They add 80% of the car price to 150 thousand PLN. 1500 decisions for "yes"

• In practice, the granting of funding is often determined by the order in which electronic applications are submitted, especially when many applications receive the same number of ranking points - writes Infor
• The "SAM - Mobility of people with disabilities" program is aimed at people with a significant degree of disability who are unable to transfer from a wheelchair on their own.
• It is possible to co-finance cars worth up to PLN 300,000 for vehicles driven by a disabled person or up to PLN 230,000 for passengers.

Access to funding for the purchase of a car for people with disabilities under the "SAM - Mobility of people with disabilities" program, implemented by PFRON, is a challenge for many people in need - writes Infor. Although the program aims to support people with a significant degree of disability who are unable to transfer from a wheelchair on their own, a significant number of applicants remain without assistance. Data from March 2025 show that out of approximately 5,000 applications for funding, funds in the amount of PLN 210 million allowed for support for 1,500 people .

To confirm these difficulties, Infor cites a letter from a reader who unsuccessfully applied for support for her daughter with quadriplegic cerebral palsy three times, who is completely dependent. The refusals were twice justified by lack of funds, despite the application being submitted five days and just five hours after the recruitment was launched. This raises questions about the transparency of the process and the actual criteria for granting support.

Although PFRON formally declares that the order in which applications are submitted is not a decisive factor in granting funding, in practice it turns out to be the main factor. After the recruitment process is completed, applications are ranked based on a points system.

Points are awarded, among other things, for the age of the disabled person: two points for people aged 4-65, and one point each for people under 4 and over 65. Additional points can be obtained if there are at least two disabled people in the household who meet the program's conditions and the car is to be adapted for their joint travel, or if a person over 65 is professionally active.

In a situation where more than one application receives the same number of points, the order in which they were submitted is decisive. This means that applications submitted just a few minutes after the recruitment opens have a real advantage. The PFRON branch has 45 days from the end of the recruitment to inform the applicant of the decision, together with the justification, via the Support Service System. Applications can be submitted only electronically in the SOW, or with the help of a Fund employee in the branch.

The program provides funding for the purchase of an adapted passenger car, the value of which can reach up to PLN 300,000 if the vehicle is to be driven by a disabled person, or PLN 230,000 if the disabled person travels as a passenger. The funding is granted cumulatively, depending on the price threshold, for example 80% of the car's value up to PLN 150,000 for vehicles adapted to be driven by a disabled person .

The "SAM - Mobility of People with Disabilities" program is being implemented indefinitely, after five rounds of recruitment so far. Modifications to the program, including expanding the group of beneficiaries, can only be considered after the needs of the current support group have been met.

In parallel, a test project implementing supported employment solutions to support the professional activity of people with disabilities is planned for 2026. It is also worth remembering the "Active Local Government" program, which offers up to PLN 73.5 thousand for the purchase and installation of car accessories - this is an attractive alternative or supplement for people who need adapted transport.

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