The geography of unpaid child support in Poland has two distinct dimensions. The largest cities have the greatest numbers of child support debtors and account for the highest total arrears. However, the highest average debt per person is recorded outside the country’s largest metropolitan areas.
At the end of June 2026, child support arrears recorded in the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register exceeded PLN 16.8 billion. The database included 279,819 people who had failed to meet their financial obligations towards their children.
Warsaw had the highest number of debtors, at almost 8,000. The capital also accounted for the largest total amount of unpaid child support, reaching PLN 506.7 million. The highest average debt was recorded in Elbląg, where each debtor owed an average of PLN 82,300.
This was more than 37% above the national average of PLN 60,100.
Key figures on child support debt
At the end of June 2026:
- total child support arrears exceeded PLN 16.8 billion;
- 279,819 child support debtors were listed in the register;
- the average debt per person exceeded PLN 60,000;
- men accounted for 96% of those failing to pay child support;
- the largest numbers of debtors were recorded in Warsaw, Łódź and Kraków;
- Elbląg had the highest average debt per person.
Summer holidays highlight the consequences of unpaid child support
The summer holiday season is a period when the consequences of unpaid child support become particularly severe. Summer camps, day camps, family trips and everyday activities for children require additional financial resources.
A one-week summer camp currently costs between PLN 2,000 and PLN 4,000. When one parent avoids paying child support, the entire cost of the child’s holiday and everyday living expenses falls on the other caregiver.
As a result, some children are unable to participate in trips, sports activities and other experiences that are a normal part of the summer holidays for their peers.
Although the figures improved slightly compared with June 2025, the scale of the problem remains substantial. Total arrears declined by more than PLN 24.4 million, while the number of debtors fell by 10,672.
At the same time, the average amount owed by each debtor increased by PLN 2,124 over the year and exceeded PLN 60,000.
“It is important to stress that the nationwide decline in the number of debtors does not mean that the problem has been resolved. The scale of the arrears remains enormous, and the figures in our database are only the tip of the iceberg,” says Paweł Szarkowski, President of BIG InfoMonitor.
He notes that avoiding child support payments is increasingly perceived not only as a legal issue but also as a social and moral problem.
“In our report on the financial culture of Polish people, avoiding child support payments was the behaviour respondents were least likely to excuse. However, an acceptance rate of 11% is still far too high. Ultimately, it is always the children who suffer the most,” Szarkowski says.
Failure to pay child support does not only mean a lack of money for food, clothing, education or medical treatment. During the summer, children may also lose opportunities to rest, develop their interests and participate in social activities.
Mazovia and Silesia have the largest numbers of debtors
At regional level, the largest scale of child support arrears was recorded in the Mazowieckie, Śląskie and Dolnośląskie voivodeships.
In Mazowieckie, the register included 32,300 debtors with total liabilities of PLN 2.1 billion. In Śląskie, 33,800 people had unpaid child support obligations totalling PLN 1.8 billion.
Dolnośląskie had 26,300 debtors and approximately PLN 1.5 billion in arrears.
The high total debt recorded in these regions is primarily the result of their large populations and the presence of major urban centres.
Warsaw has the largest number of child support debtors
Warsaw clearly leads in terms of the number of people failing to pay child support. At the end of June 2026, the capital was home to 7,933 debtors whose total arrears amounted to PLN 506.7 million.
The average debt per person was PLN 63,900. This was above the national average, although it was not among the highest figures recorded in the cities analysed.
Łódź ranked second, with 6,042 debtors owing a combined PLN 366.9 million. The average debt was PLN 60,700, almost identical to the national average.
Kraków had significantly fewer child support debtors, at 3,913. However, their combined arrears reached approximately PLN 280.5 million, while the average debt per person was as high as PLN 71,700.
This placed Kraków among the leading cities in terms of average arrears per debtor.
At the other end of the ranking were Szczecin and Lublin, where the average child support debt was among the lowest in the group of cities analysed.
Elbląg records the highest average arrears
The highest average child support debt was recorded not in one of Poland’s largest metropolitan areas, but in Elbląg. Each debtor there owed an average of PLN 82,300.
High average arrears were also recorded in:
- Kielce — PLN 76,300;
- Kędzierzyn-Koźle — PLN 76,100;
- Włocławek — PLN 74,600.
According to analysts, high levels of debt in smaller cities may result from a combination of social and economic factors.
“The first of these is lower income and higher unemployment. Rural areas and smaller towns more frequently have lower wages and fewer employment opportunities, making it more difficult for debtors to meet their obligations on time,” explains Waldemar Rogowski, PhD, Chief Analyst at BIG InfoMonitor.
Unregistered or seasonal employment is another problem. The absence of officially declared income makes it more difficult for bailiffs to enforce payments effectively.
Lower occupational mobility also plays a role. Large cities have more diverse labour markets, making it easier to find employment that enables regular child support payments.
Debt can accumulate for many years
High average arrears also result from the long-term accumulation of unpaid obligations. Every missed payment increases the total debt, which may also be subject to interest.
In areas with weaker economic conditions and limited employment opportunities, arrears may continue to accumulate for many years before they can be successfully recovered.
“In some regions, we also observe higher levels of labour migration, family breakdown and problems related to addiction, all of which may influence the amount of unpaid child support,” Rogowski says.
BIG InfoMonitor’s data show that a decline in the number of people listed in the register does not mean the problem has disappeared. Total arrears still exceed PLN 16.8 billion, while the average amount owed continues to rise.
Behind these statistics are children for whom the lack of regular child support means not only a lower standard of living, but also reduced access to education, leisure, personal development and social activities.
Source: Managerplus.pl / BIG InfoMonitor
