Long-Term Care Benefit in Israel (2026): who qualifies, levels 1–6 and amounts
In short
- A Bituach Leumi benefit (גמלת סיעוד) for people who have reached retirement age, live at home and need another person's help with daily activities or close supervision.
- 6 levels: from 5.5 to 30 care hours a week. Part of the benefit, and sometimes all of it, can be taken as cash.
- There is an income test: a single person earning up to ₪13,769 a month gets the full benefit.
- You file a claim with medical documents, and a Bituach Leumi assessor checks how you manage.
Who qualifies
You need to meet all of these conditions:
- An Israeli resident who has reached retirement age. People who immigrated after retirement age qualify if they came under the Law of Return or received an absorption basket.
- Needs a lot of help from another person at home: dressing, bathing, eating, toileting, moving around. Or needs close supervision because of danger to themselves or others.
- Lives at home or in sheltered housing. There is no entitlement in a nursing ward of an institution.
- Income passes the income test (table below).
- Does not receive another care benefit, such as the attendance allowance or carer support from the Ministry of Defence. If so, you choose one.
Income test
| Family status | Full benefit | Half benefit | Not eligible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | up to ₪13,769 | over ₪13,769 up to ₪20,654 | over ₪20,654 |
| Couple | up to ₪20,654 | over ₪20,654 up to ₪30,980 | over ₪30,980 |
Income is checked for the three months before the claim. If both spouses need care, their incomes are added and divided by 2.
Benefit levels
| Level | Dependency test points | Hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5–3 | 5.5 |
| 2 | 3.5–4.5 | 10 |
| 3 | 5–6 | 17 (14 with a foreign caregiver) |
| 4 | 6.5–7.5 | 21 (18 with a foreign caregiver) |
| 5 | 8–9 | 26 (22 with a foreign caregiver) |
| 6 | 9.5–10.5 | 30 (26 with a foreign caregiver) |
People aged 90 or over who score 6 points automatically get level 4 instead of 3. People who live alone get extra points in the test.
Taking the benefit as cash
- At level 1 you can take ₪1,708 a month in cash instead of services (from August 2026).
- At levels 2–6 you can convert up to 4 weekly hours to cash: ₪248 a month per hour. With a social worker's approval you can convert more.
- If you employ a live-in caregiver, you can take the whole benefit in cash: up to ₪6,458 at level 6 with a foreign caregiver and up to ₪7,452 with an Israeli one. The caregiver must work at least 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, not be a family member and have a written contract.
How to apply
- File a long-term care claim on the Bituach Leumi website, by post or at a branch. You can apply from retirement age.
- Attach recent medical documents: a summary of your medical file, diagnoses and medication, or a hospital discharge letter from the last 3 months. Attach income statements too.
- A Bituach Leumi assessor checks how you manage, by phone or on a home visit. You can ask for a home visit, an assessment in your native language, and a male or female assessor.
- Once approved, a social worker builds a package of services with you.
Senior citizen advice volunteers on *9696 can fill in the claim with you by phone and help send documents. English line: 02-6463404.
If you disagree or your condition gets worse
- Appeal to an advisory committee within 60 days of the decision, or to the Labour Court. An appeal cannot lower your level.
- If your condition gets worse, ask for a new assessment with medical documents. A higher level is paid from the eighth day after the request.
Good to know
- Long-term care payments, from Bituach Leumi or private insurance, do not count as income when checking the senior income supplement.
- If you have private or group long-term care insurance, you can claim from it too. Check Har HaBituach.
- Holocaust survivors may be entitled to extra care hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the long-term care benefit and the old-age pension together?
Yes. They are separate benefits, and the care benefit does not count as income for the income supplement.
What is the difference between the care benefit and long-term care insurance?
Bituach Leumi pays the care benefit based on a dependency test and an income test. Long-term care insurance is a private or group policy that pays under its own terms. You can receive both.
My parent lives alone. Does that matter?
Yes. People who live alone, or with a relative who also receives a care or attendance benefit, get extra points in the dependency test.
Calculators for this topic
Long-term care calculator
Weekly care hours and cash options for levels 1 to 6, with the income test.
Worth checking too
Appealing a Bituach Leumi decision
Where to file and how fast: appeals committee, advisory committee, claims committee or Labour Court — depending on the decision.
Old-age pension
A monthly Bituach Leumi pension from retirement age. ₪1,838 single, ₪2,762 for a couple, plus increments. No income test from age 70.
Senior Income Supplement
An addition to the old-age pension for people with low income. Brings the pension up to ₪4,375 for a single person and ₪6,912 for a couple.
Attendance Allowance
For people aged 18 to retirement age who need a lot of help from another person with daily activities, or supervision. ₪1,943–₪9,126 a month.
Arnona discount
Up to 100% for seniors with the income supplement, up to 80% for disability, up to 90% for olim and the blind, and by income. Apply to your local authority.
Har HaBituach: all your policies
A Ministry of Finance registry where you see all your insurance policies. The starting point for any claim from an insurer.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Amounts are correct as of the review date and change every January.