Peeter I

The thirteenth pension (Polish: trzynasta emerytura) is an additional annual financial benefit provided to retired individuals and disability pensioners as part of social welfare and aging policy, implemented in Poland by second cabinet of Mateusz Morawiecki.^[1]^[2] The benefit amount is equal to the minimum old-age pension.^[3] Jarosław Kaczyński announced 13th pension social benefit in February 2019,^[4] with the law introduced on 4 April 2019.^[5] Former Prime Minister Beata Szydło referred to this at a party convention as a "gift from Jarosław Kaczyński".^[6]

Initially, the financial benefit was intended to be a one-time payment in 2019; however, prior to the 2019 Polish parliamentary election, the Law and Justice party pledged that, if re-elected, the benefit would become a permanent annual payment starting in 2020.^[7]^[8] In 2019, the 13th pension was given to nearly 10 million people,^[9] costing around 10.8 billion PLN.^[10] In 2024 it was given to 8.5 million people,^[11] and in 2025, between April 1 and 20, nearly 7 million receivers, with 13 billion PLN allocated from the state budget.^[12]

Amount of the 13th pension

Year	Gross amount	Net amount
2019	1,100 PLN	888 PLN
2020	1,200 PLN	981 PLN
2021	1,250.88 PLN	1,022.30 PLN
2022	1,338.44 PLN	1,217.98 PLN
2023	1,588.44 PLN	1,445.48 PLN
2024	1,780.96 PLN	1,620.67 PLN
2025	1,879.91 PLN	1,709.82 PLN
2026	1,978.49 PLN	1,800.44 PLN
Source

Eligible recipients receive the pension regardless of how much they earn. The amount paid is the same for all beneficiaries.^[13] The benefit is subject to a 9% deduction for health insurance; if the pension exceeds 2,500 PLN per month (or annual income exceeds 30,000 PLN), there is an additional 12% deduction for income tax (deducted from gross amount).^[14]

Opinions

Goal

According to the legislator, the purpose of introducing the thirteenth pension was to provide financial support to retirees and disability pensioners, as well as to reduce social and economic inequalities.^[15]^[16]

Positive

It is automatically paid together with the April pension (no application required), making it a regular and predictable form of financial support for seniors—temporary yet often strategically timed during a challenging period of the year. It helps mitigate the impact of inflation on retirees.^[17]

Negative

The pension is granted to all retirees and disability pensioners, regardless of the amount of their benefits. Critics point out that individuals with higher pensions receive the same support as those with the lowest benefits, which can be perceived as unfair.^[18]