Over 4,000 PLN from ZUS for one professional group. Age is one of the conditions

• Teachers can count on a compensatory benefit paid by ZUS
• This applies to teachers who meet specific conditions, including being of a certain age and having at least 30 years of work experience.
• ZUS reported that in March 2025, 11.3 thousand people received compensatory benefits - the average amount of the compensatory benefit was PLN 4,208.62

The compensatory benefit is the equivalent of bridging pensions, but is only available to teachers. However, unlike bridging pensions, compensatory benefits are a phasing-out benefit.

You can apply for a teacher’s compensatory benefit if, immediately before submitting the application, the entitled person worked as a teacher, tutor or other educator in the following institutions:

• public and private kindergartens,
• public and non-public schools, except for non-public schools that do not have public school rights,
• public and non-public continuing education institutions,
• youth educational centers,
• youth sociotherapy centers,
• special educational and care centers,
• special educational centres for children and young people who require special organisation of education and special methods of work and upbringing,
• rehabilitation and educational centers that enable:

- for children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities, participation in rehabilitation and educational activities that are organized based on separate regulations, - for children and young people with multiple disabilities, one of which is intellectual disability, implementation of the obligation of one-year preschool preparation (in a preschool or in a preschool department organized in a primary school or in another form of preschool education), school obligation and education obligation,

• facilities that provide care and education for students while they study outside their place of permanent residence.

ZUS reminds that compensation is available to teachers who:

• they reach a certain age, i.e.:

in the case of a woman - at least 56 years (in 2025–2026);

for men - at least 61 years (in 2025–2026);

• have at least 30 years of experience, i.e. contributory and non-contributory periods, including at least 20 years of teaching work of at least 1/2 of the compulsory teaching load,
• they terminate (or have terminated) their employment relationship at their own request or it expires in certain circumstances.

According to ZUS data, in March 2025, compensatory benefits were received by 11.3 thousand people . The average amount of the compensatory benefit was PLN 4,208.62 . A month earlier - in February 2025 - compensatory benefits were received by 11.5 thousand people, and its average amount was PLN 3,981.54. In January 2025, this benefit was received by 11.7 thousand people, and its average amount was PLN 4,010.11.

The number of teachers receiving this benefit in March 2025 was lower than one, two and three years earlier during the same period.

Teachers' compensatory benefits are the equivalent of bridging pensions. In March 2025, bridging pensions were received by 39.2 thousand people, and their average amount was PLN 5,819.18.

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