The support benefit (świadczenie wspierające) is a monthly payment from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) for an adult with a disability. In 2026 it ranges from PLN 792 to PLN 4,353, depending on the number of support-need points. It does not depend on income or age, so a senior drawing a pension can receive it too. Since 1 January 2026, 70 points in a decision of the voivodeship disability assessment board are enough. There is one important caveat: as a rule, the benefit is not payable to a person placed in a round-the-clock care facility.
In short
- The benefit goes to the disabled person, not to their carer. It can be combined with an old-age pension, a disability pension and the nursing supplement.
- The route has two stages: first a decision of the voivodeship board on the number of points, then an application to ZUS, submitted online only.
- In a social welfare home, a ZOL and a round-the-clock care facility, the benefit is not payable. On private care homes, a final court ruling in favour of a resident was issued in 2026, but the provision has not changed.
How much the support benefit is in 2026
The amount is a percentage of the social pension, which from 1 March 2026 to the end of February 2027 is PLN 1,978.49. The more points in the decision, the higher the percentage.
| Support-need points | Share of the social pension | Monthly amount |
|---|---|---|
| 95-100 | 220 per cent | PLN 4,353 |
| 90-94 | 180 per cent | PLN 3,562 |
| 85-89 | 120 per cent | PLN 2,375 |
| 80-84 | 80 per cent | PLN 1,583 |
| 75-79 | 60 per cent | PLN 1,188 |
| 70-74 | 40 per cent | PLN 792 |
The benefit is tax-free and cannot be seized by a bailiff. It rises every year together with the social pension, usually on 1 March.
Who can receive it
There are three conditions: being over 18, living in Poland, and holding a final decision of the voivodeship disability assessment board that sets the level of support need at 70-100 points. There is no upper age limit. The points measure how far a person needs someone else's help with everyday activities such as eating, washing, dressing or moving about.
The programme was introduced in stages. In 2024 people with 87-100 points could apply, in 2025 those with 78-86 points were added, and from 2026 also those with 70-77 points. For many seniors this means the right to the money appeared only this year.
How to get the benefit step by step
- Check whether the senior has a certificate of the degree of disability or an equivalent ZUS certificate. It is the starting point for the rest of the procedure.
- Submit an application to the voivodeship board to establish the level of support need. A self-assessment questionnaire on difficulties in everyday functioning is attached to it.
- Wait for the assessment. Specialists from the board assess functioning at the place of residence or at the board's office.
- Collect the decision. It becomes final 14 days after delivery, unless you apply for reconsideration.
- Submit an application to ZUS through the eZUS platform, the Emp@tia portal or online banking. ZUS does not accept paper applications.
The order matters. An application submitted to ZUS before the board's decision is obtained will be left unprocessed. The deadline counts too: if the application reaches ZUS within three months of the day the decision became final, the benefit will be paid with back pay. After that deadline it is payable only from the month of application.
One has to be honest about time as well. In many voivodeships the wait for the board's decision is long, so it is worth applying as early as possible, even if the money is not urgently needed yet.
The support benefit and the carer
The support benefit and carers' benefits exclude each other. If someone in the family receives the carer's benefit, the special care allowance or the carer's allowance for the senior, a choice has to be made: either money for the carer or the support benefit for the disabled person. With a lower number of points, staying with the carer's benefit can be the better option, so it is worth comparing the amounts before applying. We explain the differences between the similar-sounding benefits in nursing allowance vs nursing supplement.
Is the support benefit payable in a care home
This is the most important question for families planning round-the-clock care, and the answer is not simple. The Act provides that the benefit is not payable to a person placed in a social welfare home, a family care home, a care and treatment facility, a nursing and care facility, or a facility providing round-the-clock care referred to in the social assistance provisions. That last category is precisely the private care homes operating under a voivode's permit.
On that basis ZUS refuses the benefit to residents of such facilities. In 2026, however, a final ruling went the other way. The Regional Court in Kielce granted the benefit to a person living in a private care home, and the Court of Appeal in Kraków dismissed the appeal by ZUS. The court held that since the stay is paid for entirely with private money, there is no double financing from public funds, and that the Act speaks of people who have been placed, not of those who moved into a facility by their own choice.
What follows from this in practice? The ruling concerns a specific case and does not change the provision, so ZUS may go on issuing refusals. Anyone who wants to fight for the benefit should expect to appeal to a court, for which there is one month from delivery of the decision. Anyone who receives the benefit and moves into a facility must report it to ZUS, because payments found to be undue have to be returned. Attending a day centre for seniors is not an obstacle.
How to factor this into the budget
When planning a permanent stay in a care home, it is safer to assume there will be no support benefit and to treat it as a possible extra, not a pillar of the budget. The pension and the nursing supplement are more certain sources. If, on the other hand, your relative stays at home, the support benefit genuinely helps pay for a carer. We compare both options in the article care at home or a care home.
Not sure whether, with your income, care at home or a facility works out better? Describe your situation in our form and we will send you suggestions of care homes matched to your needs and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pensioner receive the support benefit?
Yes. The benefit does not depend on age or income and is paid independently of a pension. The condition is a decision of the voivodeship board with at least 70 support-need points.
How many points do you need in 2026?
At least 70. The threshold was lowered gradually: it was 87 points in 2024, 78 in 2025, and it has been 70 points since 1 January 2026.
Is the support benefit payable in a care home?
Under the Act it is not payable to a person placed in a DPS, a ZOL or a round-the-clock care facility. In a case concerning a private care home paid for entirely by the family, a final ruling granting the benefit was issued in 2026, but ZUS may still refuse.
Does income count for the support benefit?
No. There is no income test, either for the disabled person or for their family.
Sources
- Act of 7 July 2023 on the Support Benefit, Article 5 (in Polish)
- Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy: the support benefit step by step (in Polish)
- Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled Persons: changes from 2026 (in Polish)
- Prawo.pl: the support benefit also for a person in a private care home (in Polish)
