Conditions for 150,000 Ukrainians in Poland to Change for 800 Plus

In Poland, the conditions for receiving the 800 Plus assistance for Ukrainian citizens with UKR status will change. The new rules will affect about 150,000 Ukrainian refugees and will take effect at the beginning of the new calculation period. This is reported by inPoland.

According to ZUS, the 800 Plus payments for Ukrainians with UKR status will be suspended on January 31, 2026. To maintain the right for assistance, a new application must be submitted starting from February 1, 2026, for the 2025/2026 period according to the updated requirements.

800 Plus for Ukrainians in Poland: New Conditions

According to amendments to the special law, only those Ukrainians who work in Poland and pay taxes will be eligible for 800 Plus. Applications submitted from February 1, 2026, will need to include the following data:

• PESEL numbers of the applicant and child;

• information about border crossing;

• confirmation of legal residence in Poland;

• confirmation of professional activity;

• confirmation of the child attending school or kindergarten in Poland.

Additionally, the application will include extra questions regarding the child's disability status. A key criterion will be the fact of the applicant's employment in the previous month, which ZUS will verify through insurance registers.

Who Will Retain the Right to 800 Plus Assistance

Professional activity will include, in particular, work under an employment contract or a mandate contract, running a business, receiving unemployment benefits, scholarships, or participating in training programs.

For most applicants, the minimum income must be at least 50% of the minimum wage. At the same time, for certain groups, including entrepreneurs starting their activities, the threshold is reduced to 30%.

Parents of children with disabilities and individuals applying for a child with Polish citizenship are exempt from the obligation to be employed. The actual residence of the applicant and child in Poland and the child's integration into the education system remain mandatory conditions.

It is worth noting that Poland plans changes to the "800 Plus" state aid program, which will involve automatic renewal of payments without the need for annual applications starting in 2027.