The Defence, Veterans’ and Families’ Acute Support Package is short-term, flexible support when a veteran or related person is in, or at risk of, crisis because of new and challenging life circumstances. From 1 July 2026 all new ASP requests are assessed under the MRCA. Existing packages continue until they expire.
Who can get it (plain version)
- Veterans or serving members under 65 on (or eligible for) incapacity payments, SRDP, special/intermediate rate DCP, or Veteran Payment — including some nil-rate incapacity situations with a current medical certificate.
- Some former partners under 65, and a wide class of related persons (partners, parents, children, siblings, people in a parent-like role) who are in crisis connected to the veteran’s wellbeing. Related persons do not always have to live with the veteran.
- Some bereaved partners and bereaved parents, with higher caps, where the death was service-related (including suicide) and was less than two years ago.
What it pays, and the caps
DVA pays providers directly. Typical funded services: help around the home, support for children (childcare, tutoring, sport), short courses or group activities to get someone back into the community, and some counselling for lifestyle or psychosocial issues. For veterans, former partners, or related persons the published maxima are $7,500 in the first 12 months and $5,000 in the second. Bereaved partners/parents have a much higher cap ($27,835 each 12 months over a continuous 24-month period). Extra child amounts apply in the early school years. Check the live DVA page — these figures are as published at 1 July 2026.
What it will not do
- It is not cash in your account. It is not income support and it is not a substitute for incapacity payments.
- It does not pay medical or dental treatment, legal fees, or general cost-of-living pressure.
- “Chronic” hardship with no recent change of circumstances is the usual reason a request stalls. The policy language is about a new or newly impactful situation you did not control, causing a breakdown in how the family functions.
If children are in the house, say so. Per-child needs (education, care, extra-curricular) are exactly what the package is built to fund, but they are not inferred. Name the child, the need, and a provider. If you are later arguing detriment for CDDA, unpaid invoices and a stalled ASP request are the exhibits.