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DVA FACTS
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Types of Disability Pensions
Extreme Disablement Adjustment
Purpose
This fact sheet provides a brief description of the Extreme
Disablement Adjustment (EDA) rate of Disability Pension.
What is the Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate of
Disability Pension.
A disability pension is paid to compensate veterans for
injuries or diseases caused or aggravated by war service or certain defence
service on behalf of Australia.
The EDA rate can only be considered for veterans who have
reached 65 years of age who are not eligible to receive a
Special or Intermediate Rate of pension.
As the name suggests, the degree of incapacity from war or
defence caused conditions must be extreme.
The assessment only takes into account the medical impairment and
lifestyle effects of a disability. It
does not have regard to whether or not a veteran is employed nor any regard to
income or assets.
How much will be paid.
The rate of EDA is $
550.70 per fortnight. For veterans who are not eligible to receive
a Special or Intermediate Rate of pension this is the maximum rate of
compensation that can be paid.
If compensation for the same incapacity is received from
another source an adjustment will be made to the amount of disability pension
paid.
More about the pension
Pension rates are indexed twice yearly. The EDA rate is
indexed in the same manner as the service pension, that is, with reference to
both the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Male Total Average Weekly Earnings
(MTAWE). Any increases from indexation are paid automatically, you do not need
to contact the Department.
Disability pensions are not taxed. You do not need to declare it as income in
your tax return.
A disability pension is not
counted as income for the service pension income test. However it is counted as income when assessing eligibility for rent assistance
(an addition to the service pension) and for working out how much rent
assistance is to be paid.
The disability pension is counted
as income for the Age and Disability Support pensions and other benefits
claimed under the Social Security Act. In this
circumstance, the Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) may be
payable. For more information, refer to Fact Sheet IS 19 Defence
Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) – Age Pension Administered by DVA.
Oral advice
While we make every effort to ensure that you are given
accurate information, it is important that you seek written confirmation of
oral information or advice before making any major decisions based on that
information.
We continually strive to improve the level of service you
receive and make this request as an added safeguard for you.
Other fact sheets
Other fact sheets related to this topic include:
· General Rate: DP 28
· Special and Intermediate
Rates: DP 29
· How to Claim Disability
Pensions: DP 18
· Defence Force Income Support
Allowance (DFISA) – Age Pension Administered by DVA: IS 19
· How to Apply for an Increase
in Disability Pension: DP 24
· Veterans’ Children Education
Scheme: DP45.
More information
All DVA fact sheets
are available on request from any DVA office or on the DVA website at www.dva.gov.au/factsheets/default.htm
If you need more
information about this topic, contact your nearest DVA office or visit the DVA
website at www.dva.gov.au
You can telephone
DVA for the cost of a local call* on:
133 254 -
general inquiries
1800 555
254 - non-metropolitan callers.
Note: *If
you use a mobile phone, calls may be more costly. You are advised to use a normal phone (a
landline phone) when ringing these numbers.