The Ministry of National Defense is preparing a major change in the issue of pensions for some uniformed services. They are intended to eliminate existing differences and simplify the system. The changes are to cover the Customs Service and the Customs-Tax Service with solutions previously used in the Police and Border Guard.
As “Gazeta Prawna” reminds, currently officers of various services are treated unequally, despite similar duties and risks. The changes prepared by the Ministry of National Defense are an important step towards greater transparency and predictability of the pension system for uniformed services.
Uniformed pension by 2026. The Ministry of National Defense is preparing changes
The project described by “Gazeta Prawna” assumes that the period of service in the Customs Service will be counted towards the retirement period on the same principles as in the Police or Border Guard.
Additionally, soldiers appointed after 2012 will be able to retire after 15 years of service, and not – as before – after 25 years. The rules for calculating benefits when an officer changes formation will also be unified.
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A new feature is the possibility of suspending a military pension in the event of returning to service in the Customs and Tax Service. This is to prevent situations in which one person receives benefits and works in the service at the same time.
According to “Gazeta Prawna”, the draft law is to be adopted by the government in the fourth quarter of 2026. The changes do not concern the structure of military pensions themselves, which remain a separate system.
This is the military pension. The amounts may surprise you
Military pensions are among the highest in Poland. The average military pension in 2025 is approximately PLN 6,400. PLN gross. However, its amount varies significantly depending on the degree:
- senior officers receive over PLN 8.2 thousand. PLN pension,
- Junior officers receive approximately PLN 5.5 thousand. PLN pension,
- non-commissioned officers receive approximately PLN 4.2 thousand. PLN pension,
- privates receive over 3.6 thousand. PLN pension.
Pensions are paid by the military pension offices of the Ministry of National Defense, not ZUS. After the death of a soldier, the family may receive the benefit if the deceased was the breadwinner. The system also takes into account cases of incapacity for service due to health.
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In the approach to retirement for military personnel, the moment of commencement of service is crucial. People who started it before December 31, 2012 can retire after 15 years.
However, soldiers recruited after January 1, 2013 must serve for at least 25 years, and sometimes also meet the age requirement (e.g. 55 years). This is the result of reforms aimed at extending professional activity in the army.
