Biznes Fakty
Pensions to be recalculated. President Karol Nawrocki has made the decision
The so-called June pensions are set to undergo modifications. President Karol Nawrocki has enacted legislation mandating that the benefits for individuals receiving retirement and survivors’ pensions established in June between 2009 and 2019 will be recalculated and indexed. The discrepancies in pension amounts could potentially reach several hundred złoty.
Individuals who filed for a pension in June between 2009 and 2019 received lower benefits compared to those who applied in May, for instance. The new regulations aim to address the discrepancies in benefit amounts that arose due to the seasonal nature of pensions.
When calculating the pension amount in June, the regulations at that time did not consider additional quarterly indexations, only annual ones.
Consequently, retirees who retired in June might have experienced a reduction in their pensions by as much as several hundred złoty. This concern was notably addressed by the Constitutional Tribunal, among others.
ZUS will recalculate pensions and annuities
According to the Act, ZUS will re-evaluate the benefit amounts for those receiving retirement and survivors’ pensions without requiring an application, specifically for retirees who established their pensions in June from 2009 to 2019. If an individual retired in June, their pension amount will be calculated as if they had retired in May of that same year.
The pension and survivors’ benefits determined in this manner will subsequently be indexed according to the regulations that were in effect after the date when the pension or survivors’ benefit was granted. The new benefit amount cannot fall below the current payment amount.
New benefits from next year
The new benefit amounts will be disbursed starting in 2026, when the law is also set to take effect. ZUS will have a three-month period from that point to calculate the revised amount of the retirement or survivors’ pension.
Those who qualify will begin receiving the increased benefits from January 1, 2026 – even if the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) issues the decision in February or March. In such instances, the Social Insurance Institution will provide compensation to the individual.
Cost of recalculating pensions
The first-year implementation of the project will incur an estimated cost of approximately PLN 287 million. This expenditure will be fully borne by the Social Insurance Fund. The initiative is expected to benefit around 95,000 retirees and survivors’ pensioners.
In 2021, the Sejm approved an amendment to the Social Insurance Act, which partially addressed the issue of so-called June pensions. The amendment permanently altered the rules for pension calculations, allowing individuals reaching retirement age in June to confidently apply for benefits during that month.
However, this amendment did not account for the recalculation and compensation for those who retired in June during the years 2009-2019.
