Lump Sum Advance of Pension

Legislative Authority

Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
Section 79B (eligibility)
Sections 79C to 79G (applications)
Sections 79I to 79J (determination)
Section 79K (maximum amount of advance)

Stated Current Purpose/Intent

To provide pensioners with greater choice in how they meet unexpected needs for additional cash.

Current Eligibility Criteria

A person may be eligible for a lump sum advance of pension if he or she is receiving:

• age service pension
• invalidity service pension
• partner service pension
• income support supplement
• war widow(er)'s pension
• Disability Compensation Payment
• social security age pension by DVA.

To be eligible for a lump sum advance, a person must:

• be paid one of the above types of pension; and
• have been receiving a pension from DVA or Services Australia continually during the three months before the application for an advance; and
• be able to afford to repay the advance without suffering severe financial hardship; and
• be an Australian resident living in Australia at the time of application.

A person is not eligible for a lump sum advance if the person:

• has been paid an advance in the last 12 months that has not been fully repaid; or
• is not eligible to receive an amount over the minimum lump sum amount; or
• owes a debt to the Commonwealth because he or she has been overpaid pension by DVA or Services Australia.

The maximum amount that can be advanced as a lump sum is equal to three weeks of the maximum pension rate less the minimum pension supplement amount.

Pensioners can apply for multiple advances in a given year as long as the total does not exceed 1.5 times (three weeks) their fortnightly pension.

Date of Introduction

Lump sum advance of service pension was introduced on 4 July 1996.

Lump sum advance of pension was extended to Disability Compensation Payment recipients from 1 January 1998.

Original Purpose/Intent

The purpose and intent of this benefit have not changed.