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Assessment Process for Service Pension Payable to War Widow/Widower-Pensioners
Service pensions payable to war widow/widower-pensioners
VEA ?
A war widow/widower-pensioner may be paid age or invalidity service pension if they are also a veteran with qualifying service. In these cases the rate of service pension is:
- subject to the income and assets tests (if the pensioner is not [glossary:blind:][glossary:):], and
- limited by the ceiling rate. More ?
Rate of service pension - non-blinded war widow/widower-pensioner
To determine the rate of service pension applicable to a non-blinded war widow/widower-pensioner, the rate of pension which would apply if the person was not a war widow/widower-pensioner is calculated and then compared to the ceiling rate (plus any rent assistance and remote area allowance payable). The rate of pension is the lower of these two amounts.
Rate of service pension - blinded war widow/widower-pensioner
If the war widow/widower-pensioner is blind, the rate of service pension is not subject to the income and assets tests. The ceiling rate (plus any rent assistance and remote area allowance if applicable) automatically applies. The partner of a blind pensioner is not exempt from the income and assets tests.
SCH6-A1(4) of VEA
SCH6-A1(5) of VEA
Ceiling Rate
War widow/widower — pensioner means a person who is receiving a war widow's/widower's pension from the Australian Government.
A service pension is an income support payment broadly equivalent to the social security age and disability support pensions. It may be paid once a veteran or partner has reached the nominated age or is incapacitated for work.
For the purposes of Part VI of the VEA, a reference to a veteran is taken to be a reference to:
- a veteran as defined in subsection 5C(1) of the VEA;
- a member of the Forces as defined in subsection 68(1) of the VEA; or
- a member of a Peacekeeping Force as defined in subsection 68(1) of the VEA.
For the purposes of Part VII of the VEA, according to subsection 5C(1), veteran means a person (including a deceased person):
- who is taken to have rendered eligible war service, or
- in respect of whom a pension is, or pensions are, payable under subsection 13(6) and
- in Part III and Part VIIC of the VEA includes a person who is:
- a Commonwealth veteran, or
- an allied veteran, or
- an allied mariner.
Qualifying service is one of the criteria used to determine eligibility for certain benefits under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. Refer to section 7A of the VEA for the full defintion.
According to section 5H of the VEA income is:
- an amount earned, derived or received by a person for the person's own use or benefit;
- a periodical payment by way of gift or allowance; or
- a periodical benefit by way of gift or allowance.
One element of the means test for income support pensions whereby the rate of pension payable to a pensioner reduces progressively as their assets increase above a certain threshold known as the assets value limit (AVL).