Rise in some pensions, compensation payments and allowances from 20 September
From 20 September 2024, some veterans and their families will receive an increase to their DVA pension and compensation payments in line with increases to the cost of living. You don’t have to do anything to receive the increase, it will automatically be applied to your payment.
The first full payment at the new rates will be payday 17 October 2024.
The pension for payday 3 October covers entitlements for the period 17 September 2024 to 30 September 2024 and will be paid partly at the old rate and partly at the new rate.
The maximum rate of single service pension will rise by $28.10 to $1,144.40 per fortnight and the maximum rate for couples will increase by $21.20 to $862.60 per fortnight (each).
The Special Rate of Disability Compensation Payment (T&PI payment) will increase by $45.30 to $1,805.30 per fortnight. The Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) rate will increase by $24.40 to $974.20 per fortnight and the 100 per cent General Rate of Disability Compensation Payment will increase by $15.70 to $626.70 per fortnight.
The pension paid to war widow(er)s will increase by $29.00 to $1,165.30 per fortnight (including the energy supplement), while the ceiling rate of the income support supplement will rise to $346.20 per fortnight.
Certain benefits under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) will also increase. The weekly MRCA wholly dependent partner payment will increase by $14.50 to $582.65. This is paid fortnightly ($1,165.30).
The indexation factor used to index pension and compensation payments each March and September can be based on either the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE). For 20 September 2024, the indexation was driven by PBLCI.
For more information on the new pension and compensation rates, call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).
New pension and compensation rates from 20 September 2024
| SERVICE PENSION | Old rate (fortnightly) | New rate (fortnightly) | Increase (fortnightly) |
| Single person | $1,116.30 | $1,144.40 | $28.10 |
| Couples (each) | $841.40 | $ 862.60 | $21.20 |
| Single person – transitional | $922.90 | $941.10 | $18.20 |
| Couples (each) – transitional | $744.60 | $759.30 | $14.70 |
| WAR WIDOWS (total amount) | |||
| War widow(er)’s pension | $1,136.30 | $1,165.30 | $29.00 |
| Income support supplement (ceiling rate) | $337.40 | $346.20 | $8.80 |
| DISABILITY COMPENSATION PAYMENT (total amount) | |||
| T&PI (Special rate) | $1,760.00 | $1,805.30 | $45.30 |
| Intermediate rate | $1,166.80 | $1,196.80 | $30.00 |
| EDA | $949.80 | $974.20 | $24.40 |
| 100 per cent (inc ES) | $611.00 | $626.70 | $15.70 |
| 10 per cent (inc ES) | $68.03 | $69.60 | $1.57 |
| Veteran Payment | |||
| Single person | $1,211.20 | $1,242.20 | $31.00 |
| Couples (each) | $944.50 | $968.70 | $24.20 |
| MRCA* | |||
| Wholly dependent partner payment | $1,136.30 | $1,165.30 | $29.00 |
| Special Rate Disability pension (SRDP) | $1,760.00 | $1,805.30 | $45.30 |
These are the maximum rates of payment and include any Energy Supplement payable.
The first full payment at the new rates will be the payday 17 October 2024.
*Note that the MRCA payments in the bottom two rows are the fortnightly amounts, not the weekly amounts.
Current and historical pension and compensation rates are available on the CLIK website.
I am a DFRDB pensioner. I took out a resettlement loan when I retired in 1987 after 29 years of service. It was required to be repaid by age 72, their version of life expectancy, by deductions from my pension. The loan was paid back but the deductions from my pension continue until I die. The public servants who wrote the legislation based on the Jess Report, ( inquiry by politicians from all parties), called the loan Commutation. It turned out this meant payback forever until you die. I am 86 and still paying.
Some of our members made a valiant attempt to have this stopped but somehow it got to the Ombudsman who ruled Commutation means pay back until you die. These are great people and are still working on it.. They can be contacted at: admin@adfra.org