6.1.4.1 Immediate Support payments
6.1.4.1.1 Circumstances where Immediate Support payments may be considered | 6.1.4.1.2 Minimal information requirements | 6.1.4.1.3 Types of Immediate Support payments | 6.1.4.1.4 Transition to a standard death claim
Agents and Self-insurers have discretion to make certain payment/s as a result of a death of a worker immediately following the death if it appears that a person may be entitled to compensation. Payments that may be considered are:
- weekly pension to the partner of the deceased worker (or their court-appointed trustee if applicable) for a period up to 12 consecutive weeks from the worker’s date of death
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medical and other costs up to a maximum amount (indexed annually)
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family counselling costs up to a maximum amount (indexed annually)
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the costs of the deceased worker’s burial or cremation, including repatriation if required, up to the maximum amount applicable to that section, as published by WorkSafe from time to time
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the reasonable travelling and accommodation expenses for immediate family members Family member means a partner, parent, grandparent, sibling or child of the worker or of the worker's partner, in specific circumstances, to attend the deceased worker's burial or cremation, up to a maximum amount (indexed annually).
An application or request for Immediate Support payments does not require an actual claim form.
On or after 5 April 2010
Immediate Support payments can only be considered for deaths that occur on or after 5 April 2010.
Immediate Support payment of reasonable travelling and accommodation expenses for immediate family members can only be considered for claim requests on or after 26 September 2018.
A decision to make an Immediate Support payment is not:
- an admission of liability to pay compensation under the legislation
- to be regarded as payment of compensation under the legislation (unless the claim is subsequently accepted).
An Immediate Support payment decision cannot be referred to the WIC Workplace Injury Commission or a Court for review.
Employer threshold
The employer excess does not apply to Immediate Support payments but an employer is liable to pay the threshold for the other medical and like services (not burial or cremation costs or grief counselling) if liability to pay compensation in respect of the death is subsequently accepted.
Discharge of payment
If an Immediate Support payment has been made and liability to pay compensation is later accepted, then the liability of WorkSafe to pay compensation in the form of weekly pensions to a dependent partner, medical and like costs, family counselling and the costs of the deceased worker’s burial or cremation, including repatriation, shall be discharged to the extent that such payments or costs were paid as a provisional payment.