DVA Bereavement Payment: What Veterans' Families Can Claim

When a veteran or current serving member dies, the family faces a separate set of benefit systems layered on top of the standard Centrelink and estate administration process. The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) administers its own bereavement payments, pension conversions, and funeral benefits — and the rules are changing significantly from July 2026.

Here is what surviving families need to know about DVA bereavement payments, what amounts are available, and how to claim them.

The Two Frameworks: VEA and MRCA

Before July 2026, DVA benefits for veterans and their families were split across two main acts:

• Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) — covers veterans with service before 1 July 2004
• Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) — covers serving members and veterans with service on or after 1 July 2004
• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-Related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) — covers certain defence-related injuries pre-2004

From 1 July 2026, a major legislative reform standardises how DVA handles claims for dependants. New claims will largely be assessed under the MRCA framework regardless of when the service occurred, consolidating the benefit structures and simplifying the claims process.

If your family member died before July 2026, claims already lodged continue under the existing framework. New claims lodged after July 2026 fall under the reformed MRCA provisions.

What a DVA Bereavement Payment Covers

The phrase "DVA bereavement payment" actually refers to several distinct payments, not a single benefit. Families often claim multiple entitlements, each assessed separately:

DVA Bereavement Pension (VEA Recipients)

If the deceased was receiving a DVA disability pension or service pension under the VEA, the surviving partner and/or dependants may receive a bereavement payment. This is typically calculated as the total pension the deceased was receiving, continued for a set period after death to give the family time to adjust finances.

For surviving partners of VEA service pensioners, bereavement payments are paid for up to 14 weeks at the rate the couple was receiving before the death.

MRCA Death Benefits

Under the MRCA, if the death is causally linked to service (a service-related death), the surviving partner and dependent children receive:

• A wholly dependent partner payment — a weekly pension for life (or until the partner remarries in some circumstances, though rules have been updated to reduce this limitation)
• Child payments — weekly amounts for each eligible dependent child
• Funeral benefit — reimbursement of reasonable funeral expenses up to $14,990.43 (the indexed amount post-July 2026 MRCA reform)

For non-service-related deaths of MRCA recipients, the family may still be entitled to a bereavement payment calculated based on the deceased's existing compensation payments.

DVA Funeral Benefit

For deaths linked to accepted service conditions, the DVA funeral benefit reimburses reasonable funeral costs. The amount is indexed and subject to periodic adjustment. Under the MRCA reforms effective July 2026, the maximum reimbursement is $14,990.43 for service-caused deaths.

For veterans receiving DVA support who die from non-service causes, a funeral contribution may still be available at a lower rate — the exact amount depends on the type of DVA support the veteran was receiving.

The funeral benefit is a reimbursement, not an advance payment. The family or estate pays the funeral home first, then claims back the approved amount.

Gold Card and Health Benefits for Surviving Partners

Many veterans hold a DVA Gold Card, which provides fully subsidised healthcare. When a veteran dies, the surviving partner's Gold Card eligibility depends on the veteran's classification:

• Partners of TPI (Totally and Permanently Incapacitated) veterans and certain other categories retain Gold Card access after the veteran's death
• Partners of non-TPI veterans generally lose Gold Card access when the veteran dies, though other healthcare concessions may apply

Clarifying the surviving partner's health card status should be one of the first calls to DVA after a veteran's death, as a sudden loss of subsidised healthcare is a significant financial impact.

How to Claim DVA Bereavement Payments

All DVA claims go through MyService (my.dva.gov.au) or by calling DVA on 1800 555 254.

When you contact DVA to notify them of the veteran's death, they should automatically assess which bereavement entitlements the family qualifies for and send you the relevant claim forms. However, families should not assume DVA will proactively identify every entitlement — some payments require an active claim.

Bring to the initial contact:

• The veteran's DVA file number
• The death certificate (once issued)
• The surviving partner's details and relationship evidence (marriage or de facto certificate)
• Details of dependent children and any other financial dependants
• The funeral director's itemised invoice if claiming funeral reimbursement

Timeframes and Deadlines

DVA does not publish a single statutory deadline for bereavement claims, but there are practical considerations:

• Bereavement pension payments begin automatically if the deceased was already on DVA payments — notify DVA within days to avoid both a cessation gap and potential overpayment recovery
• Funeral reimbursement should be claimed promptly after the funeral; earlier is better, as proof of payment (receipts) needs to be retained
• MRCA death benefit claims — for service-linked deaths where the family believes there is a causal connection to service, engage a Veterans' Advocate or contact the RSL before lodging, as the acceptance of a service connection is a separate administrative step that determines entitlement to the larger MRCA benefits

Veterans and the Standard Estate Process

DVA benefits do not replace the standard NSW estate administration process. The family must still:

• Apply for a NSW death certificate through BDM
• Notify Centrelink if the veteran was also receiving Age Pension or other Services Australia payments
• Obtain probate or letters of administration if the estate requires it
• Manage superannuation death benefit claims through the veteran's super fund (separate from DVA)

DVA payments and entitlements interact with other income streams. In particular, the wholly dependent partner payment under MRCA is considered taxable income for the partner, which affects their income tax return and may affect means-tested Centrelink payments.

For NSW Families

NSW veterans are also covered by the standard NSW workers' compensation and motor vehicle accident schemes for any civilian deaths unrelated to service. If a veteran dies in a workplace accident in their civilian employment, the SIRA/icare workers' compensation death benefit ($990,350 lump sum as of April 2026) applies separately and is not coordinated through DVA.

Families dealing with a death that might have multiple compensation streams — DVA service-linked benefits, civilian workers' compensation, and superannuation life insurance — should treat each claim as independent and lodge all three simultaneously to avoid missing limitation periods.

For the complete NSW bereavement administration timeline — including how DVA benefits interact with Centrelink notifications, NSW probate, and superannuation claims — the New South Wales Survivor Benefits Navigator provides a coordinated step-by-step guide covering all benefit streams in one place.

See more New South Wales guides →