ZUS “Aktywny Rodzic” [“Active Parent”] benefits – for whom and on what terms?
Are benefits from the Active Parent [ Aktywny rodzic] programme available to Ukrainian citizens?
Yes, they are entitled to it if they have a residence card with the notation ‘access to the labourmarket’ [dostęp do rynku pracy] or a so-called Blue card. i.e. (EU Blue Card), a temporary residence permit for the purpose of highly qualified employment.
For those with UKR status, there is an ‘Actively at Nursery’ [aktywnie w żłobku] benefit. For persons with UKR status there is no “Active parents at work” [aktywni rodzice w pracy] or “actively at home” [aktywnie w domu] benefit.
Are Belarusian and other foreign nationals entitled to benefits from the Active Parent programme ?
Yes, they are entitled if they have a residence card with the notation ‘access to the labour market’ [dostęp do rynku pracy] or a so-called Blue card. i.e. (EU Blue Card), a temporary residence permit for the purpose of highly qualified employment.
From when are the new benefits in the ‘Active Parent’ programme?
New Benefits of the “Active Parent” Programme from October 2024
The 2024 Active Parent programme focuses on supporting families in raising their children and actively participating in their education. This programme introduces three new benefits for parents:
- active at home” benefit – [aktywnie w domu]”
- Active at the nursery” benefit – [aktywnie w żłobku]
- active parents at work” benefit – [aktywni rodzice w pracy]
The parent will be able to choose one of the three available benefits, with the provision that only one benefit can be paid per month for the same child. In addition, the parent has the option to change the form of support more than once, i.e. he or she can drop one benefit and switch to another. However, it is important to note that each month a parent can only receive one selected benefit per child.
Active at home
The ‘Actively at Home’ benefit will replace the Family Care Capital. It is the simplest of the new benefits and is available for any child (including the first in a family) aged between 12 and 35 months. A key advantage of this benefit is that there is no requirement to be economically active or for the child to participate in institutional activities. The monthly amount is PLN 500 per child. The benefit will be granted for 24 months for parents who have opted out of the other two benefits.
Active in the nursery
“Actively in the nursery” is a benefit that will replace the existing nursery subsidy. The granting conditions remain similar to the current ones, but the amount of support increases. Parents can count on a maximum of PLN 1,500 per month (PLN 1,900 for disabled children). The funds will be paid directly to the institution’s account, covering the child’s stay in the care institution.
There are no age limits for this benefit, with the exception of the provision that the benefit will apply to a child who attends a nursery no longer than until the end of the school year in which the child reaches the age of three. Children can be enrolled in a nursery from the age of 20 weeks and in a children’s club after the age of 12 months. Again, there is no requirement for parents to be economically active.
The Active Nursery Benefit will apply for the entire duration of the child’s stay in the care institution.
Active parents at work
The ‘Active Parents at Work’ benefit, also known as the ‘grandmother’s benefit’, introduces a condition of economic activity for both parents. The law defines the concept of active working in detail, taking into account different forms of employment, such as full-time, civil law contracts, business or uniformed service.
The benefit will be granted for 24 months for children aged between 12 and 35 months. The amount of support is PLN 1,500 per month per child, or PLN 1,900 for disabled children. It is worth noting that this benefit will not be granted if the child benefits from care in a nursery, children’s club or kindergarten, even if the parents are economically active.
Activity requirements
In order to receive the ‘Active Parents at Work’ benefit, parents must meet certain requirements regarding the level of social security contributions. In total, they must have a contribution base of at least 100% of the minimum wage ( from 01.07.2024r to 31.12.2024 this is PLN 4,300 gross), with neither of them having a base lower than:
- 50 per cent of the minimum wage applicable during the relevant period for which entitlement to the ‘active parents at work’ benefit is determined;
- 30% of the minimum wage applicable in the relevant period for which the entitlement to the ‘active parents at work’ benefit is determined – in the case of non-agricultural self-employed persons.
Single parents, on the other hand, do not have to show that the other parent is economically active, but their own contribution base must be at least 100% of the minimum salary.
“ACTIVE PARENT”
| ACTIVELY AT HOME [aktywnie w domu] | ACTIVELY IN THE NURSERY [aktywnie w żłobku] | ACTIVE PARENTS AT WORK [aktywni rodzice w pracy] | |
| Amount of benefit | 500 PLN / month | PLN 1,500 / month | PLN 1,500 / month |
| PLN 1 900 / month in the case of a child with disabilities | |||
| It is granted for each child in the family | YES | YES | YES |
| Requirement for parents to be economically active | NO | NO | YES |
| The child attends a care institution | YES/NO | YES | NO |
| Age criterion 1 to 3 years of age | YES | NO | YES |
| Parents with UKR status | NO | YES | NO |
| Parents with a residence card with the annotation “access to the labour market” or blue card | YES | YES | YES |
Submission of applications for the “Active Parent” programme – Key Information
From 1 October 2024, parents will be able to apply for benefits under the ‘Active Parent’ programme. The application must be submitted by the child’s parent and there are several convenient methods that will enable this task. This can be done through electronic banking, the ZUS Electronic Services Platform (PUE ZUS) or the Empathy portal. It is important for the parent to indicate the specific institution the child attends, in the case of applying for the ‘Active in Nursery’ benefit.
Simple Application Process
Parents will not be required to provide additional documents such as employment contracts, facility agreements or certificates. All that is needed is to fill in the application properly and all the necessary data will be verified by ZUS. This is a significant convenience that aims to simplify the process of applying for benefits.
On the other hand, the preparation of the necessary documents when submitting the application will concern foreigners who, on the basis of a temporary residence permit, stay in the territory of Poland and reside together with their children. In this case, a residence card should be prepared and attached.
From when are the payments made? And what deadlines?
Payment of the selected benefit will be made by ZUS to the bank account indicated in the application. ZUS will have two months to process the application. The first payments could be made as early as Q4 2024.
Parents who submit an application within two months of their child’s admission to a nursery, a children’s club or under the care of a day-care provider will be entitled to the ‘Actively in a nursery. benefit from the date the child started attending the institution.
To ensure continuity of benefits, an additional solution has been introduced. Parents who apply within three months of the entry into force of the law, i.e. from 1 October 2024, will be entitled to the benefit from the same date.
CONCLUSIONS:
Benefits of the “Active Parent” Programme – Parallel Support for Families
The ‘Active Parent’ programme is a support scheme for parents of children up to the age of 3. The benefits offered under the ‘Active Parent’ programme will not affect other forms of support that parents can claim. This means that families have the possibility to benefit from the ‘Active Parent’ programme and other benefits, such as the Family 800+ programme, at the same time.
In addition, the granting of one of the three possible benefits under the ‘Active Parent’ programme is not dependent on the parents’ income criterion. Only if the ‘Active Parents at Work’ option is used will the fact and extent of the parents’ work activity be verified.
Support for Parent Entrepreneurs
The ‘Active Parent’ programme is also available to parents who are self-employed, provided certain criteria are met. The business must not be suspended and the total social security contribution base for both parents must be at least 100% of the minimum wage.
There are exceptions, however, in situations where parents benefit from tax breaks or preferences, such as the Head Start allowance, which may affect their financial situation.
PIT exemption
The ‘Active Parent’ benefit is exempt from PIT.
Thanks to the flexibility of the ‘Active Parent’ programme, families can benefit from various forms of support, which contributes to stabilising their financial situation. Allowing parents to be entrepreneurs under this programme provides additional opportunities, and meeting certain conditions makes support available to an even wider group of families.