The Polish Ministry of Justice is preparing legislation to introduce so-called basic alimony, designed to provide quick financial support for children when the other parent fails to pay. The amount will depend on the minimum wage and the number of children, currently ranging from 817 to 1009 zloty per month. The procedure will be simplified: online filing with no need to attach birth certificates, and a court referendary will issue a payment order within seven days.
The new system is intended to reduce the burden on family courts and speed up the process of obtaining maintenance. According to information obtained by Prawo.pl, filing a claim will require only a declaration that the other parent is not providing support. The system will automatically verify family ties through public registers such as PESEL, eliminating the need for paper documents.
Payment orders will be enforceable immediately. If the debtor fails to pay, the case will be referred to a bailiff. The proposed amounts are: 1009 zloty for one child, 913 zloty per child for two children, and 817 zloty per child for three or more children. These figures are based on the current minimum wage and will be updated annually on 1 March.
Simplified procedure and fast-track court action
Parents will be able to file a claim entirely online, without visiting a court. A court referendary – not a judge – will review the application and issue a payment order within seven days of receiving a complete and correctly filled form. The order will be subject to immediate enforcement, meaning the money can reach the parent quickly.
– The goal is to provide support for children as soon as possible, without unnecessary delays – explained a representative of the Ministry of Justice.
If the parent against whom the order was issued disagrees, they will have 14 days to file an objection. In that case, the order loses its force and the case will go to regular court proceedings. However, to ensure continuous support for the child, the court will secure alimony payments during the trial.
Automatic indexation and flexibility for changes
The alimony amounts will be tied to the minimum wage, so they will rise automatically when the minimum wage increases. This indexation is meant to keep the support in line with economic conditions without requiring separate court decisions each year.
Both parents will still have the right to request a change in alimony later, if the child’s needs increase or the financial situation of either parent changes. However, the new basic alimony is intended to cover standard living costs, so for extraordinary expenses additional court decisions may be necessary.
The proposal is now being consulted with experts and social partners. The ministry hopes to have the law ready for parliamentary debate in the coming months, with potential implementation as early as 2026.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. KPRM / Flickr.com / CC 4.0 BY-NC-ND
