Polish municipal child benefits slashed as income limits bar millions

In 2025, 22 % fewer children – about 172,000 – qualified for municipal assistance compared with 2024, according to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. The drop is driven by unchanged income thresholds despite a rise in average wages; the minimum wage grew from 1,750 zł gross in 2015 to 4,666 zł gross in 2025. The eligibility ceiling remains at 674 zł per adult (764 zł for families with a disabled child), a level set 11 years ago.

The benefits still reach young parents who are students, unemployed parents of disabled children, and large families receiving social aid. A parallel decline occurred in the Alimenty Fund (FA) payouts: in 2025, 145.5 k children received support, 7 % fewer than in 2024 (156.5 k). The FA amount is 1,209 zł per family member, set to rise to 1,665 zł in October 2026, but the higher threshold is not expected to broaden eligibility. Unpaid alimony affects nearly one million Polish children, with total arrears close to 17 bn zł.