Poland is debating a proposal to raise the retirement age to 70 in exchange for significantly higher pensions, with calculations from the state pension agency ZUS showing that delaying retirement by five years could increase monthly benefits by up to 80 percent.
According to ZUS data published by *Fakt* on Oct. 11, a man born in January 1961 or a woman born in January 1966 who defers retirement to age 70 could see their pension rise by 80 percent compared to retiring at the current statutory age of 65 for men and 60 for women. Shorter delays also yield substantial gains: one year adds 14 percent, two years 27 percent, and three years 43 percent. The analysis assumes continuous contributions at the average wage from age 25.
The debate comes as one in four Poles already choose to delay retirement, ZUS figures for 2025 show. Funds Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz has advocated aligning the retirement age for men and women, but the government has not yet reached a political consensus on changing the current thresholds.
Meanwhile, Family Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk stated on Oct. 11 that there is broad agreement within the cabinet to maintain the existing retirement ages, even as more Poles opt to work longer. The discussion follows growing public concern over pension adequacy, with a 2026 YouGov survey for Commerzbank and comdirect finding 57 percent of 18- to 55-year-olds doubt their future pensions will sustain their current standard of living .
