Most payments providing compensation following death under the MRCA are only available where:
section 12 of the MRCA applied to the deceased member; AND
there was a person or persons who met the definition of 'dependant' in section 15 of the Act immediately before the member's death (see chapter 7.5 for further details).
However, bereavement payments (in the form of temporary existing payment continuation) are available to wholly dependent partners or, if there was no partner, to eligible young persons, even if section 12 did not apply to the deceased. See 7.10 for details.
Under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), a dependent will receive bereavement payment automatically if the veteran was receiving DCP or income support payment.
Under the MRCA, bereavement payment is paid only after a claim is made. The payment is equal to 12 instalments of the weekly amount of incapacity payment or permanent impairment (PI) or periodic payment of SRDP/ADA payment.
The automatic granting of War Widows and Orphans Pensions, Gold Card and education assistance (where applicable) under the VEA also continues to apply to the dependants of certain deceased veterans receiving payments under the VEA after 1 July 2026, including:
Ex-prisoners of war,
Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA),
Special Rate (TPI & TTI),
Intermediate Rate,