Introduction of the widow's pension, announced as groundbreaking support for people after the failure of their spouse, proved to be a financial trap for thousands of Polish seniors. A fresh benefit, paid by the Social Insurance Institution since July 2025, although seemingly expanding monthly income, in many cases leads to the income threshold being exceeded and total failure of the right to a 14th pension. This is an unexpected consequence, which makes any pensioners in the yearly settlement loss.
The problem is the plan of regulations. The widow's pension allows you to combine your own pension with a part of the benefit after your deceased spouse, which increases monthly income. However, the 14th Pension Act is absolute – full benefit is granted only to persons whose income does not exceed PLN 2900 gross. Each gold above that amount shall be reduced by a ‘fourteen’. For many seniors whose pension has oscillated just below this threshold, the widow’s pension allowance means automatically saying goodbye to an additional yearly cash injection.
What is widow's pension and how precisely does it work?
The widow’s pension is simply a fresh benefit that entered into force in 2025 to improve the material situation of widows and widowers. Its mechanics is based on the anticipation of combining 2 pension benefits. The maximum amount of the widow’s pension is fixed at three times the current minimum pension, which amounts to PLN 5636.73 gross per month. This is simply a revolutionary change that allows you to collect at the same time your own witnessing and part of your witnessing after your deceased spouse.
The rightholder has 2 options:
- Receipt of full household pension after deceased spouse and 15% of your allowance (pensions or pensions).
- Receipt of your full pension and 15% household pension After a dead spouse.
Government plans presume that from 2027 this supplement will increase to 25%, which will further increase the attractiveness of the solution. In order to benefit from the benefit, a number of conditions must be met: to scope retirement age (60 years for women, 65 for men), to stay married until the date of death of the spouse and to get the right to household pension. According to ZUS statistics, tens of thousands have already benefited from this option, and the full amount of payments has exceeded PLN 1.4 billion.
A profit trap. Why do seniors lose 14th retirement?
The key problem lies in the rules for granting the alleged fourteenth pension. In 2025 its full tallness is PLN 1878.91 grosswhich is simply a crucial support for the elder budget. However, only persons whose monthly basic benefit does not exceed the full amount shall have the right to the full amount PLN 2900 gross. There's a regulation above that limit. ‘gold for gold’ – the amount of ‘fourteen’ shall be reduced by each euro exceeding the threshold.
For many seniors, utilizing widow's pension means falling into this trap. For example, a pensioner who has received PLN 2,700 per period has been eligible for a full "fourteen". After adding even a tiny amount from the widow's pension, e.g. 300-400 PLN, its monthly income exceeds the threshold of 2900 PLN. As a result, his 14th pension is drastically reduced or completely zeroed. In utmost cases, the senior’s yearly income, despite higher monthly benefits, may be lower than before the widow’s pension.
Who's most vulnerable? Problem scale in numbers
Problem most affected womenwhich constitute the majority of the beneficiaries of the widow’s pension. This is due to both the longer life expectancy and the fact that they frequently have lower pensions, which so far have been included in the limit valid for the full 14th pension. For many of them, the widow’s pension was to be a real help, and it became the origin of the failure of another valid benefit.
Financial analysis shows the paradox of the current system. Retirement with a gross income of PLN 2800 per month, which would receive a full "fourteen" (nearly PLN 1900 per year), after utilizing the widow's pension and expanding income by PLN 350 per period (4200 per year), may completely lose the right to an additional benefit. As a result, its yearly profit is much lower than expected, and in any cases it may even evidence a loss. This strategy besides creates inequality – a elder with a higher pension, who did not qualify for the ‘fourteen’, uses the widow’s pension without any restrictions.
No information, no way out. ZUS under pressure
The situation is aggravated by the fact that many seniors decide to apply for widow’s pension without being full aware of the negative consequences. The Social Insurance Institution is criticized for no transparent and proactive communication on how the fresh benefit affects the right to a 14th pension. Seniors frequently find out about the problem only erstwhile they receive a much lower "fourteen" or do not receive it at all.
Worse still, the current government does not supply for a simple way of waiving widow’s pension. Those who realized that they had made an adverse decision, cannot easy return to the erstwhile state. It gives emergence to large frustration and a sense of being misled. The deficiency of flexibility of the strategy causes seniors to be trapped in an adverse benefit arrangement, which is simply a denial of the thought of aid schemes.
What's next? Experts request urgent changes in law
This problem shows the wider issue of the deficiency of coordination between various elements of the Polish social welfare system. The introduction of fresh solutions without analysing their impact on existing mechanisms leads to specified pathological situations. elder experts and organisations call for urgent legislative actionWhich will solve this problem.
Among the requests are concrete proposals:
- Increase of the income threshold authorising the full 14th pension.
- Implementation of the rule that the amount of the widow’s pension would not be included in the income erstwhile determining the right to a ‘fourteen’.
- Allow beneficiaries to choose the most favourable option or to quit widow’s pension in a flexible way if it proves unprofitable.
Without these changes thousands of Polish seniors, alternatively of experiencing a real improvement in their situation, will stay with a feeling of disappointment and financial loss. The current situation proves that the good intentions of the legislator are not adequate – a comprehensive analysis and a thoughtful implementation of reforms are crucial.
Continued here:
Big disappointment for seniors. The widow's pension takes the right to 14th retirement!
