Heating voucher (bon ciepłowniczy) 2026: who qualified, amounts
Short answer: The 2026 bon ciepłowniczy paid 1,000, 2,000 or 3,500 zl to low-income district-heating households paying over 170 zl/GJ net. Applications closed on 31 August 2026.
The heating voucher (bon ciepłowniczy) is a cash payment for low-income households that pay a high price for district heating. The application window for the 2026 round closed on 31 August 2026, so this guide is mainly to explain who it was for and how it worked, including whether foreigners could apply. It follows the Ministry of Energy page on the voucher (latest version dated 5 October 2026) and the gov.pl application page, which states that applications closed on 31 August 2026. Details are as of 17 October 2026. If you missed the window, ask your municipality what applies to you.
What it is
According to the Ministry of Energy, the voucher is financial support for low-income households that face a sharp rise in the price of heat from a district heating system. The rise came because the so-called maximum heat price mechanism ended on 30 June 2025. The ministry says prices are now stabilising, but in some places the end of the freeze caused big rises, and the voucher was offered for those cases.
It applies only to households that use heat from a district heating system supplied by an energy company. It does not cover people who heat with their own boiler, coal, gas or a heat pump. This is the main reason many households were not eligible.
The conditions
The ministry says a household can get the voucher if it meets all of these:
* the average monthly income does not exceed 3,272.69 zloty for a one-person household, or 2,454.52 zloty per person in a multi-person household (income as defined in article 3, point 1 of the act on family benefits) * it uses heat from a district heating system delivered by an energy company * the single-component net heat price in its tariff group is above 170 zloty per gigajoule net
If your income is higher, you could still apply. Under the "one zloty for one zloty" rule, the voucher is reduced by the amount by which you exceed the limit. The ministry says the minimum voucher paid is 20 zloty.
How much
The amount depends on the net heat price. For the second round, covering 1 January to 31 December 2026, the ministry gives:
* 1,000 zloty when the net price is above 170 and up to 200 zloty per GJ * 2,000 zloty when it is above 200 and up to 230 zloty per GJ * 3,500 zloty when it is above 230 zloty per GJ
For the first round, covering 1 July to 31 December 2025, the amounts were 500, 1,000 and 1,750 zloty for the same three price bands. Only one voucher can be granted per household at the address in a given period. If several members apply, the first applicant gets it and the others are left unexamined.
Can foreigners apply
The gov.pl application page says that anyone who lives and stays in Poland and is a Polish citizen or a foreigner with one of these can apply, if they meet the conditions above:
* a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident permit * refugee status or subsidiary protection * consent to stay on humanitarian grounds, or tolerated stay * citizenship of an EU or EEA state, or Switzerland
The page does not list holders of ordinary temporary residence cards, so those foreigners do not appear in the list as it is written. If that is your situation, ask your municipality.
How applications worked
The application went to the head of the municipality (wójt, burmistrz or city president) for the applicant's place of residence. The ministry lists these routes: in person at the municipality, by post, through the gov.pl application page, through ePUAP, or through the mObywatel app. For the 2026 round the window ran from 1 July to 31 August 2026.
The online route needed trusted profile or e-banking login details and a mobile phone. You also had to provide data on all household members, the household address, citizenship, the bank account for the payment, and the types of income. For most applicants a certificate from the building manager, housing community or cooperative was needed to confirm that the household uses district heat and what the net heat price is. A household that is itself a party to the contract with the heating company states this in the application instead.
Where there was no heating system
The ministry says that a law in force from 13 January 2026 limited the costs of handling the voucher in municipalities with no district heating system, or where the net price does not exceed 170 zloty per GJ. In those, the head of the municipality publishes a notice and does not have to examine unfounded applications. For 2026 the notice was due by 20 June 2026.
Contact
The ministry gives an email, [email protected], and a helpline, +48 22 25 00 153, open on working days from 10:00 to 14:00.
What the sources do not say
The pages do not say whether another round will follow, when payments are made after approval, or what happens to late applications. They also do not mention the separate flat energy allowance. Check your municipality's website for local information.
* Photos: cover, cast iron radiator (CC0, Wikimedia Commons); body, district heating pipes (public domain, Wikimedia Commons). Illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still apply for the 2026 heating voucher?
The gov.pl page says the application window ended on 31 August 2026. Ask your municipality about late cases.
Who qualifies?
Households on district heating paying more than 170 zloty per GJ net, with income up to 3,272.69 zloty (one person) or 2,454.52 zloty per person (several people), with the one-for-one reduction above that.
Do foreigners qualify?
The gov.pl page lists holders of permanent residence or EU long-term resident permits, refugees, certain protection statuses and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens.
How much was the 2026 voucher?
1,000, 2,000 or 3,500 zloty, depending on the net heat price band.
