Who is entitled to disability benefits in Israel?

As part of general disability insurance, an allowance of is paid to any person for whom, following an accident, a disability in Israelhas lost his earning capacity or whose earning capacity would be reduced. In the case of disability insurance a disabled child allowance is also paid. and a special services allowance for the severely disabled, a career guidance assistance is also available.

"Handicapped - Israeli resident who is not a housewife, over 18 years of age until retirement age (see paragraph on old age) who, due to a physical, mental or psychological disability caused by illness, accident or birth defect, is unable to work or works for a salary lower than the following amounts:
- A person suffering from a severe disability or prolonged entitlement to the allowance - if the salary does not exceed 60% of the average wage on the labor market (in January 2016 - 5,678 shekels)
- Others - if salary does not exceed 45% of the average salary on the job market (January 2016 - 4,259 shekels)

''It's worth going to work

You can work and still receive an allowance. Although your benefit will be reduced to a lower amount, the overall amount from work and benefit will still be higher than the benefit alone.
Want to know what you're entitled to earn and still receive the allowance? Visit the "income calculation" calculator on the Bitouah Leoumi website.

Will be considered "disabled" any person who "minor worker" near the date on which he fell unable to work. A housewife will also be considered "disabled" if she has worked as an employee or self-employed 12 consecutive months (or 24 non-consecutive months) out of the 48 months preceding the filing of the application for disability allowance in Israel, or before her cessation of work for a person who stopped working after the filing of the application; and if she lives separately from her spouse and does not live with him in the 24 months preceding the filing of the application for disability allowance or thereafter; and also if she got married after 01.03.05 and received an allowance as a "wage earner" before her marriage.

"Disabled housewife - An Israeli resident between the age of 18 and retirement age (see chapter on old age) who is married and not working, and whose husband receives an old-age and surviving spouse's allowance, and who as a result of a disability has lost her functional abilities in an ordinary home, or if her abilities in her home are reduced as a result of a disability greater than 50%.

Conditions of entitlement to disability allowance in Israel

1. Medical incapacity - Medical incapacity is calculated at a rate of at least 60%, or at least 40% if the insured suffers from several disabilities and a medical incapacity of at least 25% has been determined for a particular disability. (For a disabled housewife - 50% minimum).

2. Loss of working capacity or autonomy in the household - of at least 50%.

Start of rights period - 90 days following the date on which the level of incapacity for work or autonomy in the household is determined. As of 01.03.2016, it is possible to receive the allowance, under special conditions, after 30 days from the date on which the level of incapacity is determined. If you are paid sick leave, the allowance will be paid after the period for which you have received sick leave.

Amount of allowance in January 2016 : 2,342 shekels per person whose level of disability is 100% (hereafter: full individual allowance), and a sum proportional to the level of disability for a person with a varying level of disability between 60% and 74% or according to income.

People receiving a general disability allowance that has been determined to be at least 75%, and at least 50% medical disability, for people who are not institutionalized, receive a complement allowance ranging from 252 to 372 shekels, depending on the degree of medical disability.
Supplement for dependants - For a spouse whose income does not exceed 57% of the average wage (5,394 shekels in January 2016) - 50% allowance paid to disabled person (a housewife is not entitled to receive the supplement for her spouse); for a child (for each of the first two children) 40% monthly allowance paid to the disabled person or disabled housewife. Income-tested supplement for dependents.

Application for disability allowance

The application for disability allowance (form BL/7801) can be submitted at any of the Bitouah Leoumi near your home, or send it by post or fax. You can receive the form at the branch or download it from the Bitouah Leoumi website. Please ensure that you attach all the necessary documents to the application form.

New!It is possible to fill out the application on the Bitouah Leoumi website and send it online with all the documents to the agency.

The claimant is responsible for submitting the application. If the claimant is unable to submit the application due to his or her physical or mental condition, a member of his or her family or any other person representing him or her is entitled to submit the application on his or her behalf.

The claim must be submitted within 12 months of the reason for the claim. Late submission of the application may affect entitlement to the allowance. A person whose application for a disability allowance is rejected, or who receives a partial disability allowance, has the right to appeal the decision and file a request for reconsideration under the terms of the law and regulations.

''Exemption from payment of insurance premiums

- A person receiving a disability allowance in Israel who has no other income is exempt from paying insurance contributions for the time during which the allowance is payable.

- A person receiving a disability allowance for which the rate of incapacity to support him/herself has been estimated at 100% and above, for a period of at least one year or permanently, is exempt from paying insurance contributions for the time during which the allowance accrues to him/her, even if he/she has other income. However, if the person is self-employed, he or she will pay insurance contributions to the Workers' Compensation Department; if the person is employed, the employer will pay insurance contributions on his or her behalf to the Workers' Compensation Department and to the Department of Workers' Rights in the Event of Bankruptcy and Liquidation.

Return to work

Diagnostic assistance, vocational guidance and work integration for insureds who have been determined to have a medical disability of at least 20%, and who are unable, as a result of their disabilities, to exercise their profession or another job that corresponds to them, if they require and respond to vocational reintegration; payment of the reintegration allowance during vocational studies (for a person who would not receive a disability allowance and a person who would receive a partial disability allowance); as well as payment of tuition fees, teaching aids and transport costs to and from the school. To find out whether you are eligible for vocational rehabilitation, please contact the Bitouah Leoumi branch nearest to your home.

For further information, please refer to the chapter on professional reintegration.

Special services allowance

The special services allowance is paid to men and women over the age of 18 up to retirement age, who require substantial assistance from another person for daily household activities (dressing, feeding, washing, moving around the house and personal hygiene), or who need constant supervision to avoid endangering themselves or others. In addition, the allowance is paid, under special conditions, to people on dialysis, those undergoing chemotherapy, and those who have undergone a transplant, as well as a higher allowance for anyone undergoing artificial respiration.

The amount of the allowance is set according to 3 levels of dependence on others: 50%, 112%, 188% and the amount allowance varies from 1,401 shekels per month to 5 045 shekels per month (as of January 2016)according to the set rate of entitlement. A "disabled person under artificial respiration" is also entitled to a supplement to the allowance. of the sum of 1,817 shekels (as of April 2015).

Conditions of entitlement to service allowance special

- The person is not hospitalized in an institution.
- She is in Israel. Under special conditions, the allowance is also paid for a limited period to a disabled person abroad.
- He/she receives a disability allowance, and a medical incapacity rate of at least 60% has been determined. Or the person is not entitled to a disability allowance, and a medical incapacity of at least 75% has been determined (for special services), provided that his or her income from work does not exceed a certain amount, and that he or she does not receive payment for personal care or home help under any law.
- She does not receive a mobility allowance, but if she is determined to have a mobility limitation at a rate of up to 100%; or if she requires a wheelchair and uses it; or if she is bedridden, and owns a vehicle and has been granted a special services allowance at a rate of at least 100%.

Request for special services allowance

You can apply for the special services allowance (form BL/7849) at any Bitouah Leoumi branch near your home, or send it by post or fax. You must enclose medical and other documents related to the application. It is possible to receive retroactive payment for up to 6 months prior to submitting the application.

New!You can fill in the application form on the website of the Bitouah Leoumi and send it online with all documents to the agency.

Special allowance for newcomers severely disabled immigrants - when of the first year of their Aliyah

New immigrants with severe disabilities, from the age of 18 until retirement (see the chapter on old age), are entitled, under certain specific conditions, to a special allowance, after 90 days from the date of their aliyah, for one year (after one year, they will switch to the normal general disability and special services program). The allowance is made up of the special services allowance paid from the 91st day of aliyah and the disability allowance paid from the 181st day of aliyah. Further information is available from the Bitouah Leoumi branch.

Compensation in the event of death

Lump-sum compensation paid automatically to the spouse, and if there is no spouse to the child (as defined by law) of the deceased receiving the deceased's disability allowance or special services allowance. As of 01.04.2016, death benefit is also paid to the parents of a deceased child for whom a disabled child's allowance has been paid.
The amount of the allowance in January 2016 - 8,757 shekels

Disabled child allowance

It is paid to the parent in recognition of the extra care required for the growth of a disabled child with a medical handicap. The amount of the allowance is set according to 3 levels: 50%, 100%, 188% according to the type of disability and/or level of dependence on others.
The amount of the allowance varies between 1,095 shekels per me and 4,487 shekels per month (as of January 2016). "A child under artificial respiration is entitled to a supplement to the allowance. a sum of 1,817 shekels (as of April 2015). A family in which more than one disabled child receives the allowance is entitled to receive a higher allowance for each child.

Who is entitled to the disabled child allowance?

- A child under the age of 3 suffering from a severe developmental delay (from the age of 91 days).
- A child between the ages of 3 and 18 who needs the help of another person to carry out daily activities more intensively than children their own age (mobility in the home, dressing, cleaning, eating and personal hygiene).
- A child up to the age of 18 who needs continuous care to avoid life-threatening danger to himself or others (from the age of 91 days).
- A child up to the age of 18 suffering from one of the following handicaps: mongolism (by birth); decreased hearing in each ear of at least 40 decibels without the possibility of correction (by birth); decreased vision in each eye of at least 6/60 or a visual field in each eye of less than 20º, and this with correction (from the age of 91 days); autism, psychosis or similar behavioral psychiatric condition (from the age of 91 days); need for communication assistance (from the age of 3 years).
- A child up to the age of 18 requiring special medical assistance as mentioned in the regulations (from the age of 91 days).

Conditions of entitlement

The child is in Israel (and under special conditions even if not in Israel); he/she is not staying in an institution under boarding conditions and is not with an adoptive family; he/she does not receive a mobility allowance, unless a mobility limitation of 80% has been determined or he/she requires and uses a wheelchair or the parents have another disabled child. A child in an institution is entitled to receive the allowance if the parents pay all the costs of his or her upkeep on site.

Claiming an allowance

The application for the allowance must be made by the parent of the child with whom the child is staying. If the child is not with his or her parents, the child's guardian or any other person responsible for him or her should submit the application. Form BL/7821 can be submitted to the Bitouah Leoumi branch nearest to the child's home, or downloaded from the National Insurance Fund website. The application form must be accompanied by medical certificates, certificates of the child's education or "developmental care" provided by an approved person as mentioned in the regulations.

''The disabled child allowance is paid retroactively for a period of up to one year at most - in accordance to the regulations.

Compensation for victims of radiation

Under the Radiation Victims Compensation Act, as of January 1, 1995, anyone who has been the victim of radiation treatment for ringworm (or their survivors), carried out between 01.01.1946 and 31.12.1960 by an organization as referred to in the Act, is entitled to a payment. Anyone suffering from one of the diseases listed in the law, such as cancer of the brain or neck, leukemia, etc., will be considered a sufferer. You must submit your claim for payment to your local health office. The Ministry of Health will determine entitlement to payment and notify the claimant whether his or her application has been approved or rejected. Payment will be made by the Bitouah Leoumi.

Compensation for victims of blood transfusions

Under the Law on Compensation for Victims of Blood Transfusions (AIDS), anyone who became a carrier of the AIDS virus as a result of a blood transfusion or blood products from the public medical services during the period between 12.31.1981 and 01.01.1987 is entitled to payment. The law also applies to spouses and children, if they have become carriers of the AIDS virus as a result of contact with a patient.

''Determination of entitlement to payment is the responsibility of a commission specialists from the Ministry of Health. Payment will be paid by the Bitouah Leoumi.

Compensation for people with polio

Lump-sum compensation and monthly allowance or bonus, paid to Israeli residents suffering from polio in Israel. To receive benefits, you need to fill in form BL/7870, which can be obtained from Bitouah Leoumi branches or downloaded from the Bitouah Leoumi website, and send it by post or fax.