Planned family benefit increases will not go ahead
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
05.05.2017 10:30
Poland's family ministry has said that increases to benefits, planned by the previous government, will not go ahead in November, but that the ministry is not looking to make savings.
Family Minister Elżbieta Rafalska. Photo:Flickr.com/Kancelaria Premiera.Foto: Flickr.com/Kancelaria Premiera
Family Minister Elżbieta Rafalska said that the planned monthly increase was PLN 5-7, (EUR, 1.2-1.6) and was planned before the current ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in October 2015, introduced its flagship 500+ scheme.
Under 500+, families receive a monthly handout of PLN 500 for each second and next-born child and in lower income families also for the first-born.
“Therefore one cannot say that we are looking for savings,” Rafalska said.
“We will not see the increases planned by our predecessors because we are realising our programme,” she added.
According to the ministry's estimates, budget spending on family policy will be worth three percent of GDP, or PLN 59 billion, compared to 1.8 percent (PLN 33 billion) in 2015, before 500+ was introduced. (vb/pk)
Source: PAP