Canadian · Veterans benefits
VAC Pain and Suffering Compensation table 2026 & calculator.
Veterans Affairs Canada publishes an exact Schedule 3 rate table for Pain and Suffering Compensation (PSC), by your assessed extent of disability. Enter your VAC assessment to see your real monthly and lump-sum amounts.
PSC pays a tax-free lifetime monthly benefit or a one-time lump sum (your choice) once VAC assesses a service-related illness or injury. The maximum, at 100% extent of disability, is $1,419.82/month or $461,956.71 as a lump sum. Below 100%, the amount comes from a banded table — not a straight percentage of the maximum.
Your assessment
Estimated PSC
Enter your assessed extent of disability and press Calculate.
The published 2026 Schedule 3 table
| Extent of disability | PSC rate | Monthly | Lump sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1% | $14.20 | $4,619.57 |
| 2% | 2% | $28.40 | $9,239.13 |
| 3% | 3% | $42.59 | $13,858.70 |
| 4% | 4% | $56.79 | $18,478.27 |
| 5–7% | 5% | $70.99 | $23,097.84 |
| 8–12% | 10% | $141.98 | $46,195.67 |
| 13–17% | 15% | $212.97 | $69,293.51 |
| 18–22% | 20% | $283.96 | $92,391.34 |
| 23–27% | 25% | $354.96 | $115,489.18 |
| 28–32% | 30% | $425.95 | $138,587.01 |
| 33–37% | 35% | $496.94 | $161,684.85 |
| 38–42% | 40% | $567.93 | $184,782.68 |
| 43–47% | 45% | $638.92 | $207,880.52 |
| 48–52% | 50% | $709.91 | $230,978.36 |
| 53–57% | 55% | $780.90 | $254,076.19 |
| 58–62% | 60% | $851.89 | $277,174.03 |
| 63–67% | 65% | $922.88 | $300,271.86 |
| 68–72% | 70% | $993.87 | $323,369.70 |
| 73–77% | 75% | $1,064.87 | $346,467.53 |
| 78–82% | 80% | $1,135.86 | $369,565.37 |
| 83–87% | 85% | $1,206.85 | $392,663.20 |
| 88–92% | 90% | $1,277.84 | $415,761.04 |
| 93–97% | 95% | $1,348.83 | $438,858.87 |
| 98–100% | 100% | $1,419.82 | $461,956.71 |
Notice the table isn't linear: extents of disability from 43% through 47% all pay the identical 45% rate. VAC bands most assessments into 5-point groups (1–4% are the only single-point bands), so two veterans assessed a few points apart inside the same band receive exactly the same amount.
Worked examples
- Assessed at 45%: falls in the 43–47% band, so the rate is 45%: $638.92/month (about $7,667.04 a year) or $207,880.52 as a lump sum.
- Assessed at 12%: falls in the 8–12% band, so the rate is 10%: $141.98/month or $46,195.67. A veteran assessed at 8% receives the same amounts.
- Band edges matter: 47% pays $638.92/month, but 48% moves up a band to $709.91/month, a difference of $70.99 a month.
Monthly benefit vs. lump sum
Both options pay out the SAME overall entitlement — VAC quotes them as equivalent choices, not a discount for taking the lump sum. You can also split your PSC between the two: some as a lump sum now, the rest as a lifetime monthly benefit. This calculator shows both full-entitlement figures for your assessed band; a partial split is a proportional share of each.
Source, read 29 September 2026: veterans.gc.ca — Rates, linking to the official PSC Schedule 3 rate table PDF, effective 1 January 2026, which also quotes the annual Consumer Price Index indexing rule (section 63.1) that adjusts these amounts every following January 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pain and Suffering Compensation taxable?
No. PSC, like the disability pension it replaced, is a tax-free benefit — it isn't reported as income.
What's the difference between PSC and the old Disability Award?
PSC replaced the Disability Award in April 2019 for the same underlying eligibility (a service-related illness or injury), but added the ongoing monthly-benefit option and a different rate structure. If you received a Disability Award before 2019, this table doesn't apply to your original payment.
What is Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation (APSC)?
APSC is a separate monthly benefit for a severe and permanent service-related disability that creates a barrier to living a full life after service, paid on top of PSC. VAC doesn't publish a simple percentage-based table for APSC the way it does for PSC, so it isn't modelled here.
Do these rates change every year?
Yes. Section 63.1 of the Veterans Well-being Act regulations requires all Schedule 3 amounts to be adjusted every January 1 by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the year ending the previous October 31, rounded up to the next 0.10%. These are the rates effective 1 January 2026.
Estimate only
This tool applies VAC's own published Schedule 3 table to the extent-of-disability percentage you enter. It does not calculate how VAC combines multiple separately-assessed conditions into one overall percentage, and it does not model Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation. Confirm your exact entitlement with Veterans Affairs Canada or your VAC case manager.