Partners

Veteran Payment may be payable to partners who are either:

• legally married to and living with a current or former member of the ADF, or

• living in a de facto relationship with a current or former member of the ADF

and the current or former member of the ADF is receiving the Veteran Payment.

For further information on the definition of partner please see: CLIK Chapter 9.3.1 Overview of Relationship Status

To be eligible for Veteran Payment, the partner must also meet residency requirements, that is that they are a resident of Australia and are present in Australia at the time their partner lodged a liability claim for a mental health condition.

There are no age requirements for the partner.

In some instances, a partner may also be a veteran and have primary eligibility for the Veteran Payment, as well as partner eligibility.  However, only one instance of Veteran Payment can be made to a person for any particular period of time.

For further information see: Payment.

Example:

Alex and Mary are partners who are both former members of the ADF, and both Alex and Mary have made a claim for a mental health condition under DRCA or MRCA.

Both Alex and Mary are eligible for a veteran payment as a current or former member of the ADF and as a partner.  DVA will register both Alex and Mary as a primary person. As they are a couple, they will both be paid the partnered rate.

If Alex’s payment ceased before Mary’s claim was determined, then Alex would be able to receive veteran payment as Mary’s partner, unless Alex has transitioned to incapacity payments.

Cancellation of partner’s Veteran Payment

If the current or former member of the ADF and their partner separate during the time they are receiving Veteran Payment, the partner will no longer be eligible for Veteran Payment.  The partner’s Veteran Payment will be cancelled from the date of separation or the day after the notification period, depending when the separation was notified.

The current or former member of the ADF will receive their payment at the higher single rate from the later of the date of separation and the date the separation is notified.

For further information please see CLIK Chapter 9.3.1 Overview of Relationship Status.

For further information please see Chapter 11.1.4 Determining Effective Dates for Variations and Terminations.