Social assistance supports individuals and families in their efforts to meet their essential needs and enables them to live in conditions appropriate for human dignity. The task of social assistance is also to prevent difficult life situations by taking actions aimed at the independence of individuals and families and their integration with the environment.

Social assistance is organised by government administration bodies (minister in charge of social security, voivodes) as well as local governments (voivodeship marshals, poviat starostes and mayors (city presidents) at the commune level. While carrying out their social welfare tasks, these bodies engage in a partnership cooperation with social and non-governmental organisations, the Catholic Church, other churches, religious associations as well as natural and legal persons.

Persons and families benefiting from social assistance are obliged to cooperate in solving their difficult life situation.

The recourse to social security benefits applies to:

1. persons holding Polish citizenship who reside and remain on the territory of the Republic of Poland;
2. foreigners who reside and remain on the territory of the Republic of Poland:
   1. on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a residence permit for a EU long-term resident, a temporary residence permit granted in connection with the circumstance referred to in Article 159(1)(1)(c) or (d) or in Article 186(1)(3) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners (Dz. U. [Polish Journal of Laws] of 2017, items 2206 and 2282, and of 2018, items 107, 138 and 771), or in connection with obtaining the refugee status or subsidiary protection in the Republic of Poland,
   2. in connection with obtaining a Republic of Poland residence permit for humanitarian reasons or a permit for tolerated stay - in the form of a shelter, a meal, necessary clothing and a special purpose allowance;
3. citizens of the Member States of the European Union, the Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and members of their families within the meaning of Article 2(4) of the Act of 14 July 2006 on the entry into, residence in and exit from the territory of the Republic of Poland of nationals of the Member States of the European Union and members of their families (Dz. U. [Polish Journal of Laws] of 2017, item 900 and 2018, item 650), having the right of residence or permanent residence on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

 The right to benefits in the form of emergency intervention, shelter, meal, necessary clothing and purpose-specific allowance is granted to foreigners who remain on the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a certificate referred to in Article 170 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, or on the basis of a permit referred to in Article 176 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners.

The primary objectives of social assistance:

• to support individuals and families in overcoming difficult life situations, making them independent as far as possible and enabling them to live in conditions appropriate for human dignity,
• providing income at the level of social intervention - for people with no income or low income, post-working age and people with disabilities,
• providing an income up to the level of social intervention to individuals and families on low incomes who require occasional support,
• providing professional assistance to families affected by social pathologies, including domestic violence,
• integration of socially excluded people into the social environment ,
• establishing a network of social services that is appropriate to the needs in that area.

Social assistance consists in particular of:

• granting and issuing benefits,
• social work,
• conducting and developing the necessary social infrastructure,
• analysis and evaluation of phenomena generating demand for social welfare benefits,
• implementing tasks resulting from the recognised social needs,
• developing new forms of social assistance and self-help within the framework of the identified needs.

Principles of granting social assistance

Social assistance benefits shall be provided on request:

• of the person concerned,
• his or her legal representative,
• another person, with the consent of the person concerned or his or her legal representative.

Social assistance may also be provided ex officio.

A person or family applying for social assistance can apply to the social welfare centre in their place of residence (centres are located in each municipality). Decisions to grant or refuse aid must be preceded by an environmental interview carried out by the family social worker. Decisions on social welfare benefits are issued in writing. Each decision is subject to an appeal.

The right to financial benefits shall be granted to persons and families whose income does not exceed the income criteria based on the social intervention threshold. At present (until 30th September of 2018 ), that amount equals PLN 634 for a single person, and PLN 514 per person in the case of families.  From 1 October 2018, the income criterion for a single person must not exceed the amount of 701 PLN, and PLN 528per family member. The municipal council, by way of a resolution, may increase the threshold amounts for the occasional and designated benefit.

Since May 1st of 2004, social assistance operates on the basis of the Act of 12 March 2004 on social assistance  (i.e. Dz.U. [Polish Journal of Laws] of 2018, item 1508 as amended).