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-2023-1/3073 – Updated – measures in Poland
Country | Poland , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 01 January 2023 – 30 June 2025 |
Context | War in Ukraine, Cost of Living Crisis |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Support for energy bills |
Author | Monika Helak (Polityka Insight) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 17 February 2023 (updated 19 March 2025) |
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other political and economic factors, the cost of electricity has increased significantly in 2022 and 2023. To protect households and businesses from high electricity prices, the government has introduced a number of regulations.
On 18 October 2022, the Act on Special Arrangements for the Protection of Electricity Consumers 2023 due to the electricity market situation entered into force.
Electricity prices for households will be frozen at 2022 levels in 2023 and the government will compensate electricity suppliers accordingly. The frozen prices will apply up to a consumption level of 2,000 KWh. Above this level, households will pay higher charges in line with the 2023 tariff. However, there will be a higher annual limit on electricity consumption for households with people with disabilities (2.6 KWh) and for farmers with three or more families (3,000 KWh).
Households using electricity for heating (including the use of heat pumps) will also receive a one-off electricity subsidy of PLN 1,000. If the household's annual electricity consumption exceeds 5,000 KWh, the supplement will be PLN 1,500.
Energy saving will also be rewarded. Households that in 2023 consume no more than 90% of the energy consumed in 2022 will receive a special discount in 2024 of 10% of the total cost of electricity consumption in 2023.
The maximum price for electricity has been extended to the second half of 2024 and 2025. The price for households has been set at PLN 500/MWh (€116.82 as of 13 December 2024).
In addition, a one-off cash benefit has been introduced for approximately 3.5 million lower-income households. There will be two income thresholds:
- up to PLN 2,500 (€548.1 as of 13 December 2024) per person for one-person households,
- up to PLN 1700 (€397.2 as of 13 December 2024) per person for multi-person households.
The support will be available to, among others, pensioners with a benefit below the minimum pension and pensioners whose benefit is equal to the lowest pension (currently PLN 1780.96 (€ 416.1 as of 13 December 2024)).
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
31 December 2024 |
The Council of Ministers has decided to freeze energy prices for households in the second half of 2024 and 2025. Energy prices for households will remain unchanged from January 2025. |
The government estimates that almost 17 million households in Poland will benefit from the electricity price freeze in 2023.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Does not apply to workers | Does not apply to businesses | Applies to all citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Company / Companies |
National funds
|
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.
Unknown.
This case is sector-specific
This case is not occupation-specific.
Citation
Eurofound (2023), Electricity price freeze for households, measure PL-2023-1/3073 (measures in Poland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/PL-2023-1_3073.html
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