Nursing benefits will increase. How much will it be in 2024?
From next year, the care benefit will be higher compared to the amount currently in force. How much will it be exactly and what else will change?
Nursing benefit is currently granted when a caregiver resigns from employment or other paid work in order to care for a person with a significant degree of disability. Its aim is to partially cover the expenses incurred by caregivers of disabled people. This benefit is paid at the request of the entitled person. However, not only its amount will change soon, but also the rules for awarding it.
Increase in care benefits
Currently, the amount of the care benefit is PLN 2,458. According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, soon, from 2024, its value will increase by PLN 530 compared to the current amount. These changes are related to the increase in the minimum wage, which the government intends to introduce from 2024. Pursuant to the Act of November 28, 2003 on family benefits (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2023, item 390, as amended), the amount of the care benefit depends on the minimum wage. It should be noted, however, that the second increase in the minimum wage planned for July will no longer result in an increase in the amount of the care benefit.
The amount of the care benefit is subject to annual indexation. This, in turn, is closely related to the percentage increase in the minimum wage. Although the deadline for issuing the regulation on the minimum wage is September 15, 2023, according to the proposal presented, it will be PLN 4,242. Due to the fact that on January 1 this year it was PLN 3,490, the indexation rate of the care benefit will be 21.54 percent. This means that from January 2024, the care benefit will be awarded in the amount of PLN 2,988.
Changes in care services
In accordance with the Act on support benefits announced in the Journal of Laws, we will see more changes regarding care benefits. They will enter into force on January 1, 2024. According to the new regulations, care benefits will be available to parents or other persons caring for disabled children who are under 18 years of age without any restrictions on taking up employment or other paid work. Additionally, the caregiver’s ability to receive care benefits will not be affected by the caregiver’s own retirement and disability benefits.
Foster families, directors of foster care facilities, and people who run family children’s homes will also be able to apply for the care benefit. Additionally, if there is more than one disabled child in the family, the care benefit will be payable for each of them (it will be increased by 100 percent for the second and each subsequent child).
Check the difference between care allowance, care benefit and care allowance. These concepts are often confused with each other – but there are many differences and they are quite important.
