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