The bill, commonly known as “500 plus” for marriages, is a response to social expectations regarding the appreciation of couples who have built a marriage community for decades. The benefit would be analogous to honorary pensions granted to centenaria, but paid once.
The Senate's petition commission has been analyzing a petition for many months, which initiated work on a new benefit – reminds Polsat News.
The proposed amount of support depends on the number of years experienced in marriage:
- 50 years – PLN 5,000,
- 55 years – PLN 5,500,
- 60 years – PLN 6,000,
- 65 years – PLN 6,500,
- 70 years – PLN 7,000,
- 75 years – PLN 7,500,
- 80 years – PLN 8,000.
The benefit would be entitled to marriages that would submit an appropriate application and document the length of their relationship.
500 plus for marriages. For and against. Budget costs
According to the estimates presented in the assessment of the effects of the regulation The implementation of the project could cost the state budget nearly PLN 1 billion a year. Such an amount raises reservations of the Ministry of Finance, which indicates a difficult situation of public finances, including the need to repay previous obligations and challenges arising from the current geopolitical situation. The ministry calls for a rational approach to new expenses.
The Ministry of Family and Social Policy is also skeptical about the project. In the opinion of the Polish Ministry, the family support system does not provide for a precedent for this type of benefit. It was noted that there are already non -financial forms of recognition, such as medals for many years of marriage.
Project supporters emphasize that during the falling number of marriages and the growing number of divorces, the state should promote the durability of relationships.
During work in the petition committee, project modification appeared. Senator Robert Mamątow suggested that the benefit be reduced to a one-off payment of PLN 5,000 for all couples with at least 50 years of experience. Such a change would reduce the costs of the program.
Source: Polsat News
