Applying for a Disability Pension in Israel
Do you live in Israel and have a disability? In that case, you might be entitled to a general disability pension in Israel, a monthly stipend that the State provides to people with disabilities. Do you have a medical condition that reduces your capacity to earn a living relative to your non-disabled peers? If so, this article may be very relevant to you.
The following article provides clear and actionable instructions on how to apply for this stipend. We want you to successfully receive the entitlements that you need and deserve. Therefore, if you require legal help related to disabilities in Israel, feel free to contact our law office: 03-3724722.
Who qualifies for a disability pension in Israel?
A person who has lost at least 50% of their capacity to earn a living and to function in daily life may be entitled to a disability pension from the State. This monthly stipend is provided in order to supplement their income and safeguard their equality. But how is such a thing even measured? Who is to say whether a person with disabilities lost half of their capacity to earn a living or not?
Determining your degree of incapacity
In Israel, the answer to that question is determined by the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi). They calculate a person’s official degree of incapacity which is expressed as a percentage. This calculation is based on two different types of factors. The first thing considered is the person’s medical disability rate which takes into account the person’s entire array of disabilities and ailments, and their degree of severity as determined by medical professionals. Remember that the disabilities being considered can be physical, mental, and/or cognitive.
The second consideration that is factored into the calculation, is the person’s educational and socio-economic background. This includes their profession, educational degrees, job experience, etc. Thus, a person’s degree of incapacity is calculated based on both of these types of considerations (medical and socio-economic), rather than just their medical disabilities. 
The application process
Accordingly, if you are not sure whether you qualify for a disability pension or not, we strongly recommend that you submit an application in case you do qualify. Moreover, even if your application is initially declined, it is possible to appeal the decision and sometimes reverse it. Also, remember that even if the medical disability rate assigned to you is not sufficient to qualify for the general disability pension, you may still qualify for other benefits and discounts. Therefore, if you have a disability, it is always worth submitting an application.
Following are the different stages of the application process for a disability stipend in Israel as well as what is required of you in each stage.
Step 1 – Prepare your paperwork
Prepare for submitting a claim by listing all of the medical conditions and impairments that you suffer from (even if they are not related to the primary disability that has prompted you to file the claim). Then prepare tests and documentation to confirm the existence of each condition and measure their severity.
Make sure to include not only physical ailments and disabilities but also any cognitive or psychological conditions which may affect you. This is important because the medical disability rate is calculated according to the full range of conditions a person suffers from, using a mathematically complicated system. The National Insurance Institute offers an online calculator if you want to estimate your own medical disability rate. However, you are not required to do so, and the service is only provided in Hebrew.
Step 2 – Submit your claim
After getting your paperwork in order, submit your general disability pension claim to Bituach Leumi. The submission can be done through an online form (in Hebrew) or through a hard copy form (in Hebrew). It can also be done over the phone by calling *3928. If you wish to hire an experienced English-speaking lawyer who can assist you in the application process, please contact our offices in Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem (tel: 03-3724722). In full disclosure, please note that there are organizations in Israel that aim to provide free bureaucratic assistance to people with disabilities.
Step 3 – A committee calculates your medical disability rate
Once your claim has been submitted, a medical committee will then establish your official medical disability rate based on all the medical conditions that you suffer from. In order to proceed to the next stage, the committee must first determine that you have a sufficient medical disability rate. (This means they have to assign you a medical disability rate of at least 60%, or at least 50% in the case of unemployed female homemakers, or at least 40% total if your most severe single medical disability causes at least a 25% disability rate.)
If your medical disability rate does not meet that threshold, then you will not be assigned a degree of incapacity and your application will be automatically declined. Nonetheless, this decision can be appealed, so don’t lose hope (see step 5).
Step 4 – The State determines your degree of incapacity
Based on your medical disability rate and other factors, such as your education and employment history, Bituach Leumi will determine your degree of incapacity and mail you a response regarding your eligibility for a monthly stipend. If you have been assigned a degree of incapacity of at least 75%, then you will be entitled to the full pension. If you have been assigned a degree of incapacity between 60-74%, then you will be entitled to that proportion of the pension. Persons with lower degrees of incapacity are not eligible for the pension at all.
Step 5 – Receive the pension or appeal if necessary
If you are eligible, you will begin receiving the monthly stipend at the determined rate and will be mailed a disability card (teudat neche). You should receive the stipend and the card within 90 days of your request being approved. You should also be given retroactive payments for the period in which you were eligible, but in any case, for no more than 12 months before the date at which you submitted your application. Note that the full disability pension in Israel, as of 2021, is only 3,321 NIS, or in other words, about 63% of the minimum wage. However, due to the efforts of disability-rights activists, there are active proposals currently being considered by the Israeli legislature to match the pension with the minimum wage.
In addition to the stipend itself, if you are entitled to a general disability pension, then you should be entitled to many discounts from public institutions. The public services that give discounts to people with disabilities include the Bezeq phone company, the Israel Land Authority, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transportation, your health insurance provider (kupat holim), the Water Authority, the Tax Authority, and your local municipality. On top of that, your disability card will give you access to discounts and special benefits at many sites, as well as in public transportation.
At times, a person is assigned a lower medical disability rate or degree of incapacity than is justified. If you are unsatisfied with the rates that were assigned to you, you may appeal those decisions within 90 days of receiving the response. In fact, we strongly encourage you to do so and would suggest that you seek professional assistance in order to increase your chances of success.
Additional things to consider
Note that while you are waiting for your pension eligibility to be approved, you should check if you are eligible for income support. Note also that the National Insurance Institute may choose to assign you only a temporary degree of incapacity if your medical condition is unstable and you are still undergoing curative or rehabilitative treatments that may remedy your medical ailment (e.g., a cancer patient undergoing oncological treatment).
Other articles of interest
On our site, you can find additional resources that will help you understand the process of being recognized as a person with disabilities. These articles include all the steps you need to take in order to access your legal rights. Among the articles that you may find relevant to your situation are Homemaker’s Disability Pension in Israel – How to Apply, Disability Rights in Israel – A Summary, The Benefits of Being Registered as Disabled in Israel, Applying for an Accessible Parking Permit in Israel, and more.
Contact Us
If this article leaves you with more questions regarding the disability pension in Israel, feel free to contact us. Our law offices specialize in liaising between private citizens and the authorities. Therefore, if you require legal advice or assistance regarding disability rights in Israel or any other legal topic, please contact our law offices, and we will be glad to be at your service.
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