Series: Financial Assistance in Israel (Part 3)

If you haven't yet seen the other parts of this series, please be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2.

Today I'm writing about Rental Assistance.


There are a number of criteria - and they are somewhat complicated - for eligibility. The only way to find out for sure if you are eligible is to check with one of the companies that works with the Ministry of Construction and Housing to determine eligibility. There may be a small fee to use their services, please be sure to ask when you schedule an appointment.

Some of the people who may qualify are (I am basing this off information obtained from the Ministry of Construction and Housing's website):

Elderly people whose only income is ‘Old Age Allowance’ and ‘Income Supplement’

Disabled people whose income is based upon on a 75% or more ‘Unfit for Employment’ Allowance – the level of assistance is determined by family composition: singles, couples, couples with children, or single parent families.

Disabled Holocaust Survivors with 49% disability and "damage Level" 1, 2, or 3

Disabled individuals who live on ‘Subsistence Allowances’ and have reached the status of ‘pensioners’.

Individuals who meet eligibility criteria and who receive ‘Child Support’ from NII.

Singles age 55+, couples, couples with children, common-law or single parent families whose income depends upon an ‘Assured Income Allowance’ (Havtachat Hachnasa) and began receiving assistance from June 2002 onwards. The level of assistance is determined according to both family composition and the type of benefits: normal/expanded, special or disability benefits.

Assistance Based Upon Income:
Families without Children:

Qualifying Income is between 4505 and 5631 shekels/month (Gross Income)

Families with Children:

Couple + child: Qualifying income is between 4954 and 6192 shekels per month (Gross)

Couple + two children or more: Qualifying income is between 6059 and 7574 shekels per month (Gross)

Single-parent family: Qualifying income is between 6284 and 7855 shekels per month (Gross)

The process of applying for assistance may not be easy, but if you have low income as listed above, it is worth it to go to one of the companies that helps with this (Amidar, Milgam, and Madar) and apply.

*Olim also receive an automatic rental subsidy as part of the Absorption Basket, but in some cases, they can receive additional income-based assistance.

If you know someone who will be helped by this article, please forward it to them!

Be sure to check out the other installments in this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 4
Part 5

Series: Financial Assistance in Israel (Part 1)

I have fielded many questions lately about getting financial assistance in Israel, for people who earn low wages.

Sometimes it happens that the only jobs available are minimum wage jobs - it happens a lot, especially in the area of the country where I live. You may also have found that until your Hebrew improves, your job options are severely limited.

As such, it's really hard to make ends meet, for many, many individuals and families.

I'm going to post a series of posts about government and other programs that will provide some assistance to those in need.

This first installment is about Bituach Leumi's Income Support (Havtachat Hachnassa) Benefit.

If you have no work, or only work at a low-wage job, you can apply for Income Support/Income Supplement. This benefit ranges from 1384 NIS to 4400 NIS.

There are a number of conditions for entitlement, so please be aware that not everyone is automatically entitled.

In general, you must be 20 or over, in the country at least 24 months, not in the army, not in a Kollel or College (except for vocational training programs), not a member of a kibbutz, and actively looking for work or for additional or better-paying work (via the Employment Office).

There are also other requirements about car ownership, owning more than one property, and investments, so you really need to read the guidelines carefully. There are also various "special cases" in which one or more requirement is not required.

Bituach Leumi has all the information IN ENGLISH on their website. You can find it here, along with application instructions.

I hope this information helps someone out there - so please share this with anyone who might find this helpful.

Be sure to check out the other installments in this series:
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5