The change in the way pensions are paid affects millions of Poles. This may particularly affect seniors from smaller towns, for whom a cash transfer from ZUS – received e.g. at the post office – is not only convenient, but also safe.
Although the changes seem to be justified and financial calculations only reinforce the need to implement them, forced switching to bank accounts may exclude some seniors from the system.
Pension only in a bank account? ZUS wants changes from 2027.
As “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” explains, ZUS argues that introducing drastic changes is justified by savings. A bank transfer costs only 9 groszy, while a postal order costs almost PLN 20.
With millions of benefits going to seniors each month, this means huge savings for the state. ZUS also emphasizes that today 81.8 percent pensions are transferred to accounts, and the digitization of administration is progressing.
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The Social Insurance Institution indicates that the saved funds could be used for the development of IT systems and servicing beneficiaries. The changes requested by ZUS are part of a broader digitization process that the entire Polish public administration is going through.
No more pension transfers? ZUS wants changes in the payment system
It is worth mentioning that the idea of giving up traditional postal orders is not new. ZUS has already raised this issue, but always received a negative opinion from the government.
As “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” explains, currently the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy does not support the changes either. The ministry concluded that the ZUS proposal goes beyond the scope of the act being prepared and could affect older people who do not use banking.
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Earlier proposals regarding the transfer of funds to seniors analyzed – as “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” reminds – the gradual and partial implementation of changes. The change scenarios assumed rather gradual changes regarding new beneficiaries.
For now, there has been no decision to eliminate cash payments. ZUS's proposals rather apply to new retirees, and current beneficiaries would probably retain the existing rules. The legislative process is just starting and there are no details. However, as “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” notes, the date of 2027 appeared, which ZUS placed in the context of the deregulation project.
