A new law passed in the Knesset will give people with disabilities more independence and freedom to make their own choices. The law, which was passed by 42 votes with no opposition, will help the disabled live managing their own finances.
The law is the first of its kind that defines these rights according to the UN’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, of which Israel is a part..
- The basic disability pension will increase to NIS 3,700, retroactively from the beginning of the year.
- Bringing the disabled child benefit to the same level as the attendance allowance for adults, which represents a benefit increase of between NIS 176 and 436 per month, besides the benefit supplements expected to be granted as part of the 2021 stage.
- A supplement of hundreds of shekels for children with 100% degree of disability.
- Providing an allowance of about NIS 1,000 to parents of institutionalized children.
- A supplement for institutionalized adults.
- Creation of a new top rate in attendance allowance for adults and children (235%), which will grant a supplement of thousands of shekels to the benefit.
- Children in need of heavy medical care will receive a benefit at a 235% rate.
- Lowering the medical threshold for attendance allowance to 40% disability, so that the mentally impaired and people with intellectual disabilities and autism may also apply for attendance allowance.
- Payment of a double attendance allowance for disabled people holding a permit to employ 2 foreign workers.
- Levelling the amount of the benefit for new immigrants with disabilities.
- Increasing the supplement for recipient of an old-age pension with disability increment – until December 2021, senior citizens receiving a disability increment will obtain a supplement amounting to 50% of the disability increment applying to disabled persons of working age. As of January 2022, they will receive a supplement amounting to 75% of the disability increment applying for disabled persons of working age.
