Parental Benefit in Poland: 1,000 zł a Month, Who Gets It
Short answer: Swiadczenie rodzicielskie is 1,000 zl a month for 52 weeks per child, for parents who get no maternity allowance, such as students or people on civil contracts.
Poland's parental benefit, świadczenie rodzicielskie, pays 1,000 zł a month to parents who cannot claim maternity allowance because of their work situation. It is often called "kosiniakowe". This guide covers who is entitled, how long it lasts, what blocks it, what foreigners need, and how to apply. It is based on the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy page and the gov.pl application page; neither shows a recent update date, so confirm current terms with your office before relying on them (facts as of 16 October 2026).
Who it is for
The ministry says the benefit goes to people caring for a child who cannot get maternity allowance (zasiłek macierzyński) or maternity pay because of their professional situation. Examples it gives are unemployed people, students and people working on a contract of mandate or work (umowa o dzieło). The gov.pl application page adds people who run a business.
It is paid to:
- the mother or father of the child;
- an actual guardian of a child up to 14 who has applied to the family court for adoption;
- a foster family other than a professional foster family, for a child up to 7 (up to 10 if school was postponed);
- a person who adopted a child up to 14.
On gov.pl, the mother has priority. The mother and father cannot receive the benefit at the same time for the same child. The father receives it if the mother shortens her period of receiving the benefit or maternity allowance after taking it for at least 14 weeks from the birth, if she dies, or if she abandons the child.
How much and for how long
The ministry states the amount is 1,000 zł per month. It is not income tested and is a net amount, because the benefit is not taxed or subject to other deductions. For part of a month, the amount is divided by the days in that month and multiplied by the days covered, rounded up to 10 groszy.
The period depends on the number of children:
- 52 weeks for one child;
- 65 weeks for two children born at one birth, adopted or taken into care;
- 67 weeks for three;
- 69 weeks for four;
- 71 weeks for five or more.
Since 19 March 2025, the ministry says, the right is extended in line with the additional maternity leave in the Labour Code: up to 15 weeks for parents of children born up to the 28th week of pregnancy or weighing up to 1,000 g, and up to 8 weeks for children born after the 28th week with a qualifying hospital stay. To claim the extension you attach a hospital certificate about the child's birth and stay, and you file no later than the end of the month after the period of the basic entitlement, according to gov.pl.
When it is not paid
According to the ministry, the benefit is not paid if:
- a parent, guardian or foster family receives maternity allowance or pay for maternity or parental leave;
- the child has been placed in foster care (for parents or adopters);
- the person does not care for the child personally, including when work prevents it;
- for the same child there is already an entitlement to the parental benefit, the childcare supplement during parental leave, the nursing benefit granted under the old rules, a special care allowance or a carer's allowance;
- a similar benefit is due abroad, unless EU social security coordination or a bilateral agreement says otherwise.
You get one parental benefit at a time regardless of how many children you raise, and one per child.
Foreign nationals
The gov.pl page says the right belongs to Polish citizens who live in Poland, and to foreigners who live in Poland if they are citizens of an EU or EEA state, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom (for UK citizens who came to Poland before 1 January 2021). It also covers citizens of other countries who have, for example, a temporary residence permit for highly qualified work or another document entitling them to stay and work in Poland. Citizens of Ukraine with UKR status under temporary protection who live in Poland with the child are covered too.
Foreigners attach a document that entitles them to stay and work, such as a residence card. Because the rules turn on your status, ask the office if your case is unusual.
How to apply
Gov.pl directs applicants to the Emp@tia portal. You sign in with a trusted profile or a qualified electronic signature, choose the parental benefit application, fill it in, attach scans or photos of documents and send it. Have ready your details and the child's details, PESEL numbers, an email address, a bank account number and, if relevant, details of family members living in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK.
The system points you to the office for your place of residence, usually the city or municipal office or the social assistance centre. If a family member lives in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the UK, the municipality passes your application to the voivode, who decides, while the municipality pays.
Deadlines
Apply within 3 months of the birth, adoption or start of care, and the benefit is paid from the month of birth. If you apply later, it is paid from the month you apply, up to 52 weeks for one child, according to the ministry. For a father, the 3 months run from the shortening of the mother's period, her death or the abandonment.
The office should decide within a month, or two months if the case is complicated and it asks for more documents or explanations, according to gov.pl.
* Photos: The Newborn Baby, an artwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0), and a newborn baby photograph (CC0), both Wikimedia Commons, illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the parental benefit in Poland?
1,000 zł a month, not income tested, for 52 weeks for one child, according to the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.
Can I get it if I work on a contract of mandate?
Yes, gov.pl lists people on civil-law contracts, students, the unemployed and business owners as typical recipients, if they do not receive maternity allowance.
How soon should I apply?
Within 3 months of the birth to be paid from the birth month. A later application is paid from the month it is filed.
