800+ for foreigners: why ZUS stops it and how to keep it

“We received 800+ for several years, and this month the money simply didn't arrive” — many foreign parents are writing to us with this question right now. Most often the reason is not a ZUS error but the new rules: the payment now depends on whether one of the parents worked in the previous month.

Here is what exactly has changed, which work counts and which doesn't, and what to do if the payment has already been stopped.

What changed and for whom

The changes were introduced by the act of 12 September 2025 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1301). 800+ is still 800 zł per month for each child under 18. But for non-EU foreigners there are additional conditions:

• for Ukrainians with UKR status — from 1 February 2026;
• for foreigners with a temporary residence card (including those marked “dostęp do rynku pracy”) — from the new period that began on 1 June 2026.

These conditions do not apply to citizens of Poland, the EU and EFTA, or to British citizens protected by the Withdrawal Agreement.

Three conditions ZUS checks every month

1. Work in the previous month. To receive 800+ for October, you must have been “professionally active” in September.
2. The child attends school in Poland — a Polish kindergarten (the pre-school year) or school. For younger children this condition does not apply.
3. You and your child live in Poland. ZUS receives border crossing data from the Border Guard.

ZUS pays for a month only after checking the previous one. If something doesn't add up, the payment is suspended until you explain the situation.

Which work counts

• umowa o pracę or umowa zlecenie, if the pension contribution base is at least 50% of the minimum wage. In 2026 the minimum wage is 4806 zł, so the threshold is 2403 zł gross per month;
• your own JDG, if you pay pension contributions on a base of at least 30% of the minimum wage — in 2026 that is 1441,80 zł;
• sick leave, maternity or parental leave that follows such work;
• unemployment benefit, a training scholarship from the labor office, a doctoral or sports scholarship.

If you work under a regular contract in Poland, ZUS sees this in its system — separate certificates are usually not required.

Careful: what does NOT count. Umowa o dzieło — no pension contributions are paid on it. A JDG on “ulga na start” — for the first 6 months the business owner does not pay social contributions, so ZUS does not see any pension insurance. Working in Poland as a posted worker with contributions in another country doesn't count either. And a half-time job at the minimum wage is exactly 2403 zł: any reduction in hours takes you below the threshold.

Who is exempt from the work condition

• if the child is a Polish citizen;
• if the child has a disability certificate (orzeczenie o niepełnosprawności or about its degree).

Lost your job? If you register with the labor office as unemployed and have health insurance through it, 800+ continues for another 3 months, and for families with three or more children — for 6 months. This can be used only once per benefit period.

Tip: if you are changing jobs, make sure there is no “empty” month between the old and the new contract. One month without insurance — and 800+ will not arrive for the following month.

If you have lost UKR status

From 1 September 2026, UKR status was lost by those who received a PESEL UKR without a passport and did not confirm their data at the gmina by 31 August. Without the status there is no 800+ on that basis. The right can only be restored through another legal basis of stay — for example, a residence card — and a new application on that basis.

What to do if the payment has been stopped

1. Log in to eZUS (PUE ZUS) or the mZUS mobile app — you will find a notice or a letter from ZUS there.
2. Check that your employer registered you with ZUS on time and correctly, and that your details — name, date of birth, PESEL — match in all documents.
3. If ZUS asks for explanations or documents, reply within the deadline given in the letter. Once the conditions are confirmed, the payment is resumed.
4. If the basis of your stay has changed (for example, from UKR to a residence card), submit a new application.

Applications for 800+ are accepted online only: via eZUS, mZUS, a banking app or the Emp@tia portal. The current period runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027. If you apply now, the money is paid only from the month of application — there is no payment for earlier months, so don't put it off.

Tip: check eZUS at least once a month. ZUS communicates through it, and a missed letter is the most common reason why a payment is not resumed for weeks.

How we can help

800+ rests on two things — a legal basis of stay and properly registered work. This is exactly what we work with every day:

• LegalX — a work-based residence card with full support until the decision — 2200 zł; a CUKR card for UKR status holders — 900 zł for an adult and 700 zł for a child;
• PhinanceX — opening a JDG, free with an accounting contract, and accounting from 300 zł per month. Your accountant will help you choose a ZUS contribution scheme so that you don't fall out of the 800+ conditions.

The first consultation with a manager is free. If your situation needs a detailed review, it costs 300 zł and is credited toward the service fee if you order the service.