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What is Rent Allowance and who can apply
Rent Allowance (RA) subsidises the cost of renting a property in the private rental market.
RA is available to ADF members who are eligible as per the requirements in Chapter 7 of the Defence Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN).
You should read the PACMAN guidelines and confirm if you're eligible for RA before you commit to a rental property.
How Rent Allowance is calculated
See how Rent Allowance is calculated.
You can use the RA Calculator in Online Services to determine what RA you may be eligible for.
Apply for Rent Allowance
If you're eligible, you'll need to apply for a private rental property. Please note that a rental ceiling will be applied based on your posting location.
Once you have been approved to lease the property, apply for RA in Online Services and follow the prompts to submit documentation that supports your application.
If you're approved for Rent Allowance
If you are approved for RA, Defence will pay you a fortnightly allowance to cover a portion of your rent. You are responsible for paying rent to your landlord or agent
If your situation changes
If your situation changes, or if you plan to move out, you must tell us. This applies even if you want to move to another rental property in the same location
Each year, you must participate in an RA review. If you don’t, we may suspend your payments until you do.
If you post to a new location
If you’re posting to a new location and are a member with dependants (MWD), you should consider a Service Residence. Service Residences are available for members whose dependants are recognised whilst they are in location (RA tenancies).
For more information, view the Guide to Service Residence benefits.
You can also call Toll on 1800 819 167 to discuss your removal benefit.