A labour office grant to start your own business in 2026 – how much you can get and how to get it

A labour office grant is one of the best tools for unemployed people who want to start their own business. The amount reaches six times the average salary (the current value is published by the labour office). The funds are non-repayable if the business is kept going for the required period.

The article will take you through the whole process: from the eligibility conditions, through preparing the business plan, to your obligations after the money is paid out. We describe the general rules and the practice of the District Labour Offices (PUP) in Poland.

Who qualifies

To be able to submit an application at all, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• Be registered as unemployed with your district labour office (for at least 1 day, but in practice the offices prefer people who have been registered for several months)
• Not have refused, without a justified reason, an offer of work, training or an internship made by the office

The conditions of the funding (among others: the requirements for the applicant, the period of running the business, the security for repayment) are set by the Act of 20 March 2025 on the Labour Market and Employment Services and by the rules of your labour office – check them before you submit an application.

An additional requirement is sometimes active participation in PUP training and in the compulsory procedure with a careers adviser – the office assesses whether your professional profile “fits” the planned business.

The procedure – step by step

The process from the first visit to the PUP to the payout usually takes 2–4 months, but in offices with a large budget it can speed up to 5–6 weeks.

1. Register as unemployed at the district labour office for your place of residence
2. A conversation with a careers adviser – your plans to start a business are entered into the individual action plan (IPD)
3. Take part in the compulsory training “Planning and starting your own business” (8–40 hours, free)
4. Prepare the application together with the business plan and the specification of expenses
5. Submit the application to the PUP (in person or through ePUAP / e-Delivery)
6. Formal assessment (5–14 days) and assessment on the merits by a committee (up to 30 days)
7. A decision to award the grant and signing of the agreement
8. Payment of the funds into the account you indicate (1–14 days after signing)
9. Set up a sole trader business (JDG) in CEIDG (the central register of sole traders) – the deadline is usually 30 days from the payout
10. Account for the expenses – usually within 60 days of starting the business

What you can spend the grant on

The catalogue of permitted expenses is strictly defined by the rules of each PUP (they vary locally). Typically the following are financed:

• Fixed assets and equipment – machines, computers, hardware, office furniture (most often 60–80% of the amount)
• Materials and raw materials – starting stock (up to 30–40% of the amount)
• Software and licences – including annual subscriptions
• Advertising and start-up marketing – a website, leaflets, online campaigns (up to 10–15%)
• Premises rent – the deposit and the first 1–3 months of rent
• Refurbishment/adaptation of premises – in some PUPs (check the rules)

You cannot finance with the grant: the purchase of a passenger car (only a delivery vehicle up to 3.5 t), real estate, the cost of your own work (that is not an expense), ZUS (Polish social insurance) contributions and taxes, or leasing (because the asset does not become your property straight away).

The business plan – the key document

It is the business plan that decides whether the grant is awarded. The PUP committee looks for three things in it: how realistic the plan is, financial specifics and whether the expenses are justified. A typical business plan is 10–20 pages and contains:

| Section | Content | |--------|-------| | 1. Applicant’s details | Education, professional experience, motivation | | 2. Description of the business | What exactly you will do, and for whom | | 3. Market analysis | Competition, potential customers, location | | 4. Marketing plan | How you will win your first customers | | 5. Financial plan | Revenue/costs for 12 months, break-even point | | 6. Specification of expenses | An exact list of what you will buy with the grant (with the prices on offer) | | 7. Risk analysis | What if the plan does not work |

Committees value specific business plans – with exact expense amounts, supplier names and specific customers (letters of intent help). General plans such as “I will be a freelance programmer” without naming a target market and first contracts are usually rejected.

Obligations after receiving the funds

After the payout you have two main obligations:

1. Run the business without a break for the required period – from the start date in CEIDG. Suspension or closure means you must repay the full amount of the grant plus statutory interest.
2. Account for the expenses by the deadline set in the agreement (usually 60 days) – invoices, bills, confirmations of transfers. Everything documented and consistent with the specification in the application.

If you plan a significant change to the specification (for example, you bought a laptop instead of a printer because it broke), report it to the PUP BEFORE you spend the money. The office usually accepts reasonable changes, but unauthorised modifications can lead to an invoice being rejected and a duty to repay a proportionate amount.

Summary

A PUP grant is a great start – but not a free lunch. It requires a solid business plan, discipline in the accounting for the funds and determination to last the required period. At Profais we keep the books of companies in their first year of business. Preparing a business plan and settling grants are not part of the standard accounting service – they are done only under separate arrangements and for a separate fee. See our KPiR (revenue and expense ledger) service for start-ups.

Sources: zielonalinia.gov.pl, psz.praca.gov.pl, the Act on the Labour Market and Employment Services (from 1 June 2025).