What a carer from MOPS does and does not do
The carer helps with daily needs: shopping, preparing meals, cleaning, helping with washing and dressing, carrying out nursing recommended by a doctor, accompanying the senior to the clinic and helping with errands. When granting the services, the centre sets their scope, duration and place. In practice this usually means one to a few hours a day, most often on weekdays.
It is not round-the-clock or night care. If the senior also needs help at night, falls often or, with dementia, leaves home and gets lost, care services will be only part of the solution. We describe when home care starts to fall short in our article caring for a senior at home or a care home.
What does a carer from MOPS cost in 2027?
Fees are set by the gmina council in a resolution that lays down detailed conditions for granting the services, the fees for them and exemptions. That is why the same hour of care costs different amounts in different gminas. A typical resolution has a table: with income up to the criterion the services are free, and above it the senior pays a rising percentage of the full rate, the higher the more income exceeds the criterion. The resolution usually also allows a partial or full exemption from fees in special situations, for example high treatment costs.
| Gmina | Full hourly rate in 2026 | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Pisz | 32.00 zł | Resolution of 26 February 2026 |
| Radom | 35.61 zł | From 1 April 2026 |
| Mielec | 46.00 zł | From 1 January 2026 |
| Bełchatów | 47.10 zł | For 2026 |
Let us work through an example. A senior lives alone and has a net pension of 2020 zł, twice the criterion. Suppose the resolution in their gmina sets 30 percent of the rate at that income, and the full rate is 46 zł. An hour then costs 13.80 zł, and two hours a day on weekdays, about 42 hours a month, comes to about 580 zł a month. You will find the percentage for your gmina in its resolution, and the centre will tell you during the conversation. To compare this cost with private care and a care home, use our care costs calculator.
Income is counted net, from the month before the application. When the senior lives with family, the income per person in the whole household counts. Children living separately do not receive a decision ordering them to contribute, as can happen with a DPS.
How to apply, step by step
- Contact the social welfare centre in the gmina where the senior lives: MOPS, GOPS or the social services centre. You can apply in writing, and at many centres also in person or by phone. The senior, the family or another person with the senior's consent can do it.
- Get a medical certificate on the senior's health and need for help. Most centres ask for one, and a family doctor issues it on the spot.
- Arrange the community interview. A social worker will visit the senior's home, usually within a couple of weeks of the request, and assess what help they need.
- Gather documents on income from the month before the application, for example the ZUS decision and proof of the pension payment.
- Collect the decision. It sets the number of hours, the period and the fees. If you disagree with it, an appeal is lodged through the centre to the local government board of appeal (SKO) within 14 days of delivery.
When help is needed right away, for example after a sudden deterioration in health, say so clearly when you apply and ask for the services to be granted urgently. If the senior is coming home from hospital, start before discharge. Our guide hospital discharge: what next with care will help.
A carer from MOPS and the bon senioralny
The bon senioralny (senior care voucher) is separate support from the gmina for people aged 65 and over with income up to 3410 zł, launched on 30 September 2026. It also pays for help at home, but on different rules and from a different pot of money. The list of exclusions in the voucher Act includes care services from government programmes and specialist services in support centres, but it does not list ordinary care services granted by a centre's decision. The voucher, however, is granted for unmet needs, so the gmina will assess whether anything is left to cover alongside the current services. Ask about this right away when you apply.
We explain whether the voucher is already available in your gmina and how to get it in the bon senioralny in my gmina, and you can check eligibility in our bon senioralny calculator.
When a carer from MOPS is no longer enough
Care services work well when the senior is fairly independent and needs support for part of the day. They work less well as needs grow: the senior stops walking, needs turning at night or cannot be left alone even for a few hours. Then it is worth considering round-the-clock care. A public DPS takes time, as we explain in how long is the wait for a place in a DPS. A private care home usually admits faster. If you want to check the options in your area, describe your parent's needs and we will help you find the right place.
Frequently asked questions
Is a carer from MOPS free?
Usually yes for a person living alone with net income up to 1010 zł, or in a family with income up to 823 zł per person. With higher income you pay part of the rate set in the gmina council resolution.
How many hours a day of a carer from MOPS can you get?
The Act sets no limit. The centre sets the number of hours in its decision based on the interview, and in practice it is usually one to a few hours a day on weekdays.
Do children have to pay for a carer from MOPS?
The fee is based on the senior's income or, when they live with family, on income per person in the household. Children living separately do not receive a decision to contribute, but the centre checks whether they can help with care.
How quickly can you get a carer from MOPS?
Usually after a few weeks, because a community interview and a decision are needed. In urgent situations, ask for the services to be granted urgently.
Sources
- Act of 12 March 2004 on Social Assistance, Articles 8, 9 and 50 (in Polish)
- Act on the Senior Voucher (Dz. U. 2026 item 986, in Polish)
- Resolution No. XXVII/284/2026 of the Pisz Town Council of 26 February 2026 (in Polish)
- MOPS Radom: care services (in Polish)
- MOPS Mielec: care services (in Polish)
- MOPS Bełchatów: care services (in Polish)
