4.3.6.20 Overseas war pensions

Summary

This topic provides information about:

• overseas war widow's pension
• British war pensions, and
• exempt British war allowances.

Overseas war widow's pension

A person in receipt of an overseas war widow's pension may also receive an Australian social security payment, including Age. An overseas war widow's pension is treated as income for social security purposes.

Note: Before August 1981, the amount of Australian social security payment made to a person in receipt of an overseas war widow's pension was limited. The limit ensured that the total combined payment from both their Australian social security payment and overseas war widow's pension did NOT exceed the total amount payable to an Australian war widow, under the Veterans' Entitlements Act and Regulations.

Act reference: SSAct section 23(1)-'social security pension', section 23(1)-'social security benefit'

British war pensions

A British war pension and the following additional allowances are treated as income for social security purposes:

• age allowance
• allowance for lowered standard of occupation
• badge allowance
• comforts allowance
• family allowance for wife
• meritorious service annuity
• petty time
• rent allowance
• service allowance
• severe disablement occupational allowance
• exceptionally severe disablement allowance
• treatment allowance, and
• unemployment benefit.

Note: The above list is not exhaustive. Generally, unless specifically exempted a payment should be counted as income.

British war allowances - exemptions as income

The following allowances are not treated as income for social security purposes. They are exempt as income on the same basis as those paid to Australian veterans:

• clothing allowance
• constant attendance allowance
• decoration allowance
• family allowance in respect of children, and
• mobility supplement.