The Victorian Government has established a Victoria Police Death and Disability Benefits Contingency Fund (the Contingency Fund). The Contingency Fund will pay a single lump-sum benefit to eligible former operational Victoria Police members aged 55-59 (inclusive) who have sustained a total and permanent disability (TPD), or to their estate if they pass away whilst enrolled in the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme.
The Contingency Fund is managed by the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS). DJCS works with Emergency Services State Super (ESSSuper) and Victoria Police to administer the Contingency Fund.
Eligibility
An operational Victoria Police member aged 55 to 59 who has terminated service with Victoria Police because they have sustained a disability and can no longer work may be eligible to apply for a payment through the Contingency Fund, in addition to any other benefits they may be entitled to.
If an operational Victoria Police member aged from 55 to 59 (inclusive) passes away and has not reached their maximum benefit multiple under the Emergency Services Defined Benefit Scheme, their estate may also be eligible to make a claim to the Contingency Fund.
The Contingency Fund is open to members in this group who have lodged their claim for a disability benefit and/or terminated service with Victoria Police on or after 1 July 2022.
Disability claims
To apply for a Contingency Fund disability payment, a member must first make a claim to ESSSuper for their disability superannuation benefit and undergo an Independent Medical Evaluation (IME). ESSSuper will then assess the member’s disability claim as per the requirements under the Emergency Services Superannuation Act 1986 (the ESS Act).
It is important to note that due to practitioner availability, there may be delays between when an initial application is made and when an IME can be scheduled.
For more information about the ESSSuper claim process, please visit www.esssuper.com.au (External link) (External link) or contact ESSSuper (External link) (External link).
ESSSuper will identify disability benefit claimants who may be eligible for a further payment from the Contingency Fund. With consent of the applicant, ESSSuper will send eligible member’s details to DJCS, so that DJCS can begin the contingency fund claim process.
DJCS will the calculate the payment the member is entitled to under the Contingency Fund, and work with Victoria Police to administer the payment. The member will not need to contact Victoria Police as part of this process.
Death claims
When an operational member aged 55 to 59 (inclusive) passes away, Victoria Police will seek consent from the executor of their estate, or their next of kin to release the member’s details to DJCS for the Contingency Fund claim.
The executor or next of kin will not need to take any significant action during the claim process.
Once Victoria Police has received the death certificate, DJCS will seek details of the member’s final average salary and maximum multiple status from ESSSuper to assess their eligibility, and if eligible, the member’s payment amount via the Contingency Fund.
Once DJCS calculates the Contingency Fund payment, DJCS will contact the executor or next of kin to confirm the payment details for the estate. DJCS will then work with Victoria Police to administer the payment.
Payment calculation
To determine the payment amount, DJCS considers:
- the member’s final average salary (FAS)
- the member’s age at the time they terminated service with Victoria Police or passed away, and
- how many years there are remaining between the member’s age at the time of passing/termination of service and the preservation age of 60 years.
Payments will be made in a single lump sum, which is equal to 20 per cent of a member’s final average salary per year of service lost between the age they terminated service (or passed away) and age 60.
This means that eligible members will receive a lump sum equal to one year of their salary if they are 55, reducing by 20 per cent each year until age 60. At age 60, the member is not eligible for a payment.
| Member age at death or TPD | Percentage of FAS |
|---|---|
| 55 | 100% |
| 56 | 80% |
| 57 | 60% |
| 58 | 40% |
| 59 | 20% |
Contact
If you would like to know more about the Contingency Fund, or if you have any questions regarding the claim process, please contact the Victoria Police Death and Disability Benefits Contingency Fund at policecontingencyfund@justice.vic.gov.au (External link).