RKO family care capital Poland: replaced in 2024, what applies now
Short answer: Per gov.pl, the Aktywnie w domu benefit replaced the family care capital (RKO) for new cases. Anyone already receiving RKO before 1 October 2024 can keep it on the old rules; the old rules are summarised below.
The family care capital (rodzinny kapitał opiekuńczy, RKO) was a benefit of up to 12,000 zł per child for the second and every further child in a family. Important update: the gov.pl service page for the new Aktywnie w domu benefit (last updated 9 April 2025) says that Aktywnie w domu replaced RKO, and that anyone who was receiving RKO before 1 October 2024 can keep receiving it on the old rules, or switch to one of the new benefits if that is better for them. You cannot receive RKO and one of the new benefits for the same child and the same period. This guide summarises the RKO rules as two older official sources describe them: the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy page and ZUS's questions and answers. Neither of those pages carries a visible date, so treat them as background, and check with ZUS what applies to you now.
What it is
According to the ministry page, RKO is a benefit for the second and each following child in a family. It is paid from the month in which the child turns 12 months old until the end of the month in which the child turns 35 months. The maximum is 12,000 zł per child. The ministry page says the benefit came into force on 1 January 2022 and is paid regardless of family income. ZUS adds that it is exempt from personal income tax.
How much and how it is paid
The parent chooses one of two options in the application:
- 500 zł a month for 24 months.
- 1,000 zł a month for 12 months.
Both add up to 12,000 zł. The money is paid to the bank account given in the application, not in cash. ZUS says payments arrive on the 4th, 9th or 18th day of each month.
Who counts as the first child
ZUS explains that the "first child" is the oldest child in the family, whatever their age. So RKO can be paid for a second child even if the first one is already an adult. You must give the oldest child's details in the application. If the oldest children were born on the same day, the parents name one of them.
ZUS also answers a few family situations:
- Single parents can apply, as can married parents and parents in informal relationships.
- If a parent has a child from an earlier marriage and a new baby with the current spouse, the older child counts as the oldest child in the family.
- If an unmarried couple raises two children from previous relationships, with no child together, the benefit is not due for either of them, according to ZUS.
How RKO applications worked
The application can only be filed electronically. The ministry and ZUS list these channels:
- The PUE ZUS portal or the mZUS mobile app.
- The Emp@tia portal.
- Online banking at the banks ZUS lists on its page.
ZUS says you can see the status of your application on your PUE ZUS profile. Information about the details can take up to 48 hours to appear. To correct an application or change the bank account, you file a new application with the right data. To withdraw an application, ZUS names form RKO-WYC. ZUS also checks the data you enter against the PESEL register, so a nickname or diminutive for a child's first name can cause a problem.
The old application window
This is the part parents most often get wrong. According to the ministry page, you can get the full 12,000 zł if you apply from the first day of the month in which the child turns 9 months old, until the end of the month in which the child turns 13 months old. If you apply later, the benefit is reduced by 500 zł for each month that has passed since the child turned 12 months old, and it is paid from the month of the application. So the window is about five months.
How long a decision takes
ZUS says it has two months to decide, counting from the day you file the application with the necessary documents. The decision appears on your PUE ZUS profile, even if you applied through your bank or Emp@tia.
If ZUS refuses
The ZUS page says you can appeal to the ZUS President within 14 days of receiving the decision, and then complain to the regional administrative court within 30 days of receiving the President's decision.
Children born before 2022
Both sources explain a transitional rule. If a child had already turned 12 months old but not 35 months when the law began on 1 January 2022, the benefit was calculated proportionally from the application month to the end of the month in which the child turns 35 months. That rule matters little today, since such a child is now older than 35 months.
What the sources do not say
Neither page is dated, and neither says anything about foreigners, residence permits or the conditions for people who live in Poland without Polish citizenship. If you are not a Polish citizen, ask ZUS whether you and your children qualify before you apply.
* Photos: Toddler in overalls wearing two different shoes (CC0, Nationaal Archief via Wikimedia Commons) and Arthur Devis, family portrait (public domain, Wikimedia Commons), both used as illustrative images only.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still apply for RKO?
According to gov.pl, the Aktywnie w domu benefit replaced RKO. People already receiving RKO before 1 October 2024 can keep it on the old rules. Ask ZUS about your case.
How much is the family care capital?
Up to 12,000 zł per child, paid as 500 zł a month for 24 months or 1,000 zł a month for 12 months, for the second and each further child.
Does it depend on income?
No. The ministry page says it is paid regardless of income, and ZUS says it is exempt from personal income tax.
How did the old application window work?
The older sources say to apply from the month the child turned 9 months until the month the child turned 13 months for the full amount. Later applications were reduced by 500 zł for each month after 12 months.
