Bon Senioralny: Poland's new home-care voucher for people 65+
Short answer: Bon Senioralny, in force since 30 September 2026, funds home help for people aged 65+ through their municipality. The government gives an income criterion of 3,410 zloty per month.
Poland has started a new government programme that pays for care at home for people aged 65 and over. It is called Bon Senioralny (the Senior Voucher). It matters for expats who live in Poland with older parents or relatives, or who are getting older themselves. This guide sets out what the Chancellery of the Prime Minister's page of 15 October 2026 says about the programme and the law behind it. Status as of 15 October 2026.
What the Senior Voucher is
According to the government's senior policy page, the Senior Voucher programme entered into force on 30 September 2026. It brings support at the place of residence for people from the age of 65. A carer can help with shopping, preparing meals, washing and dressing. The municipality (gmina) gets the money to organise these services. Whether a person gets a voucher depends on individual needs and on meeting the conditions of the programme.
* Photos: "Grandmother with Grandchild" (Wikimedia Commons, public domain) and "Adult couple holding hands" (Wikimedia Commons, CC0).
Income limit and money
The page gives the income criterion as an average monthly income of 3,410 zloty. The government says this is more than three times higher than the criterion for a person living alone in social assistance. The first edition of the programme runs from 2026 to 2028, with about 1 billion zloty from the government. Up to 2035 the plan is up to 4.5 billion zloty in total for care services at the seniors' place of residence.
Which municipalities come first
The money goes first to municipalities that have no care services, or where at most 10 people use them. According to the page, these are 45% of all municipalities in Poland. After them come municipalities with the largest forecast growth in the number and share of seniors. Up to 100 million zloty is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. At the start of the programme 1,026 municipalities, or 41.4% of the total, reported a need for nearly 84.5 million zloty. Among them were 522 municipalities where care services were missing or used by at most 10 people.
The Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office wrote on 15 October 2026 that its voivode signed agreements with local governments, with nearly 8 million zloty going to the region. It said 56 municipalities will receive funding, enough to cover more than 1,300 seniors in the voivodeship.
The law behind it
The Act on Older Persons and Coordination of Long-Term Care came into force on 7 August 2026. According to the government, it sets common definitions and rules for coordinating and monitoring long-term care, lists local government tasks in supporting family carers, and is the legal basis for the Senior Voucher. From 2027, long-term care coordinators in the counties (powiaty) are to help people who need support, and their families, to find information about services and benefits. They are to explain what forms of care are available in the county, who can use them and where to apply.
Other senior programmes on the page
- "Aktywni Seniorzy - ASY": 610 million zloty for 2026-2030 for social, educational and civic activity of older people, open to NGOs and local governments.
- "Świadomy Senior - Bezpieczny Senior": legal knowledge and fraud awareness meetings, run with the Ministry of Justice.
- "Szkoła Międzypokoleniowa": school pupils run digital skills workshops for older people.
- The National Programme for Dementia Diseases, prepared with the Ministry of Health. The page says over half a million people in Poland live with dementia.
What to do as an expat
- Ask your gmina. The voucher is organised through the municipality, so the social assistance office (OPS) or the town hall is the place to ask whether services have started locally. The sources do not list a single national application form, so check with the local office.
- Check the conditions. The 3,410 zloty income figure is the criterion given by the government. Ask the local office how income is counted for your household.
- Plan for 2027. County care coordinators are due to start in 2027.
Check the official pages for your municipality before you rely on any of this. This guide is general information and not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Who can get the Senior Voucher in Poland?
According to the government, people aged 65 or over. The award depends on individual needs and on meeting the programme's conditions, including an income criterion of 3,410 zloty average monthly income.
What does the voucher pay for?
Support at home. The government page names help with shopping, preparing meals, washing and dressing. The municipality receives the funds to organise the services.
Is it available in every municipality?
Not yet. Funds go first to municipalities with no care services or with at most 10 users, then to those expecting the fastest growth in the number of seniors.
When did the law behind it start?
The Act on Older Persons and Coordination of Long-Term Care came into force on 7 August 2026, and the Senior Voucher programme on 30 September 2026.
