In Poland, the rules for receiving social assistance 800 Plus for Ukrainian citizens with UKR status are changing. According to the latest amendments to the special law, only those Ukrainians who work in Poland and pay taxes will retain the right to payment.
ZUS reported that the payment of the 800 Plus benefit for Ukrainians with UKR status will be suspended on January 31, 2026. To maintain the right to benefit, applicants will need to submit a new application for the period 2025/2026 by February 1, 2026.
The new rules will cover approximately 150,000 people. Applications submitted after February 1, 2026 will require the applicant's and the child's PESEL number, information on border crossing, confirmation of legality of stay in Poland, data on professional activity, as well as confirmation that the child attends school or preschool in Poland. In addition, additional questions will appear in the application regarding the child's disability.
Eligibility for benefits will mainly depend on whether the applicant worked in the previous month. ZUS will check this data automatically through insurance systems and in most cases no additional documentation will be required.
Professional activities that give the right to 800 Plus include work under an employment contract or agency agreement, conducting entrepreneurial activities, receiving a sports or doctoral scholarship, unemployment benefits, and studying with a scholarship. For most professionally active Ukrainians, the minimum income must be at least 50% of the minimum wage. At the same time, for certain categories, in particular entrepreneurs who are starting a business for the first time and are not subject to mandatory social insurance for the first six months, this threshold is reduced to 30% of the minimum wage.
Parents of children with disabilities, as well as persons applying for benefits for a child who is a Polish citizen, are exempt from the requirement of mandatory employment.
A separate condition remains the involvement of the child in the Polish education system. The 800 Plus benefit will be granted only if the child attends school or kindergarten, as well as the applicant and the child actually reside in Poland. In exceptional cases, for example, for the postponement of compulsory schooling, an appropriate certificate will be required.
ZUS may suspend the payment of benefits if there are doubts about the family's residence in Poland, the parents' professional activity or the child's participation in the education system. This information will be checked monthly.
Similar requirements regarding professional activity are planned to be introduced from June 1, 2026 for other foreigners from countries outside the EU and EFTA who legally reside in Poland and have access to the labor market.
