Alzheimer's sufferer Patrick Nicholls faces losing his Disability Support Pension (DSP) when he heads to Gallipoli for the 100 year ANZAC Day commemorations in April, where he is to honour the memory of his father.

According to new pension rules, which came into effect on January 1, the Department of Human Services will cut payments to DSP recipients if they are overseas for more than four weeks in a year.

Before the changes, recipients could travel overseas for up to six weeks at a time, as many times as they liked in any year.

The new rules are aimed at discouraging thousands of pensioners from living overseas and continuing to receive the payment. The measure will save the budget $5 million over the next five years.

Mr Nicholls and his wife were allocated tickets to the Anzac Day centenary ceremony on the Gallipoli peninsula in September last year, and booked a six-week tour before they were aware of the changes to the pension.

The 63-year-old was approved for the pension last July, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in May.

Mr Nicholls was forced to retire from his job as a factory worker in Morayfield, Queensland.

"This is just ridiculous when you can't spend, even if it is six weeks to honour your father," Mr Nicholls told A Current Affair

His father, Samuel Nicholls fought for Australia in both world wars, enlisting in World War I at the age of 24.

Pat Nicholls, 63, faces losing his Disability Support Pension if he embarks on his planned six week Anzac trip. (A Current Affair) (Supplied)

On his six-week tour, Mr Nicholls plans to visit France, England and Belgium where his father served.

"I was lucky my father came home but to be able to go to Gallipoli, go and honour him and go to some of the countries he fought in that war is just my last dream," Mr Nicholls said.

But Social Services Minister Scott Morrison says there are narrow exemptions to the DSP rules.

"You've got to have one rule for everyone if you are going to run a system that is fair," Mr Morrison told A Current Affair

"When you have a generous system of supporting people with a disability... you have strong rules so that it's protected."

Mr Morrison said the department has offered every assistance to Mr Nicholls with his application to be exempt.

Mr Nicholls and his wife say that they will continue on to Gallipoli no matter the conclusion.