From July 1, you can apply for the benefit under the „Good Start” programme, or so-called 300+, that is the government support of PLN 300 for children starting their school year. We have already explained who and under what conditions is entitled to this benefit in our previous article – here we just point out that it is available to both Polish citizens and foreigners (if they meet the legislative criteria). The “Good start” benefit is granted once a year regardless of the family’s income. It is paid for every child starting their school year until they reach the age of 20 (24 for children with a certificate of disability).
In 2021, important changes to the applying procedure were implemented. From this year onwards, the Social Insurance Institution (Polish: Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych, ZUS) is responsible for the implementation of the “Good Start” programme, and applications for the 300+ benefit can only be submitted electronically.
300+ benefit in 2021 – what you need to know
While previously local authorities and institutions were responsible for handling 300+ benefits, now it is ZUS who is in charge of the programme. What changes does it bring? First, applications for the 300+ benefit can only be submitted electronically to ZUS. Second, benefits will only be paid to a bank account. Therefore, if you do not have a bank account yet and would like to apply for this benefit, you have to open one. And of course, deadlines are important: if you apply in July or August, you will receive the benefit no later than by September 30, 2021. If the application is submitted in September, October or November, the benefits will be paid within two months after the submission. However, the application deadline is November 30, 2021. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
How to apply
You can apply for the benefit via the Social Insurance Institution’s electronic platform (PUE ZUS), the Emp@tia portal or electronic banking services. Each person who submits the application (also via electronic banking or the Emp@tia portal) can check the status of the application at the PUE ZUS portal. At the PUE ZUS, you can also check the benefit-related correspondence from the ZUS (e.g., request for additional documents, positive or negative decision on your application).
Get it done with us!
Do you have more questions or need assistance with submitting your application for the „Good Start” benefit? In the time of coronavirus, our Help Center for Foreigners will help you remotely! Send an e-mail to: [email protected], put „Good Start benefit” in the subject line and briefly describe your problem. If you want us to contact you quickly, you can also send us your phone number – it will make communication easier and shorten the waiting time for our response.
The assistance we provide is free of charge. However, please note that we do not provide technical support for the government portal and services.
Click HERE for more guidance on living in Poland and forms of help available in the Help Center for Foreigners.
