Childcare Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy is available to all families who are Australian Residents if the child meets immunization requirements and parents meet eligibility requirements. Entitlement is determined by an activity test which determines the number of hours of subsidized care to which families are entitled.

*Hours of activity per fortnight*	*Maximum number of hours of subsidy per fortnight*
8 hours to 16 hours	36 hours
More than 16 hours to 48 hours	72 hours
More than 48 hours	100 hours

A broad range of activities meet the activity test requirements, including paid work, self-employment, unpaid work in a family business, active job hunting, volunteering, or studying. You can also include reasonable travel time to and from a place of activity to the Centre. In two parent families, both parents must meet the activity test, and subsidy hours are calculated on the lower number where parents have different levels of activity.

There are exemptions for parents who legitimately cannot meet the activity test requirements.

*Exemptions*	*Number of hours of subsidy per fortnight*
Families do not meet activity tests and have low income e.g. combined annual income less than $66,958 2022/2023 year	24 hours
Families do not meet the activity test, the child attends Centre-based service with the appropriate preschool program, and will attend school following year	36 hours

The percentage of subsidy a family receives is based on their estimated combined annual income.

All families wishing to access Child Care Subsidy need to complete an online Child Care Subsidy assessment through their myGov account. Assessment asks families to provide information about their expected combined family income, activity level of parents and types of childcare service being used.

The Additional Child Care Subsidy may be available to help support:

families needing help to support their children’s safety and wellbeing
grandparents on income support who are primary child-carers
families in temporary financial hardship
families moving to work from income support

Families can claim Child Care Subsidy or Additional Child Care Subsidy online by signing into their myGov and completing a Child Care Subsidy claim. If eligible, the Subsidy will be paid directly to the service on families’ behalf and we will reduce the fees owed. This can occur after our service enters families’ enrolment information online, and families confirm their enrolment information through their myGov account. Until Child Care Subsidy details are available, families will need to pay full fees.

Families are entitled to receive Child Care Subsidy for up to 42 days where their child is absent, for example, due to illness, public holidays, and parental leave. Evidence to support these absences is not required. Additional absence days may be available if they meet the situations outlined in the Family Assistance Law and there is evidence to support these.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) rates are adjusted at the start of each financial year based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The following rates will take effect from 12 July 2021:

Combined annual income

The amount of CCS a family can get depends on their combined annual income.

CCS family income thresholds

Up to $70,015

Subsidy 85%

More than $70,015 to below $175,015

Subsidy Decreasing to 50%

$175,015 to below $254,305

Subsidy 50%

$254,305 to below $344,305

Subsidy Decreasing to 20%

$344,305 to below $354,305

Subsidy 20%

$354,305 or more

Subsidy 0%