More and more Poles reach their 100th birthday and thus receive special, honorary pensions from ZUS. In 2018, approximately 1.9 thousand people received this unique benefit. people, today it is almost 3.8 thousand. seniors.
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The growing number of centenarians is not only a demographic curiosity, but also a challenge for the pension and health care systems. Longer life means greater spending on benefits and the need to adapt social policy. These changes affect everyone – both seniors and younger generations.
Which age groups will receive PLN 7,000 from ZUS? We explain the rules
As Infor.pl reminds, new regulations will come into force from 2025, under which the benefit is subject to annual indexation and has a statutory legal basis. In March 2026, with an indexation of 5.3%. the amount of the special pension from ZUS increased to PLN 6,938.92 gross per month. Compared to the previous amount, this is an increase in the benefit by PLN 349.25.
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As explained by Infor.pl, demographic forecasts indicate that the number of centenarians in Poland will continue to grow. Data from the Central Statistical Office showed that in 2024 the average life expectancy in Poland was almost 75 years for men. In turn, for women, this level was over 82 years. This means the highest result in the history of measurements.
Honorary pension from ZUS. Who will receive it?
A unique pension for people who are over 100 years old is granted regardless of the length of service or the pension received. The only condition is to reach the appropriate age.
“People who receive a pension from ZUS do not have to submit any application to receive an additional age bonus. ZUS itself will carry out all formalities related to granting the bonus,” explains Krystyna Michałek, regional spokesperson of ZUS in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
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The situation is different with seniors who do not receive a pension or disability pension from any institution. As Krystyna Michałek explains, in the case of such people, the honorary benefit is granted on the basis of an appropriate application. “The application must be accompanied by a document confirming the date of birth,” explains the ZUS spokesman for the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
As Michałek adds, ZUS is not the only institution that pays an honorary benefit to centenarians. In addition to the Social Insurance Institution, “KRUS and the Ministry of Interior and Administration and the Ministry of National Defense also pay a special allowance for their retirees and pensioners.”
