The present article deals with the most important conditions and challenges of social policy in Poland. These include the social and economic transformations, the economic crisis, demographic changes and Europeanization. They enforce rationalization of expenditures, adjustment of the solutions to the existing economic and financial possibilities of the country and considering the present and future age structure of the population. On the one hand, Europeanization enabled Poland to make use of the European Union means intended for the development of the social infrastructure. On the other hand, a real challenge is to avoid the negative consequences of the economic crisis and depopulation.