Changes in the 500 plus program “not ruled out” – Rafalska

Minister of Labor, Family and Social Services Elżbieta Rafalska hinted on Thursday that she was open to implementing changes in the 500 plus program, which sees families with more than one child receive PLN 500 per month for second and successive children. She was speaking to reporters. “Currently, there is no question about changes [to] the 500 plus, [and] in the future it can be modified,” the Minister said. She stressed, however, that the proposals to make changes would have to be relevant. Changing the criteria for the granting of benefits, would likely not be considered, for example, according to Rafalska. Rafalska stressed that it is continuously monitored. “I do not say that this program today [exists in] absolutely constants, it can be modified, but the important proposals amending the criteria today are not [an option],” she said. On Thursday, reporters in the parliament also inquired whether changes are possible in the future and Rafalska said that first it must be seen how it will function. “Nothing can be ruled out, but today there is no question about it, we [will] introduce other criteria,” she added. She pointed out that after several months of the program it can be stated that poverty has fallen significantly, by as much as 90 percent, according to Rafalska. She added that one of the program’s goals included improving fertility rates. Poland has one of the lowest fertility rates in Europe. The average woman bears 1.3 children in her lifetime.