Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services

Clothing Allowance

Eligibility

Veterans who are rated for a service-connected disability for which he or she uses prosthetic or orthopedic appliances may receive an annual clothing allowance. The allowance is also available to Veterans whose service-connected skin condition requires prescribed skin medication that irreparably damages the Veteran's outer garments.

For the special benefit amount for clothing allowance, see the Special Benefit Allowances Rate Table.

Entitlement

VHA will determine:

• If the Veteran is eligible to apply for the benefit;
  • Must meet certain service-connected disability criteria certified by VBA’s Compensation Service
  • Outlined in 38 CFR 3.810
• Whether the orthopedic appliance / prosthetics;
  • Guide of Orthotic and Prosthetic items that commonly impacts outergarments
• Whether the skin medication for the service connected skin condition causes irreparable staining to the Veterans outergarments;
  • Guide of Skin medications that commonly causes irreparable staining to outergarments
• How many locations and which outergarments are impacted (e.g., shirt, pants, skirt, blouse)

For further clarification, examples of processes and procedures, please refer to VHA Handbook 1173.15

Annual Benefit Amount

For the special benefit amount for clothing allowance, see the Special Benefit Allowances Rate Table.

Clothing Allowance Application

The application for the Annual Clothing Allowance can be downloaded from VA Form 10-8678 Application for Annual Clothing Allowance.

Applying for Benefits

Eligible Veterans are to complete sections 1-11 on the VA Form 10-8678a, Clothing Allowance, application and submit to your local PSAS facility no later than August 1st of the calendar year, using the following options: 

You can submit forms by

1. Delivering the application to your local PSAS department during normal business hours
2. Mailing to your local facility, with ATTN to the PSAS department
3. Faxing the application to the Claims Intake Center: TOLL FREE: 844-531-7818 & 248-524-4260 (Utilized for Foreign Claimants)
4. Submitting the application via MYHEALTHEVET
5. Mailing the application to the Claims Intake Center
   
   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
   CLAIMS INTAKE CENTER
   PO BOX 4444
   JANESVILLE, WI 53547-4444
   
   

Note:  If a Veterans status is static/recurring and receives an annual clothing allowance he or she will continue to receive a recurring automatic payment without having to reapply each year. However, as of August 1, 2012, if the Veterans status is static/recurring and applies or receives more than one clothing allowance, he or she MUST RE-APPLY each year. A Veteran who applies for the first time after August 1, 2012 must APPLY on an annual basis.

Do not attempt to use regular email - you may use MyHealtheVet secure messaging to submit your application.

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