In today's article, we look at the announcement of new benefits for working parents.
The new government program, also known as "Active Parent" or "Active Mom," provides a monthly payment of 1,500 złoty to parents who decide to return to work. The decision on how to spend the money will be left to the child's mother and father. These funds can be used for nursery or other childcare fees, or paid to a nanny or grandparent caring for the child. The government has allocated 1.5 billion złoty for the program in 2024.
What conditions must be met?
This benefit is to be paid until the child is 36 months old, the period when the child is most in need of care. The program will also include additional conditions. The second condition is the mother's return to work after maternity leave. This return to work will require the mother to take a new full-time job or continue her previous job after returning from maternity and parental leave. Therefore, the program is not intended to be merely a social support program, like the existing "800 plus" benefit, but rather to encourage parents to actively return to work. The third condition to be met is the mother's income, which must be at least the minimum wage in the country. From January 2024, this amount is PLN 4,242 gross, and in July it will increase to PLN 4,300 gross. This requirement is intended to maintain the professional stability of the returning parent and also indicates that the program will be targeted at those most in need. The project will also establish an upper income threshold, which cannot be exceeded by those applying for the benefit.
When is the new program scheduled to launch?
According to the program's assumptions, the first payments are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2024. The Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy is overseeing the program's preparations. As stated by Deputy Minister Aleksandra Gajewska, the new program is intended to help overcome the demographic crisis.
As we know, the "500 plus" program (now "800 plus") failed to fulfill its key purpose, which was to significantly increase the fertility rate in Poland. According to data, in 2015, the total fertility rate, or the number of children born to an average woman of reproductive age, was 1.289. After the introduction of the "500 plus" program in 2016, it rose to 1.4 and remained at that level until 2019, before falling to 1.261 in 2022. According to the latest data from the Central Statistical Office, 272,000 births were registered in 2023, 33,000 fewer than in 2022. This is the lowest number of births in a given year in post-war Poland.
The Ministry hopes that the “Active Parent” Program will be a response to the alarming data on the decline in birth rates in the country and will contribute to demographic growth in Poland.
As you can see, we don't have much concrete information on this at this time. We recommend staying tuned for the latest updates, which will likely be coming soon.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal status as of February 22, 2024
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