2026 Indexation: ZUS and KRUS Raise Benefits. Seniors Must Remember the Limits

The March indexation in 2026 brings significant changes to seniors' household budgets. The minimum pension will increase to PLN 1,978.49 gross, which means a real increase of nearly PLN 100. This process is fully automatic, and the first payments will reach recipients even at the end of February due to the calendar – March 1 falls on a Sunday, which moves the transfer date to the working days directly preceding that date. The increase applies not only to pensions from the universal ZUS system but also to benefits from KRUS (Agricultural Social Insurance Fund) and the widow's pension, whose limit after indexation will be raised, providing widowed seniors with greater financial support. The 1999 Polish pension reform introduced a defined contribution system, ending the model where the benefit amount was almost rigidly tied to final earnings. Currently, the pension amount is derived from the accumulated capital divided by the projected life expectancy.Simultaneously with the increases, new earnings limits come into effect. From March, seniors engaged in professional activity will be able to earn up to PLN 6,438.50 gross per month without any consequences for the benefit paid. Exceeding this amount will result in a reduction of the transfer, while for incomes higher than PLN 11,957.20 gross, the benefit payment will be completely suspended. An important deadline is the end of February – this is the last moment to submit certificates of last year's income, which is crucial to avoid the procedure of returning unduly received funds or a sudden halt in funding. The social care system is also adjusting the amounts of supplements. The support benefit for persons with disabilities, linked to the social pension, can now reach a maximum of PLN 4,352.68 per month at the highest level of support need. Meanwhile, the care allowance after indexation increases to PLN 366.85. However, media point out tax traps: higher nominal amounts may push some pensioners into higher tax burdens or cause them to exceed income thresholds entitling them to social benefits from MOPS (Municipal Social Welfare Centre), where the key threshold remains PLN 2,500 gross. „Przypominamy, że emeryci i renciści, którzy nie osiągnęli powszechnego wieku emerytalnego, mają czas do końca lutego na rozliczenie przychodów osiągniętych w 2025 roku.” (We remind you that pensioners and disability benefit recipients who have not reached the universal retirement age have until the end of February to settle income earned in 2025.) — ZUS Outside the sphere of benefits, from March drivers will face stricter penalties for traffic offenses, including fines reaching PLN 1,500 for errors at pedestrian crossings and even PLN 3,000 for other violations. These changes coincide with new adjudication procedures at ZUS, where, due to a shortage of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists will take over the role of adjudicators in some cases, which is intended to shorten waiting lists for disability pensions.