A War Widow(er) Pension is a compensatory payment to the widow(er) and/or child(ren) of a veteran who died as a result of eligible war or defence service.

A widow(er) can apply for this pension if they were legally married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an Australian veteran immediately before the veteran's death, and have not since remarried or commenced a new de facto relationship. Once on the pension, a recipient of a War Widow(er) Pension can continue to receive the pension if they subsequently remarry or enter into a de facto relationship.

For a child to be eligible for this pension, they must be a natural or adopted child of the veteran, and either under 16 years of age, or under 25 years of age if they are studying on a full time basis.

In certain circumstances, the War Widow(er) Pension will be paid automatically without regard to whether the veteran's death was as a result of eligible war service. This includes where the veteran was an ex-prisoner of war, or was receiving a disability pension at a special rate.

In other circumstances, a person must apply for the War Widow(er) Pension by completing the relevant claim form, which can be done online via MyService. Call 1800 838 372 or visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs website to learn more.

A decision about a War Widow(er) Pension can be reviewed - see Review by the Veterans' Review Board.