Child Care Rebate - Australian Government Department of Human Services

Child Care Rebate stopped on 1 July 2018. If you need help with child care fees for approved care from 2 July 2018 you can claim Child Care Subsidy.

You can submit a lump sum claim for Child Care Benefit to be paid Child Care Rebate for care you used before 2 July 2018. You have until 30 June 2019 to submit your claim.

You may be eligible for Child Care Rebate if:

you used a Child Care Benefit approved child care service
you were eligible for Child Care Benefit, even if you earnt too much to receive payment
you met the immunisation requirements, and
you and your partner met the Work, Training, Study test for Child Care Rebate or met an exception

Child Care Rebate isn't income tested.

Work, Training, Study test

There are work, training, or study requirements you and your partner need to have met. This must be met at some time during the week in which you used child care. You and your partner will have met the test if you were:

doing paid work, including self-employment
setting up a business
training or studying
looking for work
doing voluntary work to improve your work skills
on annual leave or long service leave
on sick or other paid leave
on paid or unpaid parental leave, for up to a maximum of 12 months
on self-employment leave, including sick leave
getting Carer Payment
getting Carer Allowance for an adult with disability
providing constant care for a person with disability, or
on carer leave or carer sick leave

You or your partner may have met an exception if either of you:

have disability, which might have included receiving Disability Support Pension
were overseas, or
were in prison

If you met an exception, your partner needed to still meet the test. If your partner met an exception, you must have still satisfied the test.

Your family may have met an exception if:

you or your partner were a grandparent with primary care of your grandchild
you or your partner were facing exceptional circumstances, or
you or your partner were getting Carer Allowance for a child with disability

Payment rates

Child Care Rebate covers 50% of your out of pocket child care expenses. It covers up to an annual limit of $7,613 per child.

Claiming

Check if you're eligible before you start your claim.

Managing

Information you need to know if you received Child Care Rebate throughout the year.

What information relates

We have other payments, services and subjects to help you with Child Care Rebate.

Page last updated: 7 May 2019