Assistance with child care fees

We offer payments to help with the cost of child care.

Child Care Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy helps families with the cost of approved child care.

We pay this subsidy directly to child care providers to reduce the fees you pay. The amount you may be eligible for depends on:

your family’s income
the hourly rate cap based on the type of child care you use and your child’s age, and
the hours of recognised activities you and your partner do

Additional Child Care Subsidy

Additional Child Care Subsidy gives some families extra help with the cost of approved child care. You must first claim and be eligible for Child Care Subsidy to apply for this additional subsidy. You’ll also need to meet extra criteria. There are 3 different types you can apply for.

Grandparent

This gives eligible grandparents and great-grandparents extra help with child care costs.

Transition to Work

This gives families transitioning to work from certain income support payments extra help with child care costs.

Temporary Financial Hardship

This gives families in temporary financial hardship extra help with child care costs.

Child care payments for care before 2 July 2018

If you used child care throughout the 2017-18 financial year, you may still be eligible for assistance. You’ll be able to do this if you:

didn’t get these payments throughout the 2017-18 financial year
used approved or registered child care, and
met all the other criteria

Approved care

You can claim Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate as a lump sum.

You have until 30 June 2019 to submit your claim for approved child care. Read more about claiming Child Care Benefit for approved care and Child Care Rebate.

Registered care

You can claim Child Care Benefit as a lump sum.

You have 12 months from the date of the care to submit your claim for registered child care. Read more about claiming Child Care Benefit for registered care.

Read more for registered child care providers.