Protective allowance – what is it?
The protective allowance is a key element of the government’s Anti-Inflation Shield, intended to offset rising energy, gas and food prices for less affluent households.
In 2024, the protective allowance is available for the period from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.
An application for the protective allowance may be submitted no later than April 30, 2024. Applications submitted after April 30, 2024, will not be considered.
Who is entitled to the protective allowance?
Under the Protective Allowance Act, the benefit is available to:
- A person in a one-person household, where the average monthly income does not exceed PLN 2,100,
- A person in a multi-person household, where the average monthly income does not exceed PLN 1,500 per person.
Income will be determined on the basis of Article 3(1) of the Act of November 28, 2003, on family benefits (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 390, as amended).
The protective allowance is available to persons who reside and stay in Poland.
A household consists of:
- a person living and managing a household alone – a one-person household;
- the person applying for the protective allowance and persons related or unrelated to them who are in an actual relationship with them, live with them and run a household together – a multi-person household.
A person may be part of only one household.
How much is the protective allowance?
The protective allowance is:
- PLN 228.80 / PLN 286.00* for a one-person household;
- PLN 343.20 / PLN 429.00* for a household consisting of 2 to 3 people;
- PLN 486.20 / PLN 607.75* for a household consisting of 4 to 5 people;
- PLN 657.80 / PLN 822.25* for a household consisting of 6 or more people.
* The amount of the allowance depends on the heating source. A higher benefit may be received by people who use coal or coal-derived fuel for heating. However, this requires the heating source to be reported to the Central Register of Emissions of Buildings.
The protective allowance may also be granted when the average monthly income exceeds PLN 2,100 in a one-person household and PLN 1,500 in a multi-person household. The difference between the amount of the protective allowance and the amount by which the average monthly income was exceeded will be paid.
For applications submitted from January 1, 2024, through April 30, 2024, the income criterion is calculated using 2022 as the reference year.
The benefit is not payable if its amount is less than PLN 20.
How will we notify you that the protective allowance has been granted?
- Granting the protective allowance does not require a decision to be issued.
If an email address is provided in the application for payment of the protective allowance (which we strongly encourage), we will send information about granting the protective allowance to that address.
If no email address is provided, information about granting the protective allowance may be collected from the Municipal Social Welfare Center, Housing Allowances Department, room no. 1, at 7 Cicha Street in Bolesławiec.
- Refusal to grant the protective allowance, revocation or change of the right to the protective allowance, and a decision concerning an incorrectly paid benefit require a decision to be issued.
How will the protective allowance be paid?
The protective allowance is available for the period from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024. It will be paid once, by the end of June 2024, after the funds are received from the state budget.
Where can an application be submitted?
Applications may be submitted:
- in person at the Municipal Social Welfare Center in Bolesławiec, at 7 Cicha Street
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 7:30 to 11:00
Tuesday and Thursday, from 11:30 to 14:30; - by post – Municipal Social Welfare Center in Bolesławiec, 7 Cicha Street, 59-700 Bolesławiec;
- electronically via the ePUAP platform (the application must bear a qualified electronic signature or be authenticated using a trusted profile).
For questions or concerns, please contact us by telephone at 75 645 78 11 – Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 7:30 to 11:00; Tuesday and Thursday, from 11:30 to 14:30.
Documents to download:
Application for payment of the protective allowance
GDPR information clause.
Legal basis
- Act of December 17, 2021, on the Protective Allowance (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 759, as amended)
- Act of December 7, 2023, amending acts to support electricity, gas fuel and heat consumers (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 2760)
- Regulation of the Minister of Climate and Environment of January 16, 2024, on the application form for payment of the protective allowance (Journal of Laws of 2023, items 759 and 2760).