Imprisonment

Generally, when a Veteran's Pension client is imprisoned or detained in custody, they are no longer entitled to get the Veteran's Pension.

Veterans Pension should stop from the day following the date of imprisonment. However, there is discretion to continue 2 payments following imprisonment.

Further ongoing payments for the period of imprisonment are also discretionary.

MSD must decide whether to suspend or cancel the benefit after considering the likely period in prison and whether the client has a partner and or dependent children.

In some circumstances Veteran's Pension can continue when the client is imprisoned.

If a sole caregiver is remanded in custody and/or sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.

In other situations, if MSD believes any child has been, or is likely to be, harmed (physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, deprived or MSD has concerns about the wellbeing of the child, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.