Invalidity retirement

Invalidity retirement benefits are payable if you retire from the workforce because of a permanent medical condition that is likely to stop you from working again.

Find out more in our Product Disclosure Statement.

Find out about Partial invalidity.

Are you entitled to full cover benefits?

A Benefit Classification Certificate (BCC) lists any pre-existing medical condition that might affect your ability to work to retirement. If this applies to you, you would have received a BCC following your medical examination when you first joined the CSS.

If you have a BCC and the medical reason for a claim for invalidity or death benefits is related to a condition on your BCC, you or your dependants may not be eligible to receive full invalidity or death benefits. In some cases the benefit is a lump sum only with no pension options.

The BCC will no longer apply if you have 20 years or more CSS contributory membership.

Revoking your BCC

If you have medical proof that you are in good health, you can ask ARIA to consider revoking your BCC or reconsider the decision to issue the certificate.

If you would like to discuss this, please phone us on 1300 000 277.

Non-disclosure of medical information

When ARIA considers an application for invalidity retirement they look to see if the cause is related to a condition on a BCC; whether you failed to provide information; or provided false or misleading information on a medical condition that has since led to your application.

If you have not been a contributing member for 20 years, a BCC can be issued retrospectively. If this happens, your benefit will be calculated according to the time you have contributed.

Benefit choices

Generally, if you do not have a BCC the following invalidity benefit choices are available:

CPI-indexed pension and lump sum

You can take a CPI-indexed pension and a non-indexed pension and also receive your productivity component as a lump sum.

CPI-indexed pension and lump sum

You can take a CPI-indexed pension and lump sum of your member and productivity components.

Any accrued Surcharge debt you may have is recovered when you benefit is paid.

Invalidity retirement process

Before you can apply for an invalidity benefit you need to be examined by a doctor from Health Services Australia (HSA). Your personnel section can make an appointment for you and will give you the form you need to take.

All the relevant documents, including any from your specialists or GP, are then sent to an independent panel of experts for assessment.

Cases are usually decided within one to two weeks, but if you are terminally ill, your application will be treated as a priority.

You cannot formally retire until your employer receives a certificate from the Trustees stating you are entitled to invalidity retirement benefits.

Pre-assessment payments

While you are waiting for a decision to be made you may be entitled to pre-assessment payments if:

You need to submit a report from HSA or another approved doctor, along with any other evidence, that your condition means it is likely you are, or will become, unable to work.

Pre-assessment payments will not affect any final invalidity benefit you might receive. But if the payment periods overlap, a correction will be made so that you are only paid once.

Review of invalidity pensioners

After taking invalidity retirement you may be reassessed to see if you are well enough to return to work. Such reviews are common until you turn 65 and may involve an assessment of your condition and any income you have earned.

It is important you comply with these reviews because your invalidity pension may be suspended if you don’t.

Return to work

If you successfully complete a rehabilitation program or, after taking an invalidity pension, are assessed as being well enough to return to work, you will be offered a government position. Your invalidity pension may be cancelled if you refuse or fail to accept the offer within 14 days.

If you then retire on medical grounds a second time, or die before reaching your maximum retirement age, a further benefit may be payable.

Adjustments to pensions

There are two main reasons your invalidity pension might be adjusted:

Your pension may also be affected if you are re-employed by the Australian Government or an Australian Government Authority, or if you take up a Statutory Office.

More information