Making a claim for household services
MRCA subsection 214(1)(c) and DRCA s29 and 29A require that for compensation for household services can be considered where a claim for liability for a service-related injury or disease has been accepted by DVA. This is because the reasonable requirement for compensation for household services must be due to an accepted service-related condition.
The household services claim form D9319 is used to inform a compensation for household services determination.
Assessment for compensation for household services
Evidence about the reasonable requirement for compensation for household services may be supplemented through an in-home assessment conducted by an experienced Occupational Therapist (OT) or other suitably qualified health professional.
Exceptions to an in-home assessment may be considered where sufficient information is available from other sources to demonstrate a reasonable requirement for household services exists because of the person's accepted conditions. For more information about reviewing household services, refer to section 1.4 of this Manual.
The need for an assessment must first be determined by DVA. If DVA did not request the assessment, there is no mechanism to provide payment to a third party for undertaking the assessment.
The amount of compensation for household services that may be approved for an individual veteran is based on the assessment of their reasonable requirement for assistance with domestic tasks required for the regular running of their household, due to their accepted service-related conditions.
This amount is specified in the determination letter sent to the veteran.
Statutory limit
The amount of compensation payable for household services is capped by a legislated weekly statutory limit. This limit is indexed on 1 July each year, by reference to the Consumer Price Index. Details of the weekly maximum household services limits are available on the household services pages on the DVA website. There is no flexibility for delegates to approve household services in excess of this weekly statutory limit.
More information about determinations for compensation for household services can be found in section 1.4 of this manual.
Nursing care needs
Where nursing care is required as well as personal care and/or household services the person may be able to receive Community Nursing services if there is an assessed clinical need for nursing at home. For more information, please visit the Community Nursing page on the DVA website.
Catastrophic Injury determination
Where a determination has been made that the veteran meets the Catastrophic Injury criteria, household services can be approved to meet the client’s assessed needs without reference to the legislated weekly statutory limit.
Note: The weekly statutory limits for household services and attendant care services are mutually exclusive.
Domestic assistance from other sources
Household/domestic assistance services can be funded by a range of government and community organisations. This includes services through the DVA Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) Program, as well as the NDIS. An important principle is there is no duplication of services. Delegates therefore have the responsibility to consider any services provided through VHC, by NDIS or any other government or other agency, when making their determination.