Many Poles paying high heating bills hoped to receive financial support in the form of a heating voucher. Unfortunately, they have no chance, as the municipalities themselves inform them about. “Residents do not have to submit applications because they will not be entitled to the benefit,” read the communes' announcements.
The heating voucher is a new benefit introduced by the government in response to rising heating costs. This long-awaited support is intended to help people with lower incomes. They can apply for a subsidy to cover this high heat bills from municipal heating networks.
There is something to fight for, because in the next two years you can even receive money for your household PLN 5,250. The call for applications for new funding started on Monday November 3 and will last until December 15.
The amount of the voucher will depend on the price of heat. This is real help that is intended to relieve household budgets.
👉 In the second half of 2025, support will range from PLN 500 to PLN 1,750, depending on the gigajoule rate.
👉 In 2026, the amounts will increase – from PLN 1,000 to even PLN 3,500. pic.twitter.com/fXU2LCzXRP— Ministry of Energy (@ME_GOV_PL) September 3, 2025
Heating voucher: what criteria must be met?
However, as it turns out, many people are hoping to receive a voucher it will be good, even if they meet the income criterion. They cannot count on support for coverage even a small part of the heating costs. Why?
Let us remind you that in order to receive a voucher, you must meet the criteria several conditions. The first is mentioned income criterion. People who have a chance to receive a voucher are:
- their income is equal to or lower than PLN 3,272.69 in the case of single-person households
- their income is equal to or lower than PLN 2,454.52 per person in the case of multi-person households.
The second requirement is using system heat – i.e. connection to the heating network. They can get more than just a voucher residents of blocks of flats, but also owners of single-family houses, that are connected to the network.
The third important criterion concerns bill amounts – the voucher will be given to households that pay for this heat more than PLN 170/GJ net. The voucher will be awarded twice – for the second half of 2025 and for the entire year 2026. Each time, its amount will depend on heat prices. And so for the second half of 2025:
- if the cost of heat is PLN 170-200/GJ net, the voucher amount is PLN 500
- if it amounts to PLN 200-230/GJ net, the farm will receive it PLN 1,000
- if the net amount exceeds PLN 230/GJ, the voucher amount is PLN 1,750
In 2026, you will be able to receive a voucher in the amount of:
- PLN 1,000 – with heat costs PLN 170–200/GJ net
- PLN 2,000 – at a cost of PLN 200–230/GJ net
- PLN 3,500 – when exceeding PLN 230/GJ net.
This means that in the next two years the farm can receive it in total up to PLN 5,250. However, since single-component net prices for district heating in Poland are usually closer to PLN 170/GJ than PLN 230/GJ, it can be expected that the largest part of those entitled to the voucher this year will receive a benefit of PLN 500, and in 2026 in the amount PLN 1,000, which is still a big help.
Heating is uneven. The voucher is not for everyone
However, as some municipalities report, their residents they won't get anything and there is no point in them applying. This is the case, for example, in the Rokietnica commune located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship – jas described by the Infor portal.
“Residents of the commune do not have to apply for a heating voucher because they will not be entitled to the benefit.” – we read in a statement published by the commune.
What is the reason? In this case, it is about failure to meet one of the basic criteria for the voucher, which is using system heat. The voucher will subsidize households heated with heat produced in heating plants and combined heat and power plants and transmitted to buildings through heating networks. If anyone has one at home radiators powered by the heating network, then he can receive a new benefit.
And people who have a gas, coal, pellet furnace or heat pump at home receive a heating voucher will not be eligible. In the above-mentioned Rokietnica commune there is no heating or thermal power plant, and the buildings are heated by individual furnaces, heat pumps, gas or other methods – therefore residents cannot apply for a voucher. And the Rokietnica commune – as well as many other communes in Poland – reminds about this in the issued announcements.
Will there be new help for people who have no chance of getting a heating voucher?
However, it is worth noting that the government does not rule out new support for households outside the heating system. This is the result of recent statements by Deputy Minister of Energy Konrad Wojnarowski, who answered MPs' questions about heating vouchers in the Sejm.
When asked about the support for households that are not covered by district heating, the deputy minister replied that they can benefit from thermal modernization and boiler replacement support programs, but the Ministry of Energy is taking into account other activities that could support households outside this system.
You can read more about who can receive a heating voucher, what conditions they should meet and where to submit applications in the text “Heating voucher: recruitment of applications starts. You can get up to over PLN 5,000”.
