Poland's deputy PM proposes linking main child benefit to parents' employment

Deputy prime minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has proposed limiting access to Poland's main child benefit program to families in which parents are employed, arguing that universal payouts are failing to address the country's deepening demographic crisis.

It is the first time a senior member of the current government, formed by a broad coalition ranging from left to center-right, has publicly called for restricting Poles' access to the benefit, known as 800+.

The programme, which pays 800 zlotys (€187) per child per month, was introduced by the former Law and Justice (PiS) government almost a decade ago and applies to all families regardless of income or employment status.

The proposal draws criticism from both The Left (Lewica), a member of the ruling coalition, and the opposition PiS party.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 130th anniversary of the center-right Polish People's Party (PSL), of which he is the leader, Kosiniak-Kamysz said the state should prioritize valuing the contributions of working taxpayers.

He said that “even the best money in social programs will not help” with Poland's record-low fertility rate and stated that “valuing the work of hard-working, tax-paying people” should be a strategic priority for the country. “Maintain social support for those who need it, but only for those who are working,” he added, quoted by news outlet Onet.

The programme, which originally provided 500 zloty per child per month and was called 500+, was introduced in 2016 as a “pro-demographic” measure aimed at boosting birth rates.

While it failed to reverse Poland's declining fertility – now among the lowest in the world – it contributed significantly to reducing child poverty. That trend began to reverse in 2023 amid high inflation, leading to the monthly benefit being raised in 2024 from 500 to 800 zloty .

Kosiniak-Kamysz's remarks draw criticism from The Left, whose leaders warned the proposal could punish unemployed parents.

“I don't like that idea,” said Włodzimierz Czarzasty, deputy speaker of parliament and co-leader of The Left, during an interview with Radio Zet on Monday.

While not opposed to changes in principle, Czarzasty said that any reforms should be based on income rather than employment. “If someone earns 2 million zlotys a year and someone else earns 40,000 zlotys a year, I would consider whether to make adjustments,” he explained.

Marlena Maląg, former Labor minister under the PiS government, also criticized the proposal, calling it a misunderstanding of the program's purpose. “800+ is a foundation of equality and support for all children,” she wrote on X.

"By seeking to limit it, Kosiniak-Kamysz shows he does not understand the essence of the program or the realities of family life. Punishing children for their parents' situation? That's cynical and disgraceful," she added.

In January, Labor Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, also from The Left, warned that “solutions that are unfavorable to children will not gain my support” and said that her ministry had “no plans to restrict the 800+ program”.

She was speaking in response to a proposal from Rafał Trzaskowski, then the presidential candidate of the main ruling Civic Coalition (KO) party, who suggested that Ukrainian families should only be eligible for 800+ if they live, work, and pay taxes in Poland.

At the time, Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed the idea, and a bill to that effect was later tabled by PiS.

The public tends to support linking 800+ to employment. A poll by Opinia24 for Radio Zet in May found that 63% of respondents backed the idea of the president signing legislation to restrict the benefit to working parents.

The strongest support (80%) was found among voters of the former Third Way (Trzecia Droga) alliance, which included Kosiniak-Kamysz's PSL and Poland 2050. Voters of KO (78%) and the far-right Confederation (70%) also strongly backed the idea, while support was lower among voters of The Left (64%) and PiS (48%).

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Main image credit: Ministry of National Defense (under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 PL )