President Karol Nawrocki approved the “Dignified Retirement” project, which assumes an increase in the lowest pension benefits. From 2026, the minimum benefit will increase by PLN 150, reaching approximately PLN 2,030. The increases will also apply to the thirteenth and fourteenth pensions. Here are the details.
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“Dignified retirement” project – an initiative of President Nawrocki
Table of Contents
- “Dignified retirement” project – an initiative of President Nawrocki
- “A decent retirement” – goals and justification
- Mechanism of minimum pension increase
- Criticism and costs of the “Dignified retirement” project
- Required financing for the “Dignified retirement” project
- The “Dignified Retirement” project and political doubts
On November 3, 2025, President Karol Nawrocki signed it and submitted it to the Sejm a draft amendment to the Act on pensions and disability pensions from the Social Insurance Fund. This initiative, called “Dignified Retirement”, aims to strengthen the president’s position as a spokesman for the interests of Polish seniors.
“A decent retirement” – goals and justification
The main assumption of the “Dignified Retirement” project is to introduce a mechanism of minimum indexation of benefits so that people receiving the lowest pensions (especially those below PLN 3,000) are protected against the decline in the value of money caused by inflation. President Nawrocki argued that Poland in the 21st century should guarantee a minimum pension of at least PLN 2,000. He emphasized that the current young retirees (born around 1960–1965) are a generation that worked hard during the difficult period of political transformation in the 1990s and contributed to the development of the Polish economy. For this reason, the state cannot afford symbolic increases of only PLN 3, 13 or 20.
Mechanism of minimum pension increase
The “Dignified Retirement” project provides for a combination of percentage and amount indexation. This means that if the standard annual percentage indexation provides a lower benefit increase than the established minimum amount (PLN 150), then the benefit will be supplemented with an additional payment to this guaranteed value. From March 2026, the minimum pension and disability pensions are to increase by at least PLN 150. Thanks to this the minimum pension in 2026 is to reach over PLN 2,000, specifically approximately PLN 2,030. The guaranteed increase of PLN 150 would also apply to additional benefits, such as the 13th and 14th pensions.
Criticism and costs of the “Dignified retirement” project
Paweł Łapiński from the Jagiellonian Club confirms that Polish pensions are often too low. He cites data showing that:
- The social minimum for a single retiree in the second quarter of 2025 was PLN 1,897.97.
- The current minimum gross pension is PLN 1,878.91 (PLN 1,709.81 net), which barely meets basic needs.
- Importantly, over 430,000 people (mainly women) receive even lower pensions due to the lack of the required length of service.
Required financing for the “Dignified retirement” project
Implementation “A decent retirement” project will require significant additional expenditure from the state budget, which is expected to amount to:
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- In 2026: approx. PLN 2 billion
- In 2027: approx. PLN 3.4 billion
- In 2028: approx. PLN 4.5 billion
Łapiński points out that the final costs will depend on the future inflation forecasts of the National Bank of Poland. President Nawrocki hopes that funds to cover these expenses will be obtained from the state budget, using increased revenues resulting from inflation.
The “Dignified Retirement” project and political doubts
A commentator from the Jagiellonian Club expressed skepticism about the sources of financing, suggesting that the project is either based on an unrealistic assumption of magical cost coverage, or is a deliberate political action (pursuing a breakthrough). He estimates that if the Sejm accepts the president’s demands, the government will have to make painful cuts in other areas or increase the state’s debt.
