Veteran Payment overview

We make this payment to eligible veterans while we assess their claim for a mental health condition.

The payment

The Veteran Payment is a short-term payment made to eligible veterans who:

• have submitted a claim for a mental health condition under either the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)
• are unable to work for more than 8 hours a week
• meet the income and assets test
• are under the Age Pension age
• are Australian residents
• are in Australia when they submit their claim for a mental health condition.

You can receive this payment while we assess your claim for a mental health condition.

When the payment stops

The Veteran Payment will stop 42 days after we either:

• approve your claim for a mental health condition
• decline your claim for a mental health condition.

If we approve your claim, we will move you over to an appropriate income support payment.

If we decline your claim, we will help you to transition to an appropriate Services Australia payment.

Partner payments

Your partner may receive a Veteran Payment of their own. If you are a member of a couple, you will be paid at the couples rate. We may pay you at the singles rate if you have to separate due to illness.

Apply

You will first need an eligible application for a mental health condition under either the DRCA or the MRCA. You can do this on MyService. Once you have submitted the initial claim, you will be prompted to apply for the Veteran Payment.

If you complete paper forms, you will need to complete either:

• D2020 for DRCA claims
• D2051 for MRCA claims.

You will then need to complete D9333 for the Veteran Payment.

You will need to supply us with:

• a medical certificate that states you cannot work for more than 8 hours a week
• your ID.

More information

Our page on the Veteran Payment will tell you about the income and assets tests we use when we asses your eligibility.

You can contact us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) for more information about this payment.

You can visit us in person at a VAN office or visit an ex-service organisation for help with applying for this or other payments or benefits.