Travel mileage rate for veterans increases

The travel concession mileage rate paid to eligible veterans will increase by 20 per cent from today, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

“It is important that the mileage rate is reviewed from time to time to ensure that it remains relevant to changes in the cost of travel in private motor vehicles,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“I have recently considered the rate at which the travel concession mileage rate is currently paid and have determined that the rate should be increased.’’

Veterans with 100% War Disablement Pensions are eligible for a travel concession, which entitles them to the reimbursement of the costs associated with qualifying travel within New Zealand for personal or private purposes.

Qualifying travel consists of a one-way journey of 80 kilometres (km) or more or a return journey of 160 kms or more.

The new mileage rate consideration is based on the average of the four flexible running cost per km rates published by the New Zealand Automotive Association for small, compact, medium and large categories of motor vehicle in 2013.

From today the mileage rate will increase to 27.1 cents per km, a 20 per cent increase over the previous rate. The previous travel concession mileage rate of 22.5 cents per km was set in May 2010.

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