Maternity Immunisation Allowance

You may be eligible for Maternity Immunisation Allowance if your child was stillborn or died before 1 July 2012. You must claim on or before your child's fifth birthday or within two years of the child's death (whichever is later) and before 1 July 2013.

For a child who was born in Australia, Maternity Immunisation Allowance may be paid if your child was either between 18 months and under two years old on 30 June 2012, or between 4 years and under 5 years old on 30 June 2012.

Read more about age requirements

In order to be paid Maternity Immunisation Allowance your child must have been fully immunised or on a recognised immunisation catch up schedule, or had an approved exemption by 30 June 2012.

If you have a conscientious objection to immunisation or if there are medical reasons why your child should not be immunised you may get an exemption. You need to provide us with one of the following from your immunisation provider or doctor:

• a Medical Contraindication form
• a Conscientious Objection form, or
• a letter explaining why the exemption is necessary

The evidence for your exemption will need to have been signed and dated on or before 30 June 2012.

In order to be paid Maternity Immunisation Allowance you must meet the age and immunisation requirements, and

• have been eligible for Family Tax Benefit for the child on 30 June 2012 (disregarding the Family Tax Benefit income test) and
• have had care of your child for at least 35% of the time on 30 June 2012 and
• You and your child will both need to have met residence requirements on 30 June 2012

There is no income or asset test for Maternity Immunisation Allowance.

If you have a child adopted from overseas, you may be eligible for Maternity Immunisation Allowance if:

• you make a claim before 30 June 2013 as well as on or before your child's fifth birthday or within two years of the child's arriving in Australia (whichever is later) and met all the following eligibility requirements before 1 July 2012

Eligibility requirements for a child adopted from overseas:

• your child arrived in Australia before their 16th birthday and
• you were eligible for Family Tax Benefit for the child (disregarding the Family Tax Benefit income test, the child income test, and the child-disqualifying payments) and
• you had care of your child for 35 per cent of the time or more and
• you met the residence requirements and
• your child entered Australia on or before their third birthday and your child met the immunisation requirements (between 18 months and four years old for the first amount, and between four and five years old for the second amount) or
• your child entered Australia after his or her third birthday and met the immunisation requirements between 18 to 24 months after he or she arrived in Australia.

Maternity Immunisation Allowance was a non-taxable payment that was generally paid in two separate amounts.

These payment rates were effective from 20 March 2012.

Maternity Immunisation Allowance was a non-taxable payment that was generally paid in two separate amounts of $129 each:

• The first amount was paid for children who meet the immunisation requirements between 18 and 24 months of age.
• The second amount was paid for children who meet the immunisation requirements between four and five years of age.

Note: Different rules apply for children adopted from overseas.

Income and assets tests

To qualify for Maternity Immunisation Allowance, you don’t have to meet income or assets tests.

You may also want to check your eligibility for other payments and benefits, such as:

• Baby Bonus
• Child Care Benefit
• Family Tax Benefit Part A and B
• Health Care Card
• Parenting Payment
• Rent Assistance

If you’re eligible for this payment you can apply using the Claim for Maternity Immunisation Allowance (FA009) form. You can print the form from our website, call us on 136 150 to request one, or visit us at your nearest DHS Service Centre.

Read more about claiming