7,000 PLN is not the end. Another change to the funeral allowance

Payment of funeral allowance - change of procedures

The bills were discussed at a joint meeting of the Deregulation Committee and the Social Policy and Family Committee. The first of these amends the Act on Pensions and Disability Benefits from the Social Insurance Fund.

- The essence of the project, because it is a deregulation project, is to accelerate and simplify the procedures for granting and paying funeral allowances and, consequently, changes in the regulation of the procedure for pension and disability benefits regarding funeral allowances - emphasized Sebastian Gajewski, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.

The change assumes the introduction of a regulation according to which - in principle - determining the right to a funeral allowance and its amount will not require a decision by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) .

There will be two exceptions:

• The first one concerns the costs of a funeral being borne by more than one person or entity (employer, social welfare home, commune, district, church legal person or religious association), i.e. when the funeral allowance is divided between these persons or entities.
• The second situation - when the decision will be issued if the funeral costs are borne by a person other than a family member, employer, social welfare home, commune, district, legal person of a church or religious association, i.e. when the funeral allowance is due in the amount of documented funeral costs (currently not higher than PLN 4,000, from 2026 - PLN 7,000).

ZUS will, however, issue a decision establishing the right to a funeral allowance - if the funeral costs were borne by a stranger to the deceased or another entity, or if the funeral allowance is granted in proportion to the funeral costs incurred, and not as a lump sum.

The bill also introduces a regulation under which applications for funeral allowances can be submitted directly to the pension authority or through a funeral home. This, as we read, will regulate the intermediation procedures for funeral homes in applying for funeral allowances.

The bill also shortens the deadline for payment of funeral allowances. A rule has been introduced guaranteeing that a decision on entitlement to a funeral allowance will be issued within 14 days of the date the last circumstance necessary for issuing the decision is clarified.

The amendments adopted by the committee are editorial in nature. An amendment was also adopted changing the effective date of the Act – instead of 14 days from its publication, it will enter into force on January 1, 2026 .

From January 1, 2026, the funeral allowance will increase from PLN 4,000 to PLN 7,000. The amendment to the Act on Pensions and Disability Benefits from the Social Insurance Fund was prepared by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy and signed by President Andrzej Duda in early June.

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