Weekly Compensation for Families
Weekly Compensation For Families may be able to support you with financial compensation after a veteran family member has passed away.
You'll qualify for Family Weekly Compensation if all of these apply:
- a family member has passed away, and
- they had Qualifying Operational Service after 31 March 1974 and outside Viet Nam, and
- their death is linked to that Qualifying Operational Service.
Qualifying Operational Service explained
Special rules apply if you have reached 65 or are about to.
For those that lost a family member in Viet Nam or due to being in the NZ Armed Forces before April 1974, you may be able to get these supports:
Family Weekly Compensation pays a percentage of what Weekly Compensation your qualifying family member would have received.
- 60% for spouse or partner.
- 20% for a single child. If the qualifying family member's partner passes away then this is put up to 80%. This 20% or 80% is shared equally between the number of children there are.
- 20% for other dependants.
The total amount that can be paid to all recipients is no more than what the qualified member would have received. Where necessary, the amount paid to each recipient will be reduced proportionately.
We'll need you to get your qualifying family member's income details. This can be from either their employer or Inland Revenue. The details needed are:
- 12 months of earnings before their death if they had PAYE or employment, or
- the last tax year before their death if they were self-employed or a shareholder.
Community Services Card
If you get Weekly Compensation for Families, you may also be entitled to receive a Community Services Card. This card allows you to get discounts on services such as:
- prescription fees if you don't belong to a Primary Health Organisation
- fees for after-hours doctor visits
- to a doctor who is not your regular doctor
- glasses for children under 16
- emergency dental care provided by hospitals and approved dental contractors. Ask the dental provider if they are an approved contractor
- travel and accommodation for treatment at a public hospital outside your area when you have been referred. This is at least 80km away for adults and 25km for children
- home help.
More information on the Community Services Card on the Work and Income website(external link)
How long you get support
For spouse or partner, your support may last:
- 5 years, or
- all the time you're caring for the qualifying family member's children under 18 or their dependants.
For a child, your support may last until you:
- are 18 years of age
- are 23 years of age if you're studying full-time, or
- finish full-time study.
For other dependants, entitlement may last till you:
- earn over the minimum Weekly Compensation rate, or
- turn 65.
- Complete the Weekly Compensation for Families application form.
- Send the application form and any supporting information to us.
You'll need to include evidence of your:
- relationship to the qualifying family member, and
- earnings, if applying as a dependant.
Download the Weekly Compensation for Families application form [PDF, 613 KB]
We recommend you also apply to ACC as well as us. If we're unable to accept your claim, you may qualify for ACC's Weekly Compensation for Accidental Death.
We may top up your ACC Weekly Compensation for Accidental Death if you also qualify for our Weekly Compensation for Families. This also requires the ACC Weekly Compensation for Accidental Death being less than what we can do.
After you apply we'll:
- contact you to confirm we've received your application
- start the decision-making process
- arrange — depending on your individual circumstances — for you to participate in further assessments
- keep you informed on the status of your application.
If we need more information, we'll get in touch with you.
Contact us for more information
We strive to be transparent. If you want to know how this entitlement is administered you can read the policy.