Poland sets September 2026 14th pension payout with 1,978.49 PLN gross maximum

Government regulation and payment schedule

Poland has scheduled the disbursement of the 14th pension for September 2026, following a government regulation adopted by the Council of Ministers on 10 August 2026 and published in the Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) on 13 August 2026. The regulation was drafted by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy in accordance with the Act of 26 May 2023 on additional annual cash benefits for pensioners. The payment will be distributed automatically by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS), and pension offices of the uniformed services, meaning recipients do not need to submit applications.

The first tranche of payments will reach pensioners on 1 September 2026. Subsequent standard transfer dates are set for 6, 10, 15, 20, and 25 September 2026, while recipients of pre-retirement allowances are scheduled to receive their benefit on 1 October 2026.

The fourteenth pension will reach eligible individuals along with their basic benefit. Payouts will begin on 1 September. The subsequent dates are 6, 10, 15, 20, and 25 September. People receiving pre-retirement benefits will receive the additional benefit on 1 October.

Eligibility thresholds and reduction rules

The full gross amount of the 14th pension in 2026 is 1,978.49 PLN, which corresponds to the current statutory minimum pension. Pensioners whose basic monthly benefit does not exceed 2,900 PLN gross will receive the maximum payout. For those with monthly benefits exceeding 2,900 PLN gross, the payout decreases under a zloty-for-zloty reduction rule based on the amount exceeding the ceiling.

In 2026, the full fourteenth pension will be 1,978 PLN and 49 gr gross, that is, the amount of the current minimum pension. The fourteenth pension in full will be received by pensioners and disability pensioners whose benefits do not exceed 2,900 PLN gross.

Under this mechanism, an individual with a monthly base pension of 3,500 PLN gross receives a 14th pension reduced by 600 PLN, resulting in 1,378.49 PLN gross. The state will not issue payouts if the calculated benefit falls below 50 PLN gross. Consequently, seniors whose basic monthly pension or disability benefit exceeds 4,828.49 PLN gross are excluded from receiving any additional payment. Persons whose pension rights are suspended on the day before the payout month are also disqualified.

Deductions and recipient numbers

Net amounts will vary across individual recipients because ZUS deducts statutory health insurance contributions and advance personal income tax from the gross payout. However, the 14th pension remains protected from bailiff seizures and enforcement proceedings, and the payment does not count toward income thresholds for social welfare assistance. Qualifying categories include retirement pensions, survivor pensions, social pensions, and structural pensions.

The total number of recipients in 2026 is expected to drop compared to 2025, when ZUS paid the extra benefit to approximately 6.5 million people. Because the 2,900 PLN threshold remains fixed in the underlying statute while baseline pensions increased through regular indexation, a segment of seniors will receive lower net sums than in previous years, and others will exceed the upper eligibility limit entirely.