From 1 July parents in Poland can again file online applications for the annual ‘Dobry Start’ (Good Start) allowance – a one-off PLN 300 (about UAH 3,500) payment designed to help cover back-to-school purchases. On 3 July the Ministry of Family & Social Policy confirmed that the programme is fully accessible to children from Ukraine who hold PESEL-UKR numbers and attend Polish schools, regardless of household income. The benefit is paid via the ZUS e-platform or mobile app and can be claimed until 30 November. Applications lodged in July or August will see money transferred no later than 30 September, ZUS said. For global-mobility teams supporting displaced Ukrainian employees in Poland, the allowance offers tangible assistance with schooling costs and can form part of relocation briefings. It also signals Warsaw’s broader shift from emergency aid to mainstream social-welfare integration, even as free accommodation in collective centres is phased out for most refugees. Legal advisers remind applicants that each child must be enrolled in a Polish educational institution; kindergartens and ‘zerówka’ preparatory classes do not qualify. Guardians need to provide PESEL identifiers, school details and Polish bank-account information when filing online. Since its launch in 2018, Dobry Start has distributed over PLN 6 billion. With roughly 180,000 Ukrainian pupils now in Polish schools, the 2026 edition is expected to channel more than PLN 50 million directly to refugee families, helping them remain self-reliant and easing pressure on employer relocation budgets.
