Everything You Need To Know About Child Care Subsidy
When it comes to childcare, the more you know, the better. Child Care Subsidy helps keep costs down for families and gives you a source of income when you need it most. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about Child Care Subsidy and how to estimate your Child Care Subsidy payment.
The Australian Government provides subsidies to help eligible families with the costs of approved childcare services. This can be a big help to a lot of families. The Child Care Subsidy is a payment made directly to the service that helps you pay for approved child care services. Centrelink (the government agency responsible for social security payments) pays it to your nominated bank account each fortnight.
Eligibility
- You must have an approved Child Care Subsidy income support claim.
- You must use an approved childcare service. This is different from a “registered” service, which means they’re part of the Department of Education and Training’s register of eligible providers (this is free).
Family income
The minimum and maximum income thresholds for the Government’s Child Care Subsidy are updated every financial year.
You and your partner must earn less than $189,390 per year (as of 1 July 2019) to be eligible for a Child Care Subsidy. This is the maximum annual income you can earn before your eligibility is affected by paying more tax or having a lower subsidy rate applied to your fees.
If you earn more than this amount, you may still be eligible for Child Care Subsidy, but at a reduced rate. You can find out how much child care assistance you’re eligible for using the Child Care Subsidy Calculator on our website.
Child Care Subsidy is a payment that helps you with the cost of approved child care, up to 85% of the maximum fee rate. You may also be eligible for other payments if you have children in primary or secondary school or if your child has a disability.
Use an approved childcare service.
You must use an approved service, which the Department of Education and Training has approved. There are more than 13,000 approved services in Australia.
You can use a calculator to work out your Child Care Subsidy eligibility. You can find a Child Care Subsidy Calculator on the Department of Education and Training website or the My Aged Care website.
Use a Child Care Subsidy Calculator
When applying for a subsidy, you can use an online calculator to estimate your Child Care Subsidy payment. Many childcare providers offer this service as well. To find out more information about your provider’s policies, ask them if they have one available and how long it takes to get approved. Alternatively, many online calculators available will give you an idea of what kind of subsidy might be available based on your specific circumstances.
Conclusion
In sum, a child care subsidy is a tool that can give families a chance to stay in the workforce and continue working. It’s also an opportunity for those who want to work more hours or start new jobs but were previously unable because of childcare costs.