National Insurance Institute Wishes Happy New Year with Focus on Birth Grants

Ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, the National Insurance Institute (Bituah Leumi) posted a festive greeting on social media, including traditional well wishes and a lighthearted promise of "many grants." Among the greetings was a specific mention of families with children, stating, "May we merit to provide many birth grants." This refers to the birth grant provided by the institute to assist new parents with initial expenses.

For births in a hospital, the grant is typically processed automatically without requiring a claim, as the hospital reports the birth to the institute. The grant amount varies based on the number of children. Starting January 1, 2026, the grant for the first child will be NIS 2,103, for the second NIS 946, and for the third and subsequent children NIS 631. For multiple births, the amounts are higher: NIS 10,514 for twins and NIS 15,771 for triplets, with an additional NIS 5,257 for each further child.

The eligibility extends beyond standard hospital births. It also covers home births, stillbirths after 22 weeks of gestation, adoptions of children up to age 10, or receiving a child into custody through surrogacy, subject to specific conditions. A key requirement is residency in Israel, or being the spouse of an Israeli resident. Non-residents may also qualify under certain circumstances, such as working in Israel during pregnancy or if their spouse has been employed in Israel for at least six consecutive months before the birth, provided the birth occurs in Israel.

While most hospital births trigger automatic payments to the mother's bank account, claims may be necessary for births abroad, adoptions, or surrogacy. The institute also noted that intended parents in surrogacy cases who have multiple births within 105 days of each other may be eligible for grants equivalent to those for twins or triplets, depending on the number of children received. Individuals seeking to verify eligibility are advised to contact their local National Insurance Institute branch.