Respite Care
Ministerial programme run by the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy and financed from the Solidarity Fund. It gives caregivers of disabled children and adults time off — to rest, handle errands or take care of their own health — while a qualified caregiver takes over at home or the participant stays at a day-care centre.
Check if you qualify →Who is respite care for?
- Parents and guardians of children aged 2–16 with a disability certificate
- Caregivers of adults with a significant-degree disability certificate
- Caregivers of people with an equivalent ruling (former 1st group of disability, full incapacity for work and independent living)
- No income threshold — eligibility is based on the certificate, not on earnings
- Service is free of charge — the cost is covered by the Solidarity Fund
The programme is run by municipalities, counties and NGOs that joined the 2026 edition. If your municipality did not apply, check nearby NGOs from the list approved by the Ministry or contact your local social assistance centre.
How to get support?
Step 1: MOPS / MOPR / PCPR
Contact the social assistance centre in your municipality. A social worker will confirm whether your local government joined the 2026 edition and what hours pool is available.
Step 2: application card
Fill in the programme application card. Required: disability certificate (of the child or adult), caregiver details, preferred form of care (in-home day care or centre stay).
Day-care mode (up to 240 h/year)
A caregiver comes to your home or the dependent person attends a day-care centre. Up to 12 hours of uninterrupted care at a time. Flexible schedule — can be used on any days throughout the year.
24-hour stay (up to 14 days/year)
The dependent person stays at a support centre with accommodation and meals. This gives the caregiver the option to travel, be hospitalised or take a longer rest.
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours of respite care are available in 2026?
- Up to 240 hours of day-care caregiver services per year (maximum 12 hours at a time), or alternatively up to 14 days of 24-hour stay. The limit is annual — it cannot be carried over to the following year.
- How much does it cost?
- For the participant — PLN 0. The full cost of caregiver services is covered by the Solidarity Fund through the municipality or the NGO running the programme. There is no co-payment.
- Does my municipality have to join the programme?
- Yes — the programme is run by local governments and NGOs that applied to the voivode in October–November 2025 for funding for the 2026 edition. If your municipality did not join, try a neighbouring one or check the list of approved NGOs on the Ministry's website.
- Can it be combined with the caregiving benefit?
- Yes. Respite care is a service (not a cash benefit), so it does not affect eligibility for the caregiving benefit, the nursing allowance or the supportive benefit. It can be combined without restrictions.
- Who can be the caregiver-provider?
- A person with caregiving qualifications (assistant for persons with disabilities, medical caregiver, nurse, special educator) or at least one documented year of experience. The caregiver cannot be a family member living with the dependent person.
Need a moment to breathe?
Check in the calculator which other forms of support — caregiving benefit, nursing allowance, supportive benefit — can complement respite care in your situation.
Open the calculator →