Benefits for which ZUS is responsible

Pursuant to the Act of 13 October 1998 on the social insurance system, the Social Insurance Institution establishes entitlement to insurance benefits and pays them out. ZUS also pays out other benefits under separate legislation.

The types of benefits that may be provided depending on current living situation are as follows:

1. In respect of sickness and maternity;

• sickness allowance,
• maternity allowance,
• care allowance,
• compensatory allowance,
• rehabilitation benefit.

2. In respect of the long-term incapacity for work:

• disability pension,
• training pension.

3. In respect of old age:

• old-age pension,
• bridging pensions,
• nursing compensatory allowance to pensions,
• teachers’ compensatory allowance.

4. In respect of death of a breadwinner:

• survivors’ pension,
• supplementary allowance to survivors’ pension for double orphan,
• funeral grant.

5. In respect of accident at work and occupational disease:

• lump-sum compensation,
• sickness allowance,
• rehabilitation benefit,
• compensatory allowance,
• disability pension,
• training pension,
• survivors’ pension,
• supplementary allowance to survivors’ pension for double orphan,
• nursing supplementary allowance,
• supplementary allowance for an injured veteran,
• benefit to cover costs of dentist services and prophylactic vaccinations as well as provision of orthopaedic appliances.

6. Other:

• parental supplementary benefit (Mama 4+),
• social pension,
• pre-retirement benefit,
• additional annual cash benefits for pensioners (the so-called 13th and 14th old-age pension),
• supplementary benefit for persons incapable of independent existence (500+ for persons incapable of independent existence),
• medical rehabilitation within the framework of ZUS disability pension prevention,
• subsidising, as part of ZUS accident prevention, activities of contribution payers intended to help maintain earning capacity throughout the period of professional activity,
• compensatory benefit for communist opposition activists,
• supporting benefit for people with disabilities.

7. Benefits for the family:

• child-support benefit,
• ‘Good Start’ benefit,
• benefits from the Active Parent programme.