The rates of retirement benefits and the poverty line

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the article is to assess how the changes of the pension system can influence the rates of retirement benefits taking into consideration the threat of poverty for their recipients.

Motivation: The paper includes data published by the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS) concerning the number of retired people in Poland, the amount of received benefits, an average wage in the years 1995–2014 and the amount of the minimum subsistence and the living wage of a one-person household published by the Institute of Labour and Social Policy.

Results: It results from the considerations presented in the article that the minimum pension from the public system will not prevent poverty of elderly people.