Weekly Compensation
Weekly Compensation provides financial compensation when you can't work due to a service-related condition.
You may be able to get this if you:
- have Qualifying Operational Service after 31 March 1974 outside of Viet Nam, and
- are unable to work full-time because of a condition related to your Qualifying Operational Service.
Qualifying Operational Service explained
When we say full-time, we mean:
- working for an average of at least 30 hours per week, or
- less than 30 hours if your employment agreement defined this lower amount of hours as full-time.
Special rules apply if you are at or close to NZ Superannuation age.
For those in the NZ Armed Forces before 1 April 1974 or served in Viet Nam you may be eligible for Weekly Income Compensation.
Weekly Compensation is paid every:
- two weeks within NZ, and
- four weeks outside of NZ.
Minimum payments are based on 80% of the average wage in NZ on 1 July each year. We deduct:
- income tax — if you receive a back payment to cover previous years, this will be taxed as income in the tax year that you receive the payment
- ACC payments
- Child Support
- Student Loan
- NZ Superannuation
- civil orders.
Weekly Compensation payment rates
If you are a contributor to KiwiSaver we encourage you to take appropriate advice from your KiwiSaver provider or Inland Revenue on how to handle contributions while receiving Weekly Income Compensation or Weekly Compensation. You can arrange your own contributions or take a KiwiSaver holiday.
Recipients of Weekly Compensation may also be eligible to receive a Community Services Card.
Find out more about the Community Services Card on the Work and Income site(external link)
- Complete the Veteran Support application form.
- Get your doctor to fill out the medical sections of the form.
- Send the application form and any supporting information to us.
Download the Veteran Support application form [PDF, 444 KB]
We recommend you also apply to ACC as well as us. If we're unable to accept your condition as service-related, ACC may still be able to provide you support.
If you also already receive ACC entitlements and qualify for Weekly Compensation — you'll need to let us know — as we'll pay a top-up.
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 assessments and rehabilitation
- keep you informed on the status of your application.
If we need more information, we'll get in touch with you.
You must let us know if:
- you start paid part-time work
- you return to full-time work
- you become able to return to full-time work — once assessed, you'll have a notice period before payments stop.
Taking part in rehabilitation
Working toward rehabilitation is a condition of receiving your Weekly Compensation payments unless we accept that you’re unable to. Your rehabilitation responsibilities include:
- working with us to set up a rehabilitation plan
- engaging fully in vocational rehabilitation
- attending assessments arranged for you — including vocational reassessment around every 6 months
- supplying a doctor's certificate every 13 weeks — this helps us to tailor the rehabilitation to your needs.
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.