DVA War Widow(er)'s Pension

What Is This Payment?

The War Widow's/Widower's Pension compensates the surviving partner of a veteran whose death has been accepted as related to service. Under the older Veterans' Entitlements Act it is the War Widow's/Widower's Pension; under the newer Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act the equivalent is the Wholly Dependent Partner payment.

The rule database tags it as a Group B benefit with eligibility_only as its result role, inside the DVA Compensation cluster. It recognises that a service-related death is a loss the nation accepts responsibility for, and it provides ongoing, tax-free support to the partner left behind.

It comes with a DVA Gold Card, which gives the war widow(er) access to DVA-funded health care. It also opens the door to the means-tested Income Support Supplement for those who need additional income support on top of the compensation pension.

How Much Can You Get?

The amount block is eligibility_only with period: none because the rate is set and indexed by DVA. It is an ongoing, tax-free compensation pension — not reduced by other income or assets.

• An indexed compensation pension paid regularly for life under the VEA, or the Wholly Dependent Partner payment under the MRCA.
• A DVA Gold Card, giving access to DVA-funded medical, dental, optical and other health care.
• Access to the Income Support Supplement — a separate, means-tested top-up of up to about $363.80 per fortnight for war widow(er)s who need additional income support.

Eligibility Conditions

The eligibility block is an all set.

1. Accepted service-related death: concession_card_type in {dva_gold_card}. Holding a DVA Gold Card is the questionnaire proxy for being an accepted war widow(er).

The underlying requirement is that you are the surviving partner of a veteran and DVA has accepted the death as related to service — for example, the veteran died of an accepted condition, or was a TPI/EDA pensioner or former prisoner of war. There is no income or assets test on the compensation pension itself.

Required field is concession_card_type. The product surfaces this to war widow(er) cardholders chiefly to prompt them about the attached entitlements — the Gold Card and especially the Income Support Supplement — which many recipients do not realise they can also claim.

How To Apply

The channel is online through DVA, with evidence that the partner's death was service-related. DVA assesses the link between the death and service before granting the pension.

• Lodge a claim with DVA as the surviving partner of the veteran.
• Provide evidence supporting the link between the death and service (or the veteran's TPI/EDA/POW status).
• Once granted, ask DVA about the Gold Card and the Income Support Supplement if you need income support.

Read the official DVA War Widow(er)'s Pension guidance

Rule-Based Scenarios

Scenario 1: death from an accepted condition

A veteran dies from a condition DVA had accepted as service-related. Their surviving partner is granted the War Widow's Pension, a tax-free indexed compensation pension, along with a DVA Gold Card.

Scenario 2: TPI veteran's partner

A veteran who held the Special Rate (TPI) pension dies. Because of that status, the surviving partner is accepted for the War Widow's/Widower's Pension.

Scenario 3: adding the Income Support Supplement

A war widow on a modest income receives the compensation pension and then claims the means-tested Income Support Supplement for an additional top-up of up to about $363.80 per fortnight.

Scenario 4: more recent service under the MRCA

The partner of a member whose death is covered by the MRCA receives the Wholly Dependent Partner payment — the MRCA equivalent of the War Widow's Pension.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming it is income tested: the compensation pension is tax free and not income or assets tested; only the separate Income Support Supplement is means tested.
• Not claiming the Income Support Supplement: war widow(er)s who need income support can claim the ISS on top of the compensation pension — it is a separate payment.
• Overlooking the Gold Card: the pension comes with a DVA Gold Card giving wide access to DVA-funded health care.
• Thinking only combat deaths qualify: deaths from accepted conditions, and the deaths of TPI/EDA/former-POW veterans, can also qualify the partner.
• Confusing VEA and MRCA pathways: older service uses the War Widow's Pension; more recent service uses the Wholly Dependent Partner payment under the MRCA.
• Claiming through Centrelink: this is a DVA compensation payment — claim through DVA.

Related Benefits

• DVA Income Support Supplement — means-tested top-up for war widow(er)s on the pension.
• DVA Orphan's Pension — for the children of deceased veterans.
• DVA Disability Compensation Payment — compensation for the veteran's own accepted conditions.
• DVA Funeral Benefit — help toward funeral costs after a veteran's death.
• Bereavement Payment — short-term Centrelink help after the death of a partner.
• Pensioner Concession Card — concession access for pensioners.

Frequently Asked Questions