Skip to main content
  • 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.
    Entitlements, services, and support
    Eligibility for these entitlements, services, and support will depend on your own circumstances.
  • 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.
    Te reo Māori
    Read some of our key pages in te reo Māori.
  • 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.
    Transition Health Check
    A post-release health assessment for veterans.
    We will be using ProCare to reimburse treatment costs in 2026
    We will be changing the provider for claiming and reimbursing medical and pharmacy costs associated with a veteran’s service-related condition.

Processing times for claims

On this page, you can view the average processing times for some claims, the reasons for delays, the actions we're taking, and advice on how you can reduce your wait time.

Last updated: 4 February 2026

The average number of days it takes to process a claim at 31 December 2025

Types of claims 1 July to 31 December 2023 1 January to 30 June 2024 1 July to 31 December 2024 1 January to 30 June 2025 1 July to 31 December 2025
Disablement Pension 361 354 408 375 325
Funeral Expenses 50 77 56 55 42
Independence Allowance 292 334 369 323 260
Permanent Impairment 197 436 437 347 234
Surviving Spouse or Partner Pension 60 71 60 39 55
Weekly Compensation 124 159 212 105 168

Number of claims

The following table shows the history of claims that are in progress and those that have been completed.

Types of claims 1 July to 31 December 2023 1 January to 30 June 2024 1 July to 31 December 2024 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025 1 July to 31 December 2025
Claims received 1,597 1,468 1,464 1,760 1,752
Claims processed 1,486 1,498 1,905 1,942 2,175
Claims in progress 2,395 2,559 2,316 1,922 1,624
Under clinical review — — 55 126 326
Total claims in progress 2,395 2,559 2,371 2,048 1,950

Graph of claims received and processed

A graph showing claims received and processed between January 2021 and December 2025. This information is summarised in table form on this page.

Graph of open claims

A graph showing the total number of open claims between January 2021 and December 2025. This information is summarised in table form on this page.

Additional information for claims

The average number of days taken to retrieve additional information for claims has reduced to 81 days. Examples of 'Additional information' could include medical information from the veteran's GP or from a specialist, or it could be just asking for more information from the veteran. 1,958 additional information tasks were closed. 

Types of claims 1 July to 31 December 2023 1 January to 30 June 2024 1 July to 31 December 2024 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025 1 July to 31 December 2025
Average days to retrieve additional information 168 196 84 81 68
Number of additional information tasks closed 418 840 2,184 1,958 2,102

Why processing times vary

Some claims are relatively simple and normally processed quickly. Urgent claims are given priority.

However, more complicated claims take longer to process. Those claims might:

  • include complex conditions
  • need further information from medical specialists.

Let us know if your situation changes

For example, if your condition deteriorates, or the delay is causing you financial difficulties, contact us. We may be able to escalate your application for an earlier assessment. 

It is important that you continue to receive treatment from your health provider.

Contact us

How you can reduce your wait time

The most effective step that you can take to shorten the processing time for your claim is to provide all the information that we require when you send in your claim.

This means:

  • having your GP or specialist confirm your diagnosis
  • sending us all the documents or information that you have about your condition.

Tip: Use the checklist on the claim form to see what steps to take and what documents to include.

If we don’t have everything we need to process your claim, we will have to ask you or your GP or specialist for the missing information. This will delay your claim.

Contact us if you’re not sure what documents you need to support your claim.

Contact us

How we prioritise claims

We give claims the greatest urgency when a veteran:

  • has a terminal illness
  • has mental health issues
  • is experiencing financial hardship
  • is applying for income compensation
  • is over 90 years old
  • is applying for a condition that meets the criteria for an ex gratia payment.

Contact us if your health or financial circumstances change significantly while waiting for a decision on your claim.

Contact us

We will make sure that you don't miss out

If your claim is approved, we will backdate any payments to the date we received your completed application. We'll also consider reimbursing you for any reasonable medical costs related to that condition. 

Information about claims

Last Modified: 4 August 2025
Print