For those whose service-connected condition(s) permanently damage clothing, the VA will pay a yearly tax-free stipend to help offset the costs of buying new clothing.
Benefit
Clothing allowances can be paid once or annually.
Click Here to see the current allowance amount.
Eligibility
Veterans who wear or use a prescribed prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, and/or skin medication for a service connected disability that causes:
Excessive wear/tear of clothing; or
Skin medication causes irreparable staining to your outer-garments.
The VA has established the following lists for which equipment and medications fit the above criteria:
For the purposes of this benefit the VA ONLY considers the following clothing:
Blouses;
Pants;
Shirts;
Shorts;
Skirts and similar garments.
The following are explicitly NOT covered:
Hats;
Scarves,
Shoes;
Socks;
Underwear and similar garments.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
You CAN be entitled to multiple clothing allowances! So long as the qualifying appliances wear or tear MORE THAN ONE type of article of clothing AND/OR medications MUST irreparably damage MORE THAN ONE type of clothing or outer-garment.
Veterans who are incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local penal institution for over 60 days AND the institution provides clothing without cost:
Will have their clothing allowance reduced by X/365 for each day they are incarcerated - starting from the 61st day.
Applying
To apply for a clothing allowance, complete the following steps:
Complete VA Form 10-8678.
Submit the form to the VA NO LATER THAN August 1! If you submit the form later then it will be considered next year!
There are several ways to submit the form to the VA:
Online: MyHealtheVet - Submit via the secure messaging feature to your Prosthetic & Sensory aids Service (PSAS).
In-Person: Turn the form in at your Local PSAS.
Fax: USA: 844-531-7818 OUTSIDE USA: 248-524-4260
Mail 1:
ATTN: PSAS Department
Mail 2:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Effective December 29, 2022, once you’ve been granted the benefit once, you do NOT need to reapply (so long as your medications/conditions are unchanged)! If you feel you are entitled to another allowance you can of course file for the new allowance(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, the program is run by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). As such, the your application will NOT come across the desk of a rater!
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4 different allowances in a year.