DVA
Do you serve or have served in the defence of Australia?
DVA-Funded, In-Home Meal Preparation by iSupportChef
Enjoy fresh, nutritious, and home-cooked meals prepared right in your own kitchen. If you are a veteran or former member of the Australian Defence Force with an accepted service-related injury or condition, you may be eligible for DVA-funded meal preparation through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Household Services program.
At iSupportChef, we take care of everything from custom menu planning and cooking fresh meals from scratch in your home, to a complete kitchen clean-up afterward.
What DVA meal preparation includes
If you need help at home because of an accepted service-related injury or condition, DVA can fund extra domestic support to help you stay independent. Meal preparation is one of the services DVA can fund under Household Services. The hours you receive are set by DVA based on your assessed needs.
When you choose iSupportChef as your provider, you receive:
- Fresh, Customised Meals: Cooked in your home by a professional cook to suit your exact dietary needs, tastes, and clinical goals.
- Direct DVA Billing: We handle the paperwork and invoice DVA directly for your meal preparation, up to the hours and rate in your DVA approval.
- Groceries Are Your Main Cost: We charge DVA’s standard maximum hourly rate, so DVA covers our cooking for all of your approved hours. Your only out-of-pocket cost is your groceries.
- Flexible Grocery Options: Most DVA clients do their own shopping or have groceries delivered, so all of their approved hours go to cooking. If you’d like one of our cooks to shop for you, ask us about adding it as a private top-up.
- Top-Up Options Available: If your DVA-approved hours don’t cover the meal schedule you’d like, you can choose to pay privately for extra hours. These are arranged and invoiced separately from your DVA-funded hours.
- A Clean Kitchen: We clean up the pots, pans, and surfaces before we leave, so you can simply relax and enjoy your food.
Who is eligible for DVA Household Services
Eligibility for DVA Household Services has been simplified under the 1 July 2026 legislative changes. The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) are now closed to new claims. All new claims are assessed under the improved Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA), regardless of when you served.
You may be eligible for DVA-funded meal preparation if you are one of the following:
- VEA Veterans: For the first time, if you have service-related conditions accepted under the VEA, you can now lodge a claim for Household Services compensation under the MRCA.
- DRCA Veterans: If you are already receiving Household Services under the DRCA, your services continue until the renewal date in your determination letter and then move to the MRCA. This gives you access to the higher MRCA weekly limit of $633.47 (from 1 July 2026). If you are already at your DRCA limit and your needs haven’t changed, you can contact DVA to discuss moving to the MRCA early.
- MRCA Veterans: If you are currently receiving Household Services under the MRCA, your approved services continue unchanged. If you also have conditions accepted under the VEA, you can ask DVA to reassess your needs so those conditions are taken into account.
Not eligible for Household Services? Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) is not affected by the 2026 changes and remains open to eligible Gold and White Card holders, including war widows and widowers. Call the VHC assessment agency on 1300 550 450, or see our Aged Care page for other funding options.
Please note: if you are approved for Household Services under the MRCA, you can no longer receive VHC Domestic Assistance or Home and Garden Maintenance, so it’s worth comparing both before you claim.
How to claim DVA Household Services
To access Household Services compensation, you and your GP complete the official DVA claim form (Form D9319).
You can submit the completed form to DVA via:
- Email: Send your form to hhs@dva.gov.au.
- Post: Mail it to GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001.
What happens after you claim
Once your claim is received, DVA will process your request. Here is what to expect:
- Assessment: DVA will confirm your eligibility and may refer you for an Activities of Daily Living assessment to work out what help you need.
- Approval: DVA will send you a determination letter setting out your approved services and weekly funding limit.
- Booking Your Cook: Once approved, you choose your own provider. Simply contact iSupportChef, and we will coordinate directly with you to set up your customised, in-home cooking schedule.
- Tailored Coverage: If your approved hours don’t cover your weekly needs, you can pay privately for extra hours, or ask DVA for a review if your needs change.
Choosing your DVA meal preparation provider
DVA asks veterans to choose a suitable provider: one with an ABN and appropriate insurance, whose staff have completed police, Working with Children and Working with Vulnerable People checks.
iSupportChef meets DVA’s criteria for a suitable household services provider:
- We hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and comprehensive public liability insurance.
- All our cooking staff hold verified Police Checks, Working with Children Checks (WWCC), and Working with Vulnerable People Checks.
- We submit tax invoices directly to DVA through its Provider Upload Page (PUP), so there’s no paperwork for you.
For more information about your eligibility or to speak to DVA, call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).