On 26 May 2025, the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, signed the order on the disability degree certificate and degree of disability.

What does it involve? Until now, committees issuing disability degree certificates for rare and genetic diseases have often issued certificates for a short period. In the absence of prospects for health improvement, such an obligation is extremely burdensome for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Indeed, it is worth noting that this required repeated collection of health information and undergoing medical check-ups.

The new regulation will not only relieve the burden on persons with disabilities and their families, but will also help reduce the workload of disability evaluation boards. Currently, there are 16 provincial boards and 295 district boards operating in Poland. 

Minimum validity periods of disability degree certificates 

The provisions introduced in the regulation set the following minimum validity periods of disability degree certificates:

• Minimum validity period for the persons over 16 years of age: 7 years – in the case of rare genetic diseases (according to the annex to the order, this applies to 208 diseases, including congenital hydrocephalus, cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy) and Down syndrome. 

• Minimum validity period for the persons over 16 years of age: 3 years.

• Granting disability degree certificates to persons under the age of 16 – until they attain the age of 16, which is the end of the possible period for which a disability degree certificate is granted, if a child is confirmed to have a rare genetic disease or Down syndrome. 

What entitlements can persons holding a disability degree certificate expect? 

The issuance of a disability degree certificate with the above-mentioned indications involves granting the person the following support:

• Nursing benefit – for caregivers of minors with disabilities,

• Medical care allowance – financial support for persons with disabilities who require care,

• Tax reliefs – such as the possibility to deduct care-related expenses under the rehabilitation relief,

• Priority in accessing social and care services,

• Facilitated access to healthcare services – such as rehabilitation and health resort therapy,

• The right to a Parking Card – for persons with severe mobility challenges,

• Additional support in education – possibility to get an assistant at school or individual tuition. 

Who will benefit from the changes? 

According to data from the Electronic National Monitoring System for Disability Assessment, the number of persons with disabilities up to the age of 16 with a permanent disability degree certificate is 71,300. The remaining group – nearly 192,000 – hold certificates for a fixed period, and it is precisely this group that may benefit from the changes. 

On the other hand, the number of persons with disabilities over 16 with permanent disability degree certificates is 1.72 million and 1.24 million with certificates for a fixed period. 

The Order has been signed – what comes next? 

The Order shall enter into force 14 days after the date of its promulgation. 

The Order contains transitional provisions governing pending cases and cases in which proceedings before the labour and social security court were initiated before the date of entry into force of this Order. The new rules, which are more favourable than the currently applicable rules, will apply to pending cases.