Poland is changing the rules for Ukrainians: what will happen to free accommodation and medical care?

Poland may review its rules on support for Ukrainian refugees. A new bill proposes to expand the group of people eligible to stay in collective accommodation centres (CACs) free of charge, as well as to provide Ukrainians with access to basic healthcare regardless of their status or place of residence, reports maney.pl.

The initiative came about after many Ukrainians lost the right to live and receive meals free of charge in such centres from 1 July 2026. Following the change in the rules, this support was retained only for certain categories: pregnant women, people with disabilities and some elderly citizens. The rest are forced to sort out their own accommodation and food costs.

Who could be added to the list of aid recipients

It is reported that Poland’s Left Party (Klub Lewica) tabled a bill in the Sejm on 3 July, which provides for the expansion of the list of vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, Poland’s Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziamianowicz-Bonk, has stated that she is counting on support for the initiative from her partners in the ruling coalition. According to her, the current rules have excluded from the support system some people who are also in difficult life circumstances.

“There are currently situations that require urgent rectification,” the minister noted.

She cited families with children as an example: a mother raising a child with a disability is entitled to free accommodation in a collective accommodation centre, but other children in that family may be denied such support.

Under the proposal, the following would be eligible for free accommodation and meals in collective accommodation centres:

• single mothers who are raising children on their own and are not married, or whose partners are not in Poland;

• pensioners whose benefits are at least 50 per cent below the minimum pension;

• members of families that include people from vulnerable groups.

Medical care for Ukrainians regardless of residence

Another important change concerns healthcare. The drafters of the bill propose granting Ukrainian refugees access to health insurance and basic free medical care, regardless of whether they live in collective accommodation centres or belong to officially recognised vulnerable groups.

At present, some Ukrainians who have lost their entitlement to assistance in accommodation centres are facing not only housing problems but also additional medical expenses.

How much will the new programme cost?

Expanding the list of people who will be able to use collective accommodation centres free of charge is estimated to cost approximately 18 million zlotys.

Additional funding for medical care will require a further 80 million zlotys or so.

The Polish Ministry of Family Affairs considers these costs to be justified. According to Dzemyanovich-Bonk, it could cost the state considerably more if people from vulnerable groups were left without support and medical care.

A decision is expected in the autumn

The bill is due to be considered at a session of the Polish Sejm in September. If MPs support it, some Ukrainians who have lost access to free accommodation and meals will once again be able to receive state assistance. The initiators of the changes emphasise that the aim of the bill is not to reinstate the previous rules for everyone, but to close existing loopholes and provide support to those who are genuinely unable to cover their housing and healthcare costs on their own.

According to Eurostat, as of 31 May 2026, 967,505 people from Ukraine had temporary protection status in Poland. Among Ukrainians with temporary protection in Poland, women account for around 43–46 per cent, and children for approximately 30 per cent. Men account for around 25 per cent.