Additional Disablement Amount
The Additional Disablement Amount (ADA) is a new benefit that came into effect on 1 July 2026 that provides continued support for severely disabled, ageing veterans.
What is the Additional Disablement Amount?
The ADA is similar to the Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) benefit under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).
It is intended as a ‘safety net’ under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) for veterans who are over pension age and who have a high degree of impairment due to service-caused injuries or illness. The payment was introduced to ensure continued support for those over pension age now that the VEA is closed to new claims.
Veterans who are granted the ADA may receive a periodic payment which mirrors the EDA rate of payment, as well as an ‘EDA’ embossed Veteran Card-All Conditions. Eligible dependants will have access to the MRCA Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) and compensation following the death of the veteran.
The dependants of deceased veterans who were eligible for the ADA may also be entitled to a Veteran Gold Card, wholly dependent partner payment, and eligible young person payment.
How is the ADA payment calculated?
The ADA rate is based on the EDA provided under the VEA.
However, it is offset dollar-for-dollar by the weekly value of any permanent impairment compensation that has or is being paid. This includes any MRCA permanent impairment payments, lump sum compensation paid under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) and Disability Compensation Payment paid under the VEA.
If you are receiving Commonwealth superannuation, such as under the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme or the Military Superannuation Benefits Scheme, then ADA is also offset by 60 cents in the dollar for each dollar of the Commonwealth-funded component of superannuation. Where part or all of that superannuation is taken as a lump sum, tables from the Australian Government Actuary are used to convert this amount to a weekly equivalent for ADA offsetting calculation purposes.
Your delegate can provide you with information on how your payments will be calculated or you can view our webpage on pension offsetting for general details.
The amount of superannuation that is used to reduce the ADA is not counted as income for the purposes of VEA service pension or Services Australia income support payments.
Because the ADA is compensation for both "economic" and "non-economic" loss, these offsetting arrangements are necessary to prevent a person being compensated twice for the same incapacity.
Am I eligible?
The ADA is available to veterans who:
- are age pension age or older;
- have an impairment rating of at least 70 points and a lifestyle rating of at least 6 under the Guide to Determining Impairment and Compensation (GARP M);
- are not in receipt of MRCA incapacity payments; and
- either:
- have not chosen to receive the Special Rate Disability Pension (SRDP) under the MRCA; or
- are not receiving the EDA or Special Rate (TPI), Temporary Special Rate (TTI) or Intermediate Rate (INT) of Disability Compensation Payment under the VEA.
How do I make a claim?
There are two ways you can be considered for ADA payments.
DVA initiated assessment
When a veteran meets the eligibility criteria, DVA will automatically register a claim. This is based on the information already provided to DVA.
Veteran initiated assessment
You may also request to be assessed for ADA via email, mail, or phone.
You can email your request to ADApayments@dva.gov.au.