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5.9.5 Bereavement Payments and DFISA (ceased 2022)

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Last amended 
25 February 2022

DFISA was removed 1 January 2022.  This is for historical reference only.   

VEA →

 

Bereavement payments and impact of DFISA

The bereavement payment provisions of both the Social Security Act 1991 and the VEA had been amended to take account of DFISA.    

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There were no bereavement payments payable to recipients of DFISA-like payment.

DFISA payable prior to death

If DFISA was payable to the deceased just prior to death, any bereavement payment payable in respect of that person was increased to take account of the amount of DFISA that person was receiving.

DFISA bereavement payment arrangements

There was no legislated DFISA bereavement payment, because the amount of DFISA was taken into account in calculating the VEA or SSA bereavement payment required. This occurred whether the bereavement payment was:

  • made under the SSA or the VEA, and
  • made in respect of a single or partnered person.
Bereavement payment may have been paid by two instalments

In some circumstances, DVA delivered a component of the SSA bereavement payment. This was an administrative arrangement under which DVA paid part of the social security bereavement payment on behalf of Centrelink. This arrangement enabled DVA to recover any outstanding overpayments and minimises intrusion on the bereaved. This occurred for both partnered and single bereavement payments.

Partnered bereavement payments

Where the surviving partner was eligible for a bereavement payment, the calculation of that payment was based on the amount of pension or benefit the deceased was receiving just prior to death. This calculation included any amount of DFISA the deceased was receiving.     

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Single bereavement payment

Where the deceased was receiving DFISA immediately before death and was either single or had a partner who was not receiving an income support payment, a social security bereavement payment was payable. It is payable under the SSA because the deceased was receiving a social security payment at the time of death. For the purpose of calculating the bereavement payment, the amount of DFISA the deceased would have received on the payday after death was included.    

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Bereavement payments under the Social Security Act

Section 118ND VEA

 

VEA → (go back)

 

Income Support Bereavement Payment

Chapter 8.1

 

Guide to Social Security Law: 4.3.5.73 DVA DFISA & Bereavement Payments

htp://www.fahcsia.gov.au/guides_acts/ssg/ssguide-4/ssgui...

 

More → (go back)

 

Guide to Social Security Law: 3.1.5.25 Bereavement Payment Provisions for Singles

http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/guides_acts/ssg/ssguide-3/ssguide-3.1/ssguide-3.1.5/ssguide-3.1.5.25.html

 

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A bereavement payment is an amount payable in respect of a deceased pensioner that represents a continuation of the pensioner's entitlement for a period following the death (the bereavement period).

The payment can be made as:

  • a lump sum in advance, or
  • a continuation of the deceased person's pension instalments, or
  • a combination of both, or
  • a portion of the rate of pension payable to the surviving member of a couple identified as a separate amount only for taxation purposes.

Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

The information below is for historical reference only.

Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) ceased on 1 January 2022 because adjusted disability income became exempt income under the Social Security Act 1991.  It was an income support payment paid by DVA to people whose income support payment under Social Security Law was reduced, or not payable, because of the impact of adjusted disability pension. DFISA was the difference between the person's existing entitlement, and what the entitlement would have been had adjusted DP been exempt, but was assessed in the calculation of rent assistance.

 

 

From 1 January 2022, DFISA-like payments ceased.  The information below is for historical reference only.

The Defence Force Income Support Allowance-like (DFISA-like) payment was an ISP under regulations made under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. DFISA-like payment may have been payable to a person whose:

  • income support payment was administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), or
  • living allowance made under ABSTUDY

was reduced or not payable because of adjusted disability pension ADP.

 

 

The information below is for historical reference only.

Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) ceased on 1 January 2022 because adjusted disability income became exempt income under the Social Security Act 1991.  It was an income support payment paid by DVA to people whose income support payment under Social Security Law was reduced, or not payable, because of the impact of adjusted disability pension. DFISA was the difference between the person's existing entitlement, and what the entitlement would have been had adjusted DP been exempt, but was assessed in the calculation of rent assistance.

 

 

A bereavement payment is an amount payable in respect of a deceased pensioner that represents a continuation of the pensioner's entitlement for a period following the death (the bereavement period).

The payment can be made as:

  • a lump sum in advance, or
  • a continuation of the deceased person's pension instalments, or
  • a combination of both, or
  • a portion of the rate of pension payable to the surviving member of a couple identified as a separate amount only for taxation purposes.

Social Security Act, 1991.

Social Security Act, 1991.