The new measure was unveiled by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The prime minister told a news conference in Warsaw that the country's ruling conservatives “have placed huge importance on supporting people with disabilities right from the beginning.”
He added that the government had “offered practically a revolution” and “a radical increase in spending on disability support.”
Morawiecki stated: “Since 2015, we have raised funding for people with disabilities from PLN 15.5 billion (EUR 3.3 billion) to PLN 40 billion (EUR 8.6 billion), which speaks volumes about our priorities.”
'We seek to ensure that people with disabilities can live a normal life'
Morawiecki told reporters: “We seek to ensure that people with disabilities can live a normal life, as far as possible.”
Meanwhile, Family and Social Policy Minister Marlena Maląg said that the new benefit “will, above all, give the right to a decent, independent life, both to people with disabilities and to their guardians.”
She added that the measure “represents an implementation” of the 2008 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
New disability benefit
The new disability benefit will “empower people with disabilities to live independently,” as well as allowing their guardians “to return to the labour market,” officials said.
The amount of the benefit will depend on the results of a needs assessment, the PAP news agency reported.
Those who score between 90 and 100 points on the needs assessment will receive a monthly benefit equal to two monthly disability pensions, or PLN 3,176 (EUR 679), according to officials.
Those who score between 80 and 90 points stand to receive PLN 1,588 (EUR 339) a month, while those with a needs score of 70-80 points will get some PLN 800 (EUR 171), reporters were told.
According to government estimates, around 500,000 people with disabilities will be eligible for the new benefit, which will cost public coffers PLN 3.5 billion (EUR 750 million) a year, the PAP news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl, gazetaprawna.pl