Honorary benefit for centenarians. How much is it?

The amount of PLN 6,246.13 is not a one-time payment. The honorary benefit is paid monthly and its amount will be subject to annual indexation in March.

The new regulations also specify who can receive the benefit automatically and who must submit an application.

Who will receive the benefit from the office?

The honorary benefit is granted ex officio to a person who meets certain conditions. She must:

have Polish citizenship,

turn 100 years old

on the last day of the month preceding the month of turning 100 years of age, be entitled to one of the benefits listed in the Honorary Benefit Act, e.g. a pension or annuity.

In such a case, the senior does not have to submit any additional application. The benefit will be granted automatically by the competent pension authority.

The decision on granting the benefit may be issued by, among others: Social Insurance Institution, Agricultural Social Insurance Fund, military pension authority, Pension and Disability Insurance Institution of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, Pension Office of the Prison Service or a competent organizational unit of the justice system.

What if I receive several benefits?

A person who receives more than one pension benefit upon reaching the age of 100 will receive only one honorary benefit.

This applies to situations where a senior is entitled to several benefits, e.g. a retirement pension and a disability pension due to an occupational disease.

If pension benefits are paid by two different bodies, the honorary benefit will be awarded and paid by ZUS.

Honorary service upon request

Not every centenarian will receive the benefit automatically. People who are not entitled to a benefit specified in the Act, e.g. a pension or annuity, can apply for an honorary benefit after submitting an application.

In this case, several conditions must be met. The person applying for the benefit must:

have Polish citizenship,

turn 100 years old

after reaching the age of 16, have a center of vital interests in Poland for a period of at least 10 years,

submit an application for a benefit.

The application can be submitted to ZUS. The form marked with the ESH symbol is available from January 1, 2025 on the ZUS website and at the Institute's branches.

From when is the benefit granted on application eligible?

For people who need to submit an application, the honorary benefit will be granted from the month in which the application was submitted.

At the same time, the benefit cannot be granted earlier than from the month in which the person turns 100.

This means that people who do not receive a pension or disability pension and want to receive an honorary benefit should remember to submit an application.

How much is the honorary benefit?

From January 1, 2025, the amount of the honorary benefit is PLN 6,246.13 per month.

This amount will be subject to annual indexation in March. This means that the amount of the benefit may change in subsequent years.

It is also worth remembering that the new rules apply to people who have just reached the age of 100, but the regulations also provide for an increase in honorary benefits paid earlier.