A released prisoner may be entitled to these benefits:
Income support
A released prisoner who has been imprisoned or detained for at least 6 months may be entitled to an income support benefit for a maximum of two months, if he has no income or income that is low and entitles him to a benefit.
Payment is made for each month separately, from the date of application for income support.
Conditions of entitlement
- You have been in jail or detention for at least 6 full and consecutive months.
- You have no income, or you have income below the amount of income support benefit. For benefit rates, click here
- If you have a spouse – she too must meet all benefit eligibility conditions. Both your income and your spouse's income will be taken into account.
- If your spouse received an income support benefit while you were in jail – you must submit a claim as a couple, upon your release.
- If you own or use one vehicle (including a motorcycle) worth less than NIS 44,611 (as of Jan 01, 2024) - you may be entitled to a benefit.
If you have a vehicle that you are using for medical needs, or if one of the children in your family receives a disabled child allowance – you will be entitled to a benefit under certain conditions. For more information, click here.
Submitting a claim for benefit
To receive the benefit, you must submit a claim for income support to the National Insurance branch in your area of residence and attach all the required documents. You may be required to present a jail time certificate.
You can file the claim in the following ways:
- Filling out a claim on the website, and sending it together with the additional documents online.
- Filling out a claim by hand, and sending it along with the additional documents through the website.
- Filing the claim and the documents by mail, fax or in the service box of your local branch.
- Filing the claim at a branch's public reception – only for those who book an appointment in advance through the website.
For your information, if you submit the claim at a branch with required documents, we will be able to check immediately the possibility of paying you an advance on the benefit.
Please note that,
An income support benefit is paid only from the month of submission of the claim.
Therefore, it is important for you to submit the claim in the actual month of release or in the following month, to allow the assessment of your entitlement to a benefit as released prisoner.
After this date you can find out your entitlement to the pension for other reasons.
Continued benefit payment
You may be entitled to benefit even beyond two months. For more information click here.
If you have been released from house arrest, you can read about the conditions of entitlement to a pension at this link.
If you have been released from a community service sentence, you can read about the conditions of entitlement to a pension at this link.
General disability
If you have been determined to be entitled to a permanent or temporary disability pension, you must send the Disability Department at the branch nearest to your place of residence a release date certificate from Prison Service, in order to renew your entitlement to the pension.
The certificate can also be sent directly to the branch via the website / document sending service.
For more information on general disability pension, click here.
Old age
A released prisoner over the age of 67 will be entitled to the payment of an old-age pension from the month of his release.
To receive the pension, he must send the Old-Age Department at the branch nearest to his place of residence a release date certificate from Prison Service.
The certificate can also be sent directly to the branch via the website / document sending service.
For more information on old-age pension, click here
Those who received a benefit before imprisonment
Regarding an insured who, before his imprisonment, received a benefit which was terminated due to imprisonment – we must be notified of his release to be able to renew the payment of his benefit.
Clarification regarding maintenance benefit debt
A released prisoner who wishes to check his debts due to unpaid alimony – should contact the Enforcement and Collection Authority, through the information and service call center at *35592.
Payment of insurance contributions
During your stay in prison – you were exempt from paying insurance contributions.
After release – you will be exempt from paying insurance contributions if you receive a benefit from National Insurance, such as income support or general disability.
If you do not receive a benefit – you must pay insurance contributions according to your status (working / unemployed).
For inquiries, call the *6050 call center.