Poland changes rules of the “800+” program: what Ukrainians with UKR status need to know

Poland is introducing changes to the “800+” child benefit program that also affect Ukrainian refugees with UKR status.

This is reported by pulsHR, citing data from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy.

The “800+” program has been operating in Poland for several years and covers millions of parents and guardians. The payments are intended to fund children’s everyday needs — food, education, clothing, and development. According to the publication, for many families this is significant support for the household budget, increasing their sense of financial security. The program is also aimed at making it easier to combine professional life with parental responsibilities.

In February of this year, applications opened for a new payment period — from June 1 of this year to May 31, 2027.

The key innovation will be an automatic benefit renewal mechanism. As reported by Głos Koszaliński, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy plans to introduce a system under which parents and guardians will not have to submit new applications every year. If the family situation data has not changed, the benefit will be granted automatically based on information collected by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). If circumstances change, there will be an option to update the data. Proposals for these changes have already been included in the government’s list of legislative initiatives, and their adoption by the Council of Ministers is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026 — that is, from April to June.

Separately, changes have come into force concerning “800+” payments for Ukrainian citizens with UKR status. A condition for receiving the benefit is that the parent or guardian must be professionally active. In addition, the child must attend school in Poland, undergo compulsory annual pre-school preparation, or fulfill educational obligations. This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 6. Both the applicant and the child must permanently reside on the territory of Poland.

Similar rules will apply from June 1 to other foreigners who are not citizens of EU and EFTA countries.