Extreme Disablement Adjustment

This page provides a brief description of the Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) rate of Disability Compensation Payment payable under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).

What is the Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate of Disability Compensation Payment?

A Disability Compensation Payment is paid to compensate veterans for injuries or diseases caused or aggravated by war service or certain defence service on behalf of Australia.

The EDA rate can only be considered for veterans who have reached 65 years of age who are not eligible to receive a Special or Intermediate rate of Disability Compensation Payment.

As the name suggests, the degree of incapacity from war or defence caused conditions must be extreme for a veteran to be entitled to a Disability Compensation Payment at the EDA rate. The assessment only takes into account the medical impairment and lifestyle effects of a disability. Eligibility for the EDA rate does not have regard to whether or not a veteran is employed, nor any regard to income or assets held by the veteran.

Who is eligible for the Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate of Disability Compensation Payment?

To be entitled to the EDA rate of Disability Compensation Payment, you must:

• be 65 years of age or older; and
• have been determined by DVA to have a degree of incapacity of 100% due to accepted conditions (or you are receiving, or have received, a Disability Compensation Payment in respect of pulmonary tuberculosis at the maximum general rate); and
• have had your impairment rating assessed to be at least 70, and your lifestyle rating at least 6, under the approved Guide to the Assessment of Rates of Veterans’ Pensions; and
• not be eligible to receive a Special or Intermediate rate of Disability Compensation Payment. For more information on Special and Intermediate rate of Disability Compensation Payment please refer to Special and Intermediate rates. 

How much will I be paid?

For information on the current EDA rate, refer to Disability Compensation Payment and War Widow(er)’s Pension Rates and Allowances. 

For veterans who are not eligible to receive a Special or Intermediate rate of Disability Compensation Payment, the EDA rate is the maximum rate of compensation that can be paid under the VEA.

If compensation for the same incapacity is received from another source, an adjustment will be made to the amount of Disability Compensation Payment paid.

More about the pension

Pension rates are indexed twice yearly using the proportional indexation increase in the partnered maximum basic rate of service pension, which takes account of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI). Any increases from indexation are paid automatically, you do not need to contact the Department.

The Disability Compensation Payment is classified as a non-taxable government pension or benefit.

The Disability Compensation Payment is not counted as income for the income test under the VEA and the Social Security Act.

Energy Supplement may also be payable to Disability Compensation Payment recipients.