9.13 Streamlined access to incapacity payments

Streamlined Access to Incapacity Payments is a 2017/18 Budget measure which aims to:

• provide veterans with mental health conditions accepted under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) with rehabilitation support for 12 months following their return to work; and
• re-instate access to incapacity payments as soon as possible should they be unable to continue to work, or maintain their existing work hours, due to their mental health conditions.

The policy intends to provide increased support to clients who are testing their ability to return to work, or who are concerned that they may experience financial stress if they need to leave their employment because of their accepted mental health condition(s). This policy is guided by evidence surrounding the health benefits of good work, which stresses that employment is as much part of a person’s recovery from injury, as it is a positive outcome of rehabilitation. Many of Veterans employment success stories highlight how important employment has been in helping get their life back on track after a service related injury or disease.