Client or partner in prison

There is discretion to continue payments to Veteran's Pension for clients in prison, for 2 instalments following imprisonment.

There is further discretion to continue payments beyond the initial 2 instalments where the Ministry of Social Development can pay all or part of the Veteran's Pension to:

• the partner of the person in prison, on remand or an escapee or
• any person responsible for the spouse or partner or any dependent children of the person in prison or
• to the client in prison, or on remand beyond the 2 instalments that have already been paid

A decision on making payment beyond the date of imprisonment must consider the couples’ full circumstances.

When a client is imprisoned and has a grandparented non qualified partner included in their Veteran's Pension, the Veterans Pension will generally need to be cancelled from the day following imprisonment to enable the partner to get a benefit in their own right.

However, there is discretion to continue payment of the client's Veterans Pension beyond the date of imprisonment.

Note if the grandparented non-qualified partner rate ends, the qualifying partner cannot get it again.

When a client is imprisoned and has a partner who qualifies for Veterans Pension in their own right, the client's Veterans Pension will generally be stopped from the day following imprisonment.

However, there is discretion to continue payment of the client's Veterans Pension beyond the date of imprisonment.