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Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure PL-2022-10/2376 – Updated – measures in Poland

Social Insurance Institution ZUS provides accommodation for Ukrainian refugees

ZUS zapewnia lokale dla uchodźców z Ukrainy

Country Poland , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 01 March 2022 – 31 December 2022
Context War in Ukraine
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Keeping or obtaining a safe home
Author Jan Czarzasty (Warsaw School of Economics)
Measure added 20 May 2022 (updated 17 July 2023)

Background information

Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) in Poland helps Ukrainian refugees. Initiatives that include providing refugees with accommodation are coordinated with the central government authorities. Moreover, ZUS helps Polish citizens obtain their pension via foreign bank accounts. The Social Insurance Institution is also making its websites and procedures more accessible for refugees who do not know the Polish language. The President of the board of ZUS, Gertruda Uścińska, declared the readiness of the institution to provide aid.

Content of measure

The Social Insurance Institution declared its readiness to provide refugees with accommodation. ZUS has a network of training facilities that are fit to serve as temporary accommodation for 1,400 refugees. Moreover, ZUS publishes information concerning the possibilities of applying for financial aid and social benefits on its website in Ukrainian. There will also be a possibility to sign up for the electronic public services website and create a profile in Ukrainian. Additionally, if someone was receiving a pension from ZUS into their Ukrainian bank account, they will be assisted by ZUS in changing it for one that is located in the country that they are living in at the moment.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

13 March 2023

As of 13 March 2023:

  • There is no information available on the start of the provision of housing by ZUS. The previously reported information was a non-binding announcement and has not been implemented.
  • Information in Ukrainian is still available on the ZUS website.
  • No information is available on the number of people who changed their pension collection account from Ukrainian to Polish after 24 February 2022.

Use of measure

No data to be reported.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Social insurance
Other

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Unknown.

Views and reactions

Unknown.

Sources

  • 01 March 2022: ZUS dla uchodźców z Ukrainy

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Social Insurance Institution ZUS provides accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, measure PL-2022-10/2376 (measures in Poland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/PL-2022-10_2376.html

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