“What about the still high inflation and the rise in energy, gas or other components that will certainly affect the price of funeral services over the next two years?” asks Robert Czyżak, president of the Polish Funeral Industry Chamber (PIBP), referring to the new bill, which among other things talks about increasing the funeral allowance from 1 January 2026 to PLN 7,000. He advises the government to cover the difference of PLN 3,000 between today’s and the planned amount from 2026 now. This could happen, among other things, as a result of tightening up the funeral industry, which would be aided by the introduction of an amended Funeral Law. The government could in this way gain about PLN 3 billion from the so-called “grey area”, which is still a problem for this service sector in Poland.
According to the just presented draft amendment to the bill, a higher funeral allowance would be PLN 7,000 from January 1, 2026.
“We have information confirming the commencement of works aimed at introducing a change in the amount of the benefit only from 2026, almost two years later” – admits Robert Czyżak, president of the Polish Funeral Industry Chamber (PIBP).
What about the still high inflation or the rise in energy prices?
The government has resumed work on increasing the funeral benefit, as the previous project was withdrawn from the agenda of the Permanent Committee of the Council of Ministers due to the flood situation in the south-west of Poland.
“The question is, what about the still high inflation and the rise in energy, gas or other components prices that will certainly affect the cost of funeral services over the next two years” – considers Robert Czyżak.
He argues that the industry he represents understands that there are currently not enough funds to increase the amount of the funeral benefit, but – as he has mentioned more than once – the government could gain approx. PLN 3 billion, considering the annual number of deaths at 400,000 and the difference in the funeral allowance, which is now PLN 3,000 – calculates the president of the Polish Funeral Industry Chamber.
Obtaining means from the abolished “grey area”
According to him, the funds obtained due to the tightening of the industry would come from the so-called “grey area”, which is still a problem for this service sector in Poland.
“To cover this difference, the Ministry of Finance needs a reserve of about PLN 1.2 billion. With effective elimination of the grey area in our industry, as discussed for example in the draft of the amendment to the Funeral Law prepared with the participation of representatives of the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs (PIBP is a member of it), the government has more than twice the amount of funds to raise the benefit amount” – states the president of PIBP.
Additional 2 thousand for covering extraordinary burial costs of third parties
Good news for him, though, is the payment of an additional PLN 2,000 for covering extraordinary costs associated with the burial of third parties who are not family members. “However, the discretion still remains on the administrative side and we do not know the exact mechanism by which such an amount would be granted. Therefore, we approach it in a balanced and completely constructive way” – assures Robert Czyżak.
For now, however, the amount of the allowance remains at a constant level. Despite the government’s promises, it remains at PLN 4,000 without an imminent increase.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/zasilek-pogrzebowy-wzrosnie-do-7-tys-zl-dopiero-w-2026-roku-branza-funeralna-apeluje-o-szybsze-dzialania-16542
