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GARP Chapter 23: Turning Points Into Dollars, Explained Simply

Points plus lifestyle equals a factor. Factor times the maximum equals your weekly payment. Here is the arithmetic, with a worked example.

Veterans Health Centre · 7 September 2026 · 5 min read

This is where the numbers become money.

How it works

You arrive here with two numbers:

your impairment points (Chapters 1 to 21)
your lifestyle rating, 0 to 7 (Chapter 22)

They meet on a table. Where they cross is a compensation factor — a decimal like 0.155 or 0.377.

Multiply that factor by the maximum weekly amount, and that is your weekly payment.

Two tables, not one

Which table applies depends on your service:

Table 23.1 — warlike and non-warlike service
Table 23.2 — peacetime service

The warlike and non-warlike table pays more for the same points. That difference is deliberate and it is set in the legislation.

If your conditions relate to different types of service, the way that is handled is set out in the Act and in Chapters 25 and 26.

A worked example

Take 35 impairment points with a lifestyle rating of 3, on warlike or non-warlike service.

Compensation factor: 0.377
Maximum weekly amount: $447.39
0.377 × $447.39 = $168.67 per week

That is a payment for life, unless you convert some or all of it to a lump sum. Chapter 24 covers that.

The shaded area

Each table has a shaded band running through it. That band is the lifestyle rating DVA will use if you do not provide one yourself — the minimum consistent with your points.

This is exactly why Chapter 22 matters. Letting the lifestyle rating default puts you on the shaded line. Filling it in honestly can put you above it.

Why small point differences matter so much at the bottom

The factor climbs steeply at the low end. Going from 10 points to 15 points is proportionally a much larger increase than going from 60 to 65.

So for most veterans, the 10 to 30 point range is where accuracy pays the most. A single missed condition or a missed table can be worth a real amount of money per week, for life.

The maximum

The maximum weekly amount is indexed and changes over time. The figure used in the current Guide is $447.39 per week. Check the current figure with DVA before relying on any calculation.

What this means for you

Both numbers matter equally. Points and lifestyle.
Never let the lifestyle rating default to the shaded line.
Check which table applies to your service type.
Accuracy pays most in the 10 to 30 point range.
Confirm the current maximum before you rely on a dollar figure.

Try it

Our free DVA payout calculator uses these two tables. Put in your points, your lifestyle rating and your service type, and it shows the factor and the weekly amount.

It deliberately does not show a lump sum. Those come from actuarial factors that depend on your age, and guessing at them would not help you.

Common questions

Why does warlike service pay more?

That distinction is set in the legislation, not in the medical assessment.

Is the payment taxed?

Permanent impairment compensation under the MRCA is not taxable income. Confirm your own position with DVA or an accountant.

Will my payment go up over time?

The maximum amount is indexed. Your factor only changes if you are reassessed and your rating rises by at least 5 points.

Next in this series

Chapter 24: converting weekly payments to a lump sum.

Want a hand with yours?

If you have a permanent impairment assessment coming up, we do these every week. Call 0429 146 039 or email reception@vhc.org.au.

Dr Thomas Perkins

The expert in veterans’ medicolegal medicine — Expert DVA Doctor.

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Every accepted condition examined face to face

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Dr Thomas Perkins is the founding doctor at the Veterans Health Centre in Ipswich, Queensland, and the leading expert in veterans’ medicolegal work in Australia. He has spent over 13 years working exclusively with current and former Australian Defence Force members — treating conditions, writing reports, and navigating the DVA system alongside them.

With 100,000+ DVA claims submitted and over 2,000 Permanent Impairment Assessments completed, Dr Perkins brings a depth of experience that simply cannot be replicated from a textbook. He understands the Statements of Principles, the GARP tables, the imaging that proves what a physical examination alone cannot — and the difference that a properly written report makes at every level, from initial liability through to the VRB.

Every chart review, every diagnostic assessment, and every impairment rating is personally overseen by Dr Perkins. If you’re looking for a doctor who knows veterans medicine inside and out, you’ve found the right clinic.

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