General Disability Benefit Recipients and Work Injury Benefit Recipients in Israel: Characteristics and Needs in the Areas of Health, and Physical and Mental Functioning

An extensive national study of recipients of the various types of National Insurance Institute disability benefits (the general disability benefit, the work injury benefit, the mobility benefit, the special services benefit, and the benefit for victims of terrorist acts) was conducted in 1999 by the JDC-Brookdale Institute and the National Insurance Institute. The need to survey the recipients of these benefits arose among both the relevant professionals at the National Insurance Institute and others serving this population due to the lack of comprehensive, detailed data on the characteristics of this population, and how they cope with the functional limitations arising from disability.

This report is the first in a series based on data from this study, and focuses on general disability benefit recipients and work injury benefit recipients. The general disability benefit is meant to ensure a minimum income to those whose ability to earn a living has been reduced by 50% or more, or who cannot work because of a physical, mental, or cognitive disability. The work injury benefit is provided to those who are recognized as having been disabled by a job-related injury, and is meant in part to replace lost earnings, and in part to compensate for the injury.

Subsequent reports will address: the employment characteristics and needs of these two populations; recipients of the special services benefit; recipients of the mobility benefit; recipients of the benefit for victims of terrorist acts; young people with mental retardation who receive the general disability benefit and their caregivers; families of disability benefit recipients; women with disabilities; and recipients of the general disability benefit living in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and Haifa.

This report attempts to answer the following key questions:

  • To what extent do benefit recipients use the services meant to help them with daily functioning and physical and mental rehabilitation?
  • To what extent does the system of services meet the health, functional, and rehabilitation needs of the disabled? Where are the greatest unmet needs, and does this differ for general disability benefit recipients and work injury benefit recipients?
  • Is it possible to identify groups who have greater unmet needs – e.g., people with a specific impairment, disabled people who live alone, or people with severely impaired daily functioning?

One important finding is that, in addition to difficulties with employment, a significant proportion (about 40%) of recipients of both types of benefit have a very severe functional disability, reflected in an inability to independently perform personal care activities such as bathing, eating, dressing, or mobility in the home.

Most benefit recipients feel that the assistance they receive from the service system and their families addresses most of their health and physical and mental rehabilitation needs. It is important to note the contribution of family assistance in this context. Indeed, about 90% of benefit recipients live with family. However, close to one-quarter of the general disability benefit recipients need additional services to meet their functional needs. This rate increases to one-third among those with severe functional disability.

The study is a basic resource for all concerned with the disabled in Israel, and is being widely used by a range of organizations. The data have helped the State Comptroller to examine the integration of people with disabilities into society (State Comptroller’s Report, 2002) and have provided an important foundation for the discussions of the Public Commission on Disability headed by Judge Laron established by the government in 2003.

Citations in the professional and academic literature

Azaiza, F., Rimmerman, A., Croitoru, T., & Naon, D. (2011). Participation in leisure activities by Arab adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community. International Journal of Social Welfare20(1), 97-103.

Merrells, J., Buchanan, A., & Waters, R. (2018). The experience of social inclusion for people with intellectual disability within community recreational programs: A systematic review. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability43(4), 381-391.

Azaiza, F., Croitoru, T., Rimmerman, A., & Naon, D. (2012). Participation in leisure activities of Jewish and Arab adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community. Journal of Leisure Research44(3), 379-391.