Definitions

Income: generally includes income derived from:

• salary, wages
• employment, business and professional activities
• investment and property rentals
• pensions

but does not generally include:

• allowances for dependent children
• contributions from a philanthropic organisation
• board paid by an immediate family member living in the home

Commitments on the home generally include:

• current mortgage instalments
• home owners insurance
• property rates or taxes
• body corporate or retirement village management and other fees
• the instalments of a loan raised to pay for essential repairs
• other commitments that the Secretary considers to be extraordinarily high and warranting inclusion.

Assets do not generally include:

• the home
• household chattels
• a motor vehicle

but generally include non-household goods which are easily converted to cash, such as collections of stamps, antiques, paintings, etc.

Basic Income Limit the maximum income that a person in receipt of the Maximum Rate Service Pension may earn without affecting the amount of pension payable.

MINISTERIAL APPROVAL

I, BENJAMIN CHARLES HUMPHREYS, Minister of State for Veterans' Affairs, hereby approve the above financial hardship and serious financial hardship guidelines in accordance with the provisions of sections 18(5C), 20(4), 21(3) and 23(6) of the Defence Service Homes Act 1918.

Dated, 21st January 1991

MINISTER OF STATE FOR VETERANS' AFFAIRS

RATES FOR ASSESSING HARDSHIP

The current monetary amounts needed to apply the rates referred to in the Minister's approved guidelines for determining whether a person is suffering financial hardship is maintained in a Subsidy Data Sheet on the DVA Intranet.