Key points
- The Disability Compensation Bereavement Payment (DCBP) is provided under sections 98A and 98AA of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).
- It is payable to surviving spouses of deceased veterans in receipt of the Disability Compensation Payment (DCP) immediately before their death, or
- It is payable to the estate of single veterans in receipt of the DCP at the Special (TPI) Rate or the Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) and who died in indigent (needy) circumstances.
- The purpose of the DCBP is to assist family members of deceased veterans to meet the costs associated with bereavement.
- For surviving spouses, the DCBP provides financial assistance so they may gradually adjust to their new financial situation.
- The DCBP is tax exempt and paid in addition to the funeral benefit.
- From 1 July 2026, a new exception subsection to the VEA was added (121(4AA)), which allows DCP to be paid to the date of death to the estate.
Overpaid DCP in the pension period of a veteran’s death must not be recovered from a surviving spouse’s DCBP, unless with express consent from the surviving spouse.
Eligibility
The DCBP is payable to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran if immediately before their death, they were receiving a DCP under the VEA.
Where the DCP is determined payable within 12 weeks of a veteran’s death, the DCBP may still be payable to the surviving spouse. For more information on this, please see chapter 8.2.3 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
The DCBP is also payable for single veterans, if immediately before their death, they were receiving the TPI or the EDA and they died in indigent circumstances. The DCBP for single veterans is payable to their estate.
For more information about eligibility requirements, please see chapter 8.2.2 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
Calculating the rate of DCBP
A DCBP in respect of a veteran who was a member of a couple or single is equal to six fortnights (or 12 weeks) of the deceased's DCP. However, the DCP rate used for calculation of the DCBP differs slightly in these situations, as follows.
Member of a couple – section 98A
The surviving spouse’s DCBP is equal to six times the fortnightly rate of DCP (including any specific disability allowance payable) the late veteran would have received (if they had not died), on the first pension payday after the Department became aware of their death.
Single veterans – section 98AA
The DCBP payable to the estate of a single veteran is equal to six times the fortnightly rate of TPI or EDA that would have been payable on the first pension pay day after the death.
For more information about calculating the DCBP, please see chapter 8.2.3 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
Payment
The DCBP is normally paid as a lump sum, either to the surviving spouse, or in the case of single veterans, to their estate.
The DCBP does not impact payment of income support bereavement payments or funeral benefits.
For more information about paying the DCBP, please see chapter 8.2.4 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
For more information about funeral benefits, please see chapter 8.3 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
For more information income support bereavement payments, please see chapter 8.1 of the Compensation and Support Policy Library.
Getting help
If delegates require assistance regarding DCBP eligibility or payment, they may seek tailored policy advice from Benefits and Payments Policy via the Delegate Support Framework.