"All allowances are constantly under review. The information contained in the Consolidated Library of Information and Knowledge (CLIK) does not replace legislation and any relevant decisions that have been determined by the courts.
No person should rely on the contents of CLIK without first obtaining advice from a qualified professional person."
Purpose of Clothing Allowance
Clothing Allowance may be paid to an eligible veteran, Member of the Forces, or member of a Peacekeeping Force for wear and tear and damage to clothing resulting from war or defence-caused disabilities, or the treatment of those disabilities. For example, damage may be caused by the wearing of surgical aids and appliances.
Eligibility criteria and rates of Clothing Allowance
To be eligible for a Clothing Allowance, the person must be in receipt of a disability compensation payment for incapacity from a specific war-caused or defence-caused incapacity. The rate payable depends on the type of incapacity. Clothing Allowance may be paid at the high, middle or low rates.
Eligibility for high rate of Clothing Allowance
The high rate of Clothing Allowance is payable where a person:
- has one arm and one leg amputated, or
- has a certain specified condition (one leg or one arm amputated; both legs or both arms amputated; or one leg amputated, causing essential hip disarticulation) and is required to use a crutch or crutches in addition to any artificial aid.
Eligibility for middle rate of Clothing Allowance
The middle rate of Clothing Allowance is payable where a person has:
- both legs or both arms amputated, or
- one leg amputated, causing essential hip disarticulation.
Eligibility for the low rate of Clothing Allowance
The low rate of Clothing Allowance is payable where a person:
- has one leg or one arm amputated,
- is blinded in both eyes, or
- has a war or defence-caused injury or disease of another kind which causes exceptional wear and tear or damage to clothing.
Meaning of 'amputation'
For the purposes of Clothing Allowance:
- an amputation of a foot is deemed to be an amputation of a leg, and
- an amputation of a hand is deemed to be an amputation of an arm.
Multiple grants of Clothing Allowance
If a person is granted Clothing Allowance for one of the specified conditions and is also granted Clothing Allowance at the low rate for an “other” condition (see above), the two amounts payable are added together.
Assessment of Clothing Allowance payments
Payment of Clothing Allowance under the VEA is excluded income for income support purposes.
See Also
Clothing Allowance