"Family 500 plus" program to come into effect on April 1st

The "Family 500+" program is scheduled to come into effect on April 1st, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Elżbieta Rafałska announced. "We have been clearly talking about one date - the 1st of April - and that is still unchanged." she said on TVN24 on Friday morning. She also added that there is no chance of benefits being reduced later on to 400 PLN per child or to be extended to children after their 18th birthday. The "Family 500+" program is designed to give a benefit of 500 PLN to families for having a second child and any subsequent children after that. Families that have  a low income will also receive financial support for their first child. The program was created by the new government to increase family support and counteract the worsening demographic situation in Poland.