A survey. Higher retirement age for childless women? Poles assessed

In the poll of the Pollster investigation Institute for “SE”, Poles assessed the proposal of Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz to rise the retirement age of ZUS for childless women | fot. Pixels

Most Poles object to the proposal to vary the retirement age of women depending on whether they have children. A poll by the Pollster investigation Institute for the “Super Express” shows that as many as 62% of respondents stand against raising the retirement age of childless women to 65.

The controversial proposal was presented by the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz from Poland 2050. According to her concept, women who have no children would quit at the age of 65, that is, on the same terms as men. Currently, the statutory retirement age is 60 years for women and 65 years for men.

The Minister argued in the “Tlit” of Virtual Poland on July 10 that since, as she pointed out, “what another woman” has no children, she should be subject to the same pension strategy as men. She besides stressed the request to start a debate on demographic challenges, pointing out that young people fear the effects of ageing populations and expanding burden on the pension system.

“Let’s just make this conversation. I can see due to the fact that I have been travelling around Poland a lot lately, open meetings, talking to people, raising everyone, all people want to talk about retirement age themselves," said the head of the department of funds and regional policy.

Earlier, he made a akin proposal to the Chancellery of the president of Poland, as part of a petition, an anonymous applicant. The petition proposed raising the age of childless women to 65 years of age, and for women with children leaving him at 60 years of age. The author of the petition argued the request to change the demographic situation of Poland.

What do Poles say? Most opposed to raising the retirement age of childless women

The survey of the Pollster investigation Institute shows that the proposal is not supported by the majority of respondents. 62% of those polled against raising the retirement age for childless women, while 27% supported this idea. There were no 11% of survey participants on this issue.

The survey was conducted on 16–17 July 2026 by the CAWI method on a example of 1021 adult Poles.