February 15 this year The President of the Central Statistical Office announced a statement containing data on inflation recorded in the households of retirees and disability pensioners in 2025 (compared to 2024) – this is one of the two indicators that influence the amount of indexation of pension and disability benefits. The latest data shows that pensions and annuities will increase from March 1, 2026 by higher amounts than previously forecast.
Pension indexation index – what is it?
Table of Contents
- Pension indexation index – what is it?
- What are the principles of indexation of pensions and annuities?
- The current forecast indexation rate for pensions and annuities in 2026.
- The indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026 – according to the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office, will be higher than previously forecast
- The amount of the lowest guaranteed pensions (and supplements to the above-mentioned benefits) from March 1, 2026, taking into account the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office regarding inflation in 2025.
Pursuant to Art. 89 section 1 of the Act of December 17, 1998 on pensions and annuities from the Social Insurance Fund – pension indexation index to average annual price index of consumer goods and services in the previous calendar year, increased by at least 20% of the real increase in average wages in the previous calendar year.
What are the principles of indexation of pensions and annuities?
The indexation of pension benefits is a response to the decline in the purchasing power of money caused mainly by inflation. Its aim is to make the value of benefits paid realistic in relation to the increase in prices of consumer goods and services, continuously adjusting the value of benefits paid to price changes.
Pensions and annuities (and some accessories for themsuch as care allowance or allowance for complete orphans as well as pre-retirement benefits and allowances) are subject to annual indexation from March 1. Valorization consists in: multiplying the amount of the benefit and the basis for its assessment by the indexation index. This indicator – as already mentioned above – corresponds to the average annual price index of consumer goods and services in the previous calendar year, increased by at least 20% of the real increase in the average salary in the previous calendar year.
Increasing the real increase in the average salary by at least 20% is the subject of annual negotiations within the Social Dialogue Council. In the event of failure to reach an agreement within these negotiations, the amount of the increase in the indexation rate of pensions and annuities in a given year is determined by a regulation of the Council of Ministers.
Na 2026 r. – the amount of the increase in the indexation rate of pensions and annuitiesregulation of the Council of Ministers of July 31, 2025 on the amount of increase in the indexation index of pensions and annuities in 2026 – was set at 20% of the real increase in average salary in the previous calendar year.
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Actual rate of annual indexation of pension benefits is based on data on actual performance in terms of inflation i real increase in average salary in the previous calendar year (announced in announcements by the President of the Central Statistical Office).
The current forecast indexation rate for pensions and annuities in 2026.
According to the forecasts included in the Budget Act for 2026, the estimated inflation for pensioners’ households in 2025 was 4%, and the estimated real increase in the average salary in 2025 was 4.4%.
Due to the fact that the indexation of pensions and annuities is: the average annual price index of consumer goods and services in the previous calendar year (and therefore the above-mentioned 4%), increased by at least 20% of the real increase in the average salary in the previous calendar year (and therefore – in accordance with the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of July 31, 2025 on the amount of increase in the indexation of pensions and annuities in 2026 – by equal to 20% of the above-mentioned 4.4%) – based on the forecasts included in the Budget Act for 2026, it was expected that the indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026 would amount to 4.88% (i.e. 4%+0.88%). That is, from March 1, 2026, pensions and annuities (and supplements to them) would increase by 4,88%.
However, the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office on inflation in 2025 show that the final indexation rate may be higher than the above forecast.
The indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026 – according to the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office, will be higher than previously forecast
On January 15, 2026, the President of the Central Statistical Office published data on:
- average annual price index of consumer goods and services in general in 2025 – in accordance with the announcement, the average annual price index of total consumer goods and services in 2025 compared to 2024 amounted to 103.6 (price increase by 3.6%) and
- the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for households of retirees and pensioners in 2025 – in accordance with the announcement, the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for households of retirees and pensioners in 2025 compared to 2024 amounted to 104.2 (price increase by 4.2%).
Due to the fact that average annual price index of consumer goods and services for households of retirees and pensioners in 2025is higher than the average annual price index of consumer goods and services in general in 2025 – this is it (i.e. the above-mentioned 4.2%), in accordance with Art. 89 section 2 of the Act of December 17, 1998 on pensions and annuities from the Social Insurance Fund, will be taken into account when determining the indexation index of pensions and annuities in 2026.
Assuming that the estimates contained in the Budget Act regarding the real increase in the average salary in 2025, compared to 2024 (set at 4.4%), will ultimately be confirmed – today, it is possible to calculate the indexation rate of pensions and disability pensions in 2026.
As already mentioned above – due to the fact that the indexation of pensions and annuities is: the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for pensioners’ households in the previous calendar year (and therefore the above-mentioned 4.2%), increased by at least 20% of the real increase in the average salary in the previous calendar year (and therefore – in accordance with the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of July 31, 2025 on the amount of increase in the indexation of pensions and annuities in 2026 – by equal to 20% from the above-mentioned 4.4% estimated in the Budget Act – based on the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office regarding inflation and the forecast regarding real wage growth included in the Budget Act for 2026, it is expected that the indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026 will amount to 5.08% (i.e. 4.2%+0.88%). That is, from March 1, 2026, pensions and annuities (and supplements to them) would increase by 5,08%and not by the previously forecast 4.88%.
However, you should be aware that to calculate the final index of the annual indexation of pension and disability benefits – data from two announcements by the President of the Central Statistical Office are needed:
- regarding the actual performance in terms of inflation (which we learned on January 15 this year) and
- regarding the real increase in the average salary in the previous calendar year.
The first of the above announcements is the latest announcement of the President of the Central Statistical Office of January 15, 2026 on the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for pensioners’ households in 2025, according to which – the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for households of retirees and pensioners in 2025 compared to 2024 amounted to 104.2 (price increase by 4.2%).
The second of the above. messages – on the real increase in average wages in 2025 compared to 2024. – in accordance with Art. 94 section 1 point 2 of the Act of December 17, 1998 on pensions and annuities from the Social Insurance Fund – however, it will be announced by the President of the Central Statistical Office by the 7th working day of February, i.e. by February 10, 2026.
Only then (i.e. having final data from both of the above announcements from the President of the Central Statistical Office) will we know the actual indexation rate of pensions and annuities for 2026.
Final indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026. – in accordance with Art. 89 section 6 of the Act on pensions and disability pensions from the Social Insurance Fund – will also be announced in communication of the minister responsible for social security (i.e. currently – the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy), in the Official Journal of the Republic of Poland “Monitor Polski”, no later than within 3 business days from the date of announcement by the President of the Central Statistical Office on the real increase in average wages in 2025 compared to 2024, and therefore – no later than February 13, 2026.
The indexation of pensions and annuities is carried out ex officio, which means that there will be no need to submit any application to ZUS in this matter. Every retiree and disability pensioner will receive a decision from ZUS with information about the new amount of their benefit.
The amount of the lowest guaranteed pensions (and supplements to the above-mentioned benefits) from March 1, 2026, taking into account the latest data from the President of the Central Statistical Office regarding inflation in 2025.
Assuming that the forecast indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026, calculated on the basis of the latest inflation data from the President of the Central Statistical Office and forecasts regarding real wage growth included in the Budget Act for 2026 – will be confirmed in the final data and from March 1, 2026, pension benefits will increase by 5.08%they will amount to:
|
Type of pension benefit |
Benefit amount from March 1, 2026 – assuming an indexation index of 5.08% (according to the latest forecast) |
|---|---|
|
pension, pension for total incapacity for work, social pension and survivors’ pension |
PLN 1,974.36 (i.e. PLN 1,878.91+5.08%) |
|
pension for partial incapacity for work |
PLN 1,480.77 (i.e. PLN 1,409.18+5.08%) |
|
pension for total incapacity for work due to an accident or occupational disease and accident survivors’ pension |
PLN 2,369.23 (i.e. PLN 2,254.69+5.08%) |
|
pension for partial incapacity for work due to an accident or occupational disease |
PLN 1,776.92 (i.e. PLN 1,691.02+5.08%) |
|
amount of pre-retirement benefit |
PLN 1,989.60 (i.e. PLN 1,893.41+5.08%) |
In accordance with the above assumptions (assuming the forecast indexation rate of 5.08%), supplements to pensions and annuities, from March 1, 2026will amount to:
|
Type of supplement |
Benefit amount from March 1, 2026 – assuming an indexation index of 5.08% (according to the latest forecast) |
|---|---|
|
care allowance for secret teaching |
PLN 365.91 (i.e. PLN 348.22+5.08%) |
|
care allowance for a war invalid who is completely incapable of working and living independently |
PLN 548.86 (i.e. PLN 522.33+5.08%) |
|
allowance for a complete orphan |
PLN 687.73 (i.e. PLN 654.48+5.08%) |
|
veteran’s allowance, benefit in the amount of the veteran’s allowance |
PLN 365.91 (i.e. PLN 348.22+5.08%) |
|
compensation allowance |
PLN 54.88 (i.e. PLN 52.23+5.08%) |
|
cash benefit for alternative military service soldiers forced to work in coal mines, quarries, uranium ore mining plants and construction battalions |
PLN 365.91 (i.e. PLN 348.22+5.08%) |
|
cash benefit due to persons deported for forced labor and imprisoned in labor camps by the Third Reich and the USSR – depending on the number of full months of work |
from PLN 18.35 to PLN 365.91 (i.e. from PLN 17.46+5.08% to PLN 348.22+5.08%) |
|
cash supplement to the war invalid’s pension |
PLN 1,400.97 (i.e. PLN 1,333.24+5.08%) |
Legal basis:
- Act of December 17, 1998 on pensions and annuities from the Social Insurance Fund (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2025, item 1749, as amended)
- Regulation of the Council of Ministers of July 31, 2025 on the increase in the indexation rate of pensions and annuities in 2026 (Journal of Laws of 2025, item 1048)
- Announcement of the President of the Central Statistical Office of January 15, 2026 on the average annual price index of total consumer goods and services in 2025.
- Announcement of the President of the Central Statistical Office of January 15, 2026 on the average annual price index of consumer goods and services for households of retirees and pensioners in 2025.
