800+ Automatic Renewal: What the Draft Says (Oct 2026)
Short answer: As of 17 Oct 2026 a draft would let ZUS renew 800+ automatically, with no yearly form. It is not law; the official page names the 2027/2028 period from 1 June 2027.
Today, parents in Poland have to apply again every year for the 800+ child benefit. A government draft would change that: ZUS would renew the right to the benefit itself, using data it already holds. As of 17 October 2026 this is a draft, not law, and the start date is not settled. This guide explains what the official project page says, what one press report adds, and what you should do before the next application round.
What the draft proposes
The Prime Minister's Chancellery page for the draft amending the Act on State Aid in Raising Children lists the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy as the author. The latest version on the page is dated 18 August 2026. It is a deregulation project, and the page says it contains priority solutions.
Its stated aim is to simplify the 800+ procedure by automatic renewal of the right to the benefit for further benefit periods, without parents having to file a new application every year. ZUS would renew the right on the basis of data it already has, and the parent could still change the data if the family situation changes. If nothing is changed, the application would be renewed on the data given earlier.
Who would still have to apply
The official page says the parent would still apply for the benefit for the first time for a given child, for example after the birth of a child or when parents return to Poland with a child from abroad. A press report in GazetaPrawna of 17 October 2026 says the same, and adds that a family would have to tell ZUS about changes such as a change of address or a family member going to work abroad. The press report is a secondary source, and the official page does not list those duties in the text we reviewed.
Who else would be covered
The draft also clarifies who is entitled to the benefit. Following a request from the Ombudsman for Children, it would allow a person who has day-to-day custody of the child under a court ruling (the page calls it "piecza bieżąca") to receive the benefit.
When it could start
The project page says ZUS needs to change its IT systems, so the draft proposes a legal waiting period. It names the 2027/2028 benefit period, which starts on 1 June 2027, as the possible start date. It gives the planned date for adoption by the Council of Ministers as the third quarter of 2026. GazetaPrawna reported on 17 October 2026 that the ministry had sent the draft to the Council of Ministers, and it gives 1 February 2027 as the start of the new system. The two sources do not match on dates, and we have not found an official text that confirms the February date. Treat the 1 June 2027 period as the official planning date and the rest as unconfirmed.
* Photos: Children going to school in Modesto, California (NARA, public domain) and 1951 child playing with tin soldiers (public domain), both Wikimedia Commons, illustrative.
What does not change
Nothing changes for now. The benefit is still paid for annual periods from 1 June to 31 May, and parents who want the benefit for 2027/2028 apply in the usual way, with applications for a new period opening on 1 February. If the draft became law before that, ZUS would explain the new procedure. Watch the ZUS website and your PUE/eZUS profile for announcements.
What it means for foreign parents
The draft pages we read do not mention foreigners. The extra conditions that apply to non-Polish parents under the current rules are covered elsewhere on this site, and the draft text we reviewed does not say whether they would change. A family that has just moved to Poland, or returned, would still file a first application, according to the official page.
Frequently asked questions
Is 800+ renewed automatically now?
No. As of 17 October 2026 you still apply for each new benefit period. The automatic renewal is a government draft, and the official page names the period starting 1 June 2027 as a possible start.
Do I still apply when my baby is born?
Yes. According to the draft, the first application for a given child, for example after a birth or a return from abroad, would stay.
Who else would get the benefit under the draft?
People who have day-to-day custody of a child under a court ruling would be added to those entitled, following a request from the Ombudsman for Children.
