Polish pension recalculation project may cover 196,500 people — Interia
In Poland, a pension recalculation project for certain people who previously retired early may cover approximately 196,500 individuals. The document provides for higher payments from May 2027, but it has not yet been adopted, and the Ministry of Finance has expressed reservations about budget expenditures, Interia reports.
Who the project concerns
This concerns project UD204, prepared by Poland's Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. It applies to people who applied for an early pension before June 6, 2012, under provisions specified in the project, and acquired the right to a regular pension after December 31, 2012.
The issue is related to Article 25, paragraph 1b of Poland's pension law, which has been in force since January 1, 2013. In certain cases, ZUS deducted from the basis for calculating the regular pension the amount of early payments already received. This could reduce the amount of the monthly pension.
In June 2024, Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, in case SK 140/20, challenged this provision in the part concerning people who applied for specified benefits before June 6, 2012. The July version of the project also abandoned restrictions based on specific years of birth, but eligibility for an increase will depend on a combination of conditions.
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Payment amounts and the Finance Ministry's reservations
No single increase amount is provided for. Examples cited in the project's justification include increases of approximately 89, 303, 393 and 552 zlotys gross per month. These figures are the results of individual calculations, rather than guaranteed rates or an upper payment limit.
ZUS would have to calculate the regular pension without deducting previously paid amounts as of the date of reaching retirement age and compare it with the early pension as of the same date. The positive difference is proposed to be multiplied by a coefficient that will depend on the timing of acquiring pension rights, and then indexed. If the regular pension is not higher, the proceedings are proposed to be discontinued.
The project provides for the law to enter into force on April 1, 2027, and for the right to an increased payment for people who already have a regular pension granted to begin on May 1, 2027. The document does not provide for general compensation for previous years of receiving lower payments.
Estimated costs due to the expansion of the circle of potential recipients increased from about 4.5 billion to 7.3 billion zlotys. The latter amount means a projected increase in expenditures of the Social Insurance Fund in 2027–2037. The Ministry of Finance pointed to budget constraints and the need to coordinate the amended provisions again.
