Eligible young person (EYP) payment: the section 80 lump sum

Section 80 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) provides an additional lump sum for veterans who are severely impaired because of service and who have dependants who are eligible young persons (EYPs). DVA calls it the "additional payment for severe impairment". On its rates page it's the "additional payment for severely impaired veterans with eligible dependants".

• It's tax-free and paid as a lump sum.
• It's paid once per young person. It isn't paid again for the same young person later, even if your impairment goes up.
• It sits on top of your permanent impairment (PI) compensation. It isn't a separate weekly payment.

Amount: $115,175.42 for each eligible young person (rate current from 20 September 2026 to 31 December 2026; it's indexed). DVA uses the rate that applies on the date it decides the section 80 payment is payable.

Source: CLIK – 5.12 Additional payment for severe impairment; DVA – Compensation payment rates for MRCA; DVA – Permanent impairment payments under the MRCA

Section 80 is only considered once DVA has assessed your impairment at 80 or more impairment points under the MRCA. For most veterans it comes up during the PI assessment after your conditions are accepted.

• Claims for compensation made from 1 July 2026: the old requirement that you be "paid, or entitled to be paid" PI compensation was removed. The 80-point assessment is the key test.
• Claims made before 1 July 2026 (even if decided after): you must have been paid, or be entitled to be paid, MRCA PI as well as reaching 80 points, and the old rules apply.

Section 80 is triggered by the veteran's claim and impairment assessment. A former partner or other carer usually can't claim it on their own. DVA contacts other possible carers once the veteran reaches 80 points.

Source: CLIK – 5.12 Additional payment for severe impairment; CLIK – 5.12.1 Eligibility; CLIK – 5.12.7 Changes from 1 July 2026; CLIK – 5.12.7.3 New threshold tests

The MRCA (section 5) defines an eligible young person as someone who is:

• under 16; or
• 16 or older but under 25, receiving full-time education at a school, college, university or other educational institution, and not working full time (as an employee or on their own account).

For section 80 they must also be your dependant at the relevant date (next section). They must also have been born or conceived, or adopted (or adoption proceedings started), on or before that date. A child conceived before the relevant date and born alive afterwards counts.

Points from DVA's policy

• It isn't only your biological children. A dependant can be any "related person": stepchildren, your partner's children, foster children (someone you stand in the position of a parent to), grandchildren, siblings and half-siblings, and even a partner.
• A partner under 25 who is studying full time, not working full time and partly dependent on you can be an eligible young person.
• Apprenticeships: a full-time apprenticeship is generally treated as full-time study, not full-time work.
• Disability or neurodivergence: if a young person can only manage a part-time load because of a condition, DVA can treat that as full-time education at their capacity, with medical and enrolment evidence.

The MRCA is beneficial legislation: DVA's policy says an interpretation that favours granting the benefit will likely be preferred.

Source: MRCA s5 – definitions; MRCA s15 – dependant and related person; CLIK – 5.12.4 Eligible young person

The young person must be wholly or partly dependent on you for economic support at the relevant date, or would be if not for your service-related incapacity.

• Lives with you: an eligible young person who lives with you is automatically treated as wholly dependent.
• Doesn't live with you: you need to show you were providing more than a token share of their economic support around the relevant date. Paying child support is likely to confirm it. Regular payments towards food, clothing or school costs, including under a private agreement, can count.
• Gifts and outings aren't enough. DVA's examples show occasional presents, movies or meals out don't establish dependency.
• The date matters. DVA looks at support on or around the relevant date, not years before or after.

Source: CLIK – 5.12.3 Dependant; MRCA s15

Everything (age, study, dependency) is tested at one point in time, the relevant date. It's the later of:

• the date your impairment reached at least 80 impairment points; or
• if one condition took you to 80 points, the date you lodged the liability claim for it; or
• if more than one condition took you to 80 points, the date you lodged the most recent liability claim for one of them.

Previously VEA/DRCA-only veterans who qualify through the 5-point worsening test (no new MRCA condition): the relevant date is the later of the date you reached 80 points and the date the 5-point increase happened.

Source: CLIK – 5.12.2 Finding the relevant date; CLIK – 5.12.7.4 New relevant date

For claims for compensation made from 1 July 2026, a new section 80A and the Payment of Additional Amount Instrument 2026 direct the lump sum to the person or people with primary care of the eligible young person. "Care" means regular, ongoing unpaid care plus economic care. Occasional care, such as one day a month, doesn't count.

• You can't ask DVA to pay it all to you if someone else shares care. The rules decide the split.
• If you give no economic support to the young person, they aren't your dependant and no section 80 payment is made at all.
• Claims made before 1 July 2026: the veteran gets the whole amount. If it's already been paid, nobody else can claim a share later.

Source: CLIK – 5.12.7.1 New recipient arrangements; CLIK – 5.12.7.2 Recipients and amounts; DVA – PI under the MRCA

1. There's usually no separate form. Section 80 is considered during your MRCA permanent impairment assessment once you reach 80 points. See Permanent impairment.
2. Tell your claims assessor about your dependants and give evidence such as birth certificates and proof that they were economically dependent on you at the relevant date.
3. For shared care, give DVA any court orders, parenting plan or a care statement signed by both carers. Without one, the 50/50 split applies.
4. Call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) if you aren't sure whether DVA has considered it.

Evidence that helps

• Birth, adoption or guardianship papers, or a foster care letter.
• Enrolment letters for anyone aged 16–24 (school, TAFE, uni or apprenticeship), showing full-time study at the relevant date.
• Bank statements, child support records or receipts around the relevant date, if the young person didn't live with you.
• Medical and capacity evidence if a young person studies part time because of a condition.

Source: DVA – PI under the MRCA; CLIK – 5.12.3 Dependant

• Education Scheme (MRCAETS): children who are eligible young persons and dependants of a veteran with 80+ MRCA impairment points (or SRDP or the Additional Disablement Amount) may get education allowances, tutoring and more. See Family & kids and DVA's Education Scheme page.
• If a veteran dies because of service: eligible young persons who were dependants can get separate death compensation: currently a $115,175.42 lump sum plus $191.56 a week. That's a different payment from section 80. See DVA's MRCA rates and talk to an advocate.
• Family in crisis? The Acute Support Package may fund childcare, home help and counselling.
• Financial advice: DVA can pay up to $3,397.18 towards financial and legal advice about MRCA PI lump sum choices.

Source: DVA – Education Scheme; DVA – MRCA rates

A section 80 decision is an MRCA compensation decision, so review rights may be available. Examples include who counted as a dependant, the relevant date, or how the payment was split. Your decision letter explains your options and time limits. See Reviews & appeals, and ask a free advocate for help.

• Don't assume it's automatic. If you've been assessed at 80+ points and had young dependants, check your PI decision letter mentions section 80. If not, ask.
• Think beyond your own kids. Stepchildren, foster children, a younger sibling you support, or a partner under 25 in full-time study may count.
• Gather proof for the relevant date, not today. Old enrolment letters and bank statements from that time are what matter.
• Separated? A written care arrangement signed by both parents decides the split. Without one, it's 50/50 by default.
• Get advice before lodging new claims if a child is close to 16 or finishing study. The relevant date can depend on when your last liability claim was lodged.

General guidance only. DVA decides each claim on its own facts. Check the official pages linked above.

• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12 Additional payment for severe impairment
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.1 Eligibility for additional compensation
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.2 Finding the relevant date
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.3 Dependant
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.4 Eligible young person
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.7 Changes to section 80 from 1 July 2026
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.7.1 New recipient arrangements
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.7.2 Identifying eligible recipients and amounts
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.7.3 New threshold tests (VEA/DRCA)
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• clik.dva.gov.auCLIK – 5.12.7.4 New relevant date (VEA/DRCA)
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• dva.gov.auDVA – Permanent impairment payments under the MRCA
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• dva.gov.auDVA – Compensation payment rates for MRCA
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• dva.gov.auDVA – Education Scheme (MRCAETS)
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• dva.gov.auDVA – MRCA veterans and dependants (reform)
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• austlii.edu.auMRCA s5 (AustLII)
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• austlii.edu.auMRCA s15 (AustLII)
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• legislation.gov.auMilitary Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004
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All links opened and checked 2026-10-09.