WAR PENSIONS

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1942, Page 2

WAR PENSIONS

CHANGES IN PROVISIONS.

VETERANS” {ALLOWANCES AFFECTED. P.A WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. The removal of some anomalies in the Social Security and Pensions Emergency Regulations are effected in amendments to those regulations gazetted to-night. The first provides that, where a soldier dies while in receipt of a permanent pension for total disability, the War Pensions Board may at its discretion give the pension to the widow or any dependent children, whether the death of the soldier is due to a war disability or not. The proviso is added, however, in the case of widows receiving pensions, that they must have been married, to the soldier before he was granted the permanent pension in respect to his total disablement. The next alteration states that if a war pensioner dies, and any of his dependents have been in receipt of a pension in respect of him,, the War Pensions Board can continue that pension for twenty-eight days after the pensioner’s death. Another alteration affects war veterans’ allowances. Previously the War Pensions Board had authority to grant at its discretion, an additional amount of a war veteran’s allowance of ss, bringing the total allowance from 25s up to 30s. The same applied to a wife who, instead of receiving 15s, might receive 20s with the authority of the Board. The > new regulations now make the total ; amounts which can be received 30s ' and 20s respectively, thus cutting out | discretionary allowances. A further ! alteration affecting War Veterans’ I allowances is also included. Previously it was held that if an applicant for a War Veteran’s allowance died before his application came before the Board, that body could not make any grant. In the case of a war veteran’s allowance, if the recipient has died and was receiving an allowance for an v dependents, the total amount pay- , able to the veteran and his dependents may now, at th P discretion of the Board, be continued for two years. The new regulations also stipulate that the Board can grant an allowance after a man has died, and if his widow and children are left, any allowance can be continued. A slight modification of the Social Security Act is also provided for. The original Act stated that any person in receipt of an Age Benefit could not. be granted a War Pension as a dependent of a deceased member of the forces. The new regulations give the Social Security Commission authority to increase the Age Benefit bv an amount not exceeding £26 a year, to an v age beneficiary who satisfies the Commission that the beneficiary was the parent of a deceased member of the forces, whose death was attributable to service, as a member of the forces, and the beneficiary was wholly or partially dependent on the member during-the twelve months immediately preceding the date he became a member of the forces. This alteration applies both to the last wav and the present war.