Child Care Subsidy
What is the Child Care Subsidy? The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that Australian families are able to access affordable, flexible and high quality child care. The Government provides a number of subsidies and programs to help with the cost of child care, with the Child Care Subsidy being the main type of assistance that most families will use.
What are the eligibility requirements?
To be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy the following requirements must be met:
the child must
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be a ‘Family Tax Benefit child’ or ‘regular care child’ and
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be 13 or under and not attending secondary school and
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meet immunisation requirements
the person claiming the Child Care Subsidy, or their partner, must
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meet residency requirements and
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be liable to pay for care provided under a Complying Written Arrangement (their written agreement) with their child care provider
Child care must be provided by an approved provider in Australia and not be part of a compulsory education program, for example school. There are exemptions for individuals who genuinely cannot meet some eligibility requirements.
How much is a family entitled to?
The level of subsidy a family receives will depend on three factors:
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Income – a family’s (both partners) combined income
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Activity test – what activities the individual and their partner undertake or exemptions that might apply and · Service type – the type of approved child care service used, for example Centre Based Day Care.
Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to providers to reduce the fees you pay.
The amount you get depends on your family’s income, the type of child care you use, the age of your child and the hours you and your partner work and other activities that improve your skills
Additional Child Care Subsidy is extra support for some families. This includes grandparents and great grandparents, families moving from an income support payment to work and those experiencing temporary financial hardship.
You can claim these subsidies through your Centrelink online account through myGov.
To find out more read
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