Highlights 

• New exceptions to the 3-year ownership rule have been introduced – in certain cases, the required period of property ownership has been reduced from 3 years to one year. 
• The maximum grant amounts for selected thermal modernisation works have increased by 10%. 
• The deadline for completing projects covered by pre-financing has been extended from 120 to 180 days. 
• The settlement of projects has been simplified and additional facilitations for beneficiaries have been introduced. 
• The key principles of the programme remain unchanged, including, amongst others, the mandatory energy audit, the operator system and the income criteria. 

Beneficiaries of the Clean Air Programme can now take advantage of the new measures, which will facilitate the implementation of projects and increase the availability of support. These changes have been drawn up based on experience gained from the programme’s operation and over 1,370 comments submitted during public consultations. 

One of the most significant changes is the expansion of the list of exceptions to the rule requiring ownership of the property for at least three years prior to submitting an application for funding. In certain cases, the required period of property ownership has been reduced to one year. This provision will be available, amongst others, to people who have acquired property through adverse possession, as well as to owners or co-owners who have obtained at least a 50% share in a house from their parents or grandparents through purchase, gift or a life annuity agreement. This will allow people wishing to improve the energy efficiency of family homes in need of thermal modernisation to benefit more easily from the scheme. 

From 20 July 2026, higher maximum grant amounts will also apply to selected thermal modernisation works, including, amongst other things, the insulation of building partitions and the replacement of windows, external doors and garage doors. The individual limits have increased by 10%, whilst the maximum total amount of support for thermal modernisation remains unchanged – the highest level of funding is still up to PLN 83,000. 

The changes also introduce a longer timeframe for performing work covered by an advance payment. This period has been extended by 60 days – from 120 to 180 days. The rules for confirming completed works have also been simplified, by expanding the list of persons authorised to issue the required documents. The package of changes also includes additional simplifications, such as the option to prepare draft applications in the Grant Application Generator and a clarification of the rules concerning equipment included on the List of Green Equipment and Materials (ZUM List). 

At the same time, the fundamental principles of the scheme introduced by the reform of 31 March 2025 remain unchanged. Among other things, the mandatory energy audit, the energy performance certificate, the operator system, the limits on eligible costs, the ‘one beneficiary – one building’ rule, the existing funding levels and the income criteria remain in force. 

To date, as part of the Clean Air Programme, 971,000 grant agreements have been concluded, of which over 645,000 have been completed. Nearly PLN 22 billion has been paid out, with more than half of this amount disbursed in the last two years. Under the new phase of the programme, which came into effect on 31 March 2025, 70,000 applications have been accepted and 53,000 grant agreements worth PLN 3.3 billion have been signed. The current programme, with a budget of PLN 10 billion, is financed from the Modernisation Fund. Thanks to the programme, over 603,000 inefficient heating systems – substandard coal stoves (called in Polish 'kopciuchy') – which are one of the main causes of smog in Poland, have already been replaced. The Clean Air Programme will continue to be developed to support the thermal modernisation of detached houses, the replacement of inefficient heating systems and the improvement of air quality even more effectively. 

The Clean Air Programme has attracted considerable interest since its launch. To date, 971,000 grant agreements have been concluded, of which over 645,000 have already been finalised. Nearly PLN 22 billion has been paid out to beneficiaries, with over half of this amount having been disbursed to them over the last two years. Under the new phase of the programme, which came into effect on 31 March 2025, 70,000 applications have already been accepted and 53,000 agreements signed, with a total value of PLN 3.3 billion. The current programme, with a budget of PLN 10 billion, is financed by the Modernisation Fund. 

Thanks to the programme, over 603,000 inefficient heating systems – substandard coal stoves (called in Polish 'kopciuchy') – which are one of the main causes of smog in Poland, have already been replaced. The programme will continue to be developed to provide even more effective support to residents in improving the energy efficiency of their homes, replacing old heating systems and improving air quality. 

Further information on the changes to the programme can be found here.