How to Claim DVA Compensation for Anxiety (Without a PTSD Diagnosis)

Not every veteran with a service-related mental health condition has PTSD. Many have anxiety disorders that are distinct from PTSD, caused by different stressors, and assessed under a different Statement of Principles. If you experience persistent worry, tension, panic attacks, or social avoidance connected to your service but do not meet PTSD criteria, you can still claim.

Anxiety disorder has its own SoP: No. 101 of 2023 (RH) and No. 102 of 2023 (BoP). And since September 2025, DVA no longer requires a psychiatrist to diagnose anxiety for a compensation claim. Your treating GP or clinical psychologist can now provide the diagnosis.

What DVA means by “anxiety disorder”

• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) — persistent, excessive worry about multiple areas of life for 6+ months. The most commonly claimed.
• Panic disorder — recurrent unexpected panic attacks with persistent concern about future attacks.
• Social anxiety disorder — marked fear about social situations with potential scrutiny.
• Agoraphobia — fear about situations where escape might be difficult.
• Specific phobia — marked fear about a specific object or situation.

The SoP explicitly excludes PTSD, acute stress disorder, and OCD (these have their own SoPs). You can claim both anxiety and PTSD if both are diagnosed.

The 2025 diagnosis policy change

From September 2025, DVA accepts anxiety diagnoses from treating GPs and clinical psychologists, not just psychiatrists. The practitioner must have a current ongoing treating relationship with you. The diagnosis must meet DSM-5 criteria. This removes the psychiatrist bottleneck that delayed many claims.

SoP stressor categories

Category 2 stressors are critical because many veterans develop anxiety not from a single traumatic event but from cumulative service pressure. Workplace dynamics, family separation, transition stress — these are exactly what category 2 captures.

Other factors

• Having a clinically significant mental health disorder within 5 years before onset.
• Having a severe chronic medical condition at onset.
• Persistent pain of 3+ months at onset — direct pathway from accepted musculoskeletal conditions.
• Taking certain drugs associated with anxiety as a side effect.

How anxiety claims differ from PTSD

• The stressor bar is lower. Anxiety can be connected to category 2 stressors (workplace conflict, transition stress). PTSD requires category 1A.
• The diagnosis is more accessible. Since 2025, your GP can diagnose anxiety. PTSD still typically requires a psychiatrist.
• Anxiety and PTSD can coexist. If diagnosed with both, claim both as separate conditions.
• The impairment assessment may differ. Both assessed under GARP M psychiatric system but functional impacts present differently.

Evidence you need

• Diagnosis from treating GP, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist meeting DSM-5 criteria.
• Documentation of the service-related stressor. Be specific about what, when, where, and how it affected you.
• Clinical report linking the stressor to the diagnosis, referencing the SoP stressor category.
• Treatment history showing onset and progression of symptoms.

Common mistakes

• Assuming you need PTSD to claim. You don’t.
• Waiting for a psychiatrist. Your GP can diagnose anxiety since September 2025.
• Not identifying the right stressor category. Category 2 stressors seem “less serious” but are legitimate SoP factors.
• Not claiming anxiety alongside PTSD. If both diagnosed, claim both for combined impairment points.
• Not connecting chronic pain to anxiety. The SoP includes a persistent pain factor — if accepted conditions cause chronic pain contributing to anxiety, that’s a claimable pathway.

Frequently asked questions

Can I claim anxiety without a PTSD diagnosis?

Yes. Anxiety disorder has its own SoP separate from PTSD. You don’t need PTSD to claim for anxiety.

Can my GP diagnose anxiety for a DVA claim?

Yes, since September 2025. Your treating GP must have an ongoing relationship with you and the diagnosis must meet DSM-5 criteria.

What stressors qualify for an anxiety claim?

Three categories. Category 1A (severe trauma), 1B (threats to safety), and 2 (chronic negative events including workplace conflict, transition stress, chronic overwork). Category 2 is the most common pathway for anxiety claims.

Can I claim both anxiety and PTSD?

Yes. Separate conditions, separate SoPs, separate impairment assessments. Claim both if both diagnosed.

Can anxiety be claimed secondary to chronic pain?

Yes. The SoP includes a factor for persistent pain of 3+ months. If accepted musculoskeletal conditions cause chronic pain contributing to anxiety, that’s a direct pathway.

How much compensation for anxiety?

Assessed under the GARP M psychiatric system. Depends on severity and functional impact. Combined with other conditions in your total impairment score.

Is anxiety covered under NLHC?

Yes. With one day of ADF service, you can access fully funded mental health treatment through NLHC without a compensation claim. Covers anxiety, depression, PTSD, and all other mental health conditions.