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  • Get support
    The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.
    Currently serving
    While serving, the NZDF will take care of your health and wellbeing issues. If you have qualifying service, we may be able to provide you with home help. Register now with Veterans’ Affairs, and when you need some support, we’ll be ready to help you.
    Ex-serving
    We can provide you with health, rehabilitation and financial support if you have a condition related to your service. We can also provide home help assistance and financial support for you to commemorate your service.
    Family and whānau
    How we can support you, your family and whānau.
    Non-military personnel
    Non-military personnel can have Qualifying Operational Service in certain circumstances.
    A-Z list of services and entitlements
    View all of the services and entitlements available to qualifying veterans and their family and whānau.
  • Remembrance
    We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.
    Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones
    We help look after Services Cemeteries. We're also able to contribute towards plaques and headstones.
    Commemorative funding
    There are two types of financial contributions available from the Commemorative Fund.
    Medals and service records
    The NZ Defence Force's Personnel Archives and Medals team ​administer medals and hold most New Zealand military service records.
    ​When someone dies
    We may be able to provide support when someone who had Qualifying Service dies.
    Your family's military history
    Learning more about your family's military history is a great way to honour their service.
    Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins
    The Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's Pin recognise operational service.
    NZ Post Stamps
    This series of stamps explores the stories of 6 veterans deployed after 1995. You can purchase the stamps on the NZ Post website.
  • Eligibility
    To be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
    Check your eligibility
    Check the support, services, or entitlements you may be able to get from us.
    Qualifying Service
    To get support from us you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
    Eligibility criteria for family and dependants
    You may be able to get support if you're the spouse, partner, child or dependant of someone with Qualifying Service.
    Veterans of foreign militaries
    Veterans' Affairs New Zealand was established to support New Zealand veterans.
  • For clients
    We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
    If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.
    How we'll work with you
    We'll work with you to help you get the best support available.
    Your treatment card
    Your treatment card helps you get no-cost treatment and medication for your approved conditions.
    Your rights and responsibilities
    ​We want to make sure you have the best possible experience when you deal with us.
    Payments
    Information on payment rates and dates.
    How we make decisions
    We use a number of tools and processes to make decisions. This helps ensure each decision we make is fair and treats our clients consistently.​
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
    Other benefits
    You may be able to access a range of discounts and benefits. Not only that, your family may get access too.
    Information about claims
    Information on processing times, how to make a claim, and what happens next.
  • For providers
    Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.
    Treatment cards and letters
    To help you identify our clients, we issue treatment cards and letters.
    Invoicing us
    How to invoice us to ensure we pay you quickly and correctly.
    Treating our clients
    Information for healthcare professionals providing treatment to our clients.
    Councils and local authorities
    Guidance for councils and local authorities relating to services cemeteries and memorials
    Forms
    Forms for our clients, family and whānau, and our providers.
    Audiologists
    Schedules of fees, invoicing and application instructions, and information for treating hearing needs.
    How military service affects the health of veterans
    Veterans can experience physical and mental health conditions disproportionately compared to the general public. Different NZDF 'operations' may be linked to higher rates of specific conditions. Understanding a veteran's service can help you to understand their health.
Check Your Eligibility
Check Your Eligibility

About our needs assessments

Our needs assessments help us to understand what support, services or entitlements are right for you. We also look at whether your whānau and people that support you might need some counselling as a result of that support.

On this page
When we'll do a needs assessment What a needs assessment involves

When we'll do a needs assessment

We'll do a needs assessment:

  • when you submit an application that needs one
  • if you ask us to
  • if your circumstances change substantially.

By doing a needs assessment you'll help us to understand:

  • what is important to you
  • your medical treatment and health care needs
  • your rehabilitation needs, such as:
    • medical management assistance to manage treatment and medical goals
    • social assistance to overcome any barriers to rehabilitation, or to being part of your community
    • vocational assistance to return to work.
  • your ability to safely manage daily independent living
  • your situation and whether you have any support already in place
  • the requirement for impairment and income compensation
  • who is helping you at home and whether we should assess their needs too. 

What a needs assessment involves

Your needs assessment will be done over the phone by your case manager or a Support Centre Officer. It will take around 15 to 30 minutes.

 

  • Step 1 We'll prepare

    Your case manager or a Support Centre Officer will prepare for the assessment by reviewing your files and medical reports.

  • Step 2 We'll call you

    Your case manager or a Support Centre Officer will contact you by phone. They'll:

    • explain the needs assessment process
    • explain your rights and responsibilities
    • ask if you're free to do the needs assessment now
    • ask if you have whānau members or another non-professional support person helping you — we'll talk to them to see if they have needs that relate to the support they give you. 

  • Step 3 We'll complete the assessment

    Your case manager or Support Centre Officer will leave the call and take some time to complete the assessment. They will call you back at an agreed time. In some cases, they may also need additional information from a health professional.

    After the assessment, your case manager will work with you to figure out what will best meet your needs.

How we make decisions

Last Modified: 21 March 2023
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