Child Care Subsidy (CCS): What you need to know
The Commonwealth Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a means and activity tested subsidy designed to make it easier for families to access affordable childcare.
How the subsidy works
The main components of the CCS are based on activity, family income and type of childcare service and will affect the percentage you are eligible to receive.
The activity test determines how many hours of childcare per fortnight you will receive subsidy for. How much you receive depends on a number of factors, including your family’s income, the age of your child, and the paid and unpaid activities, like your job or volunteer work, your family is involved in.
Additional financial support is available for some families experiencing temporary financial hardship.
Who can get the child care subsidy?
To get the CCS you must:
- care for a child 13 or younger who’s not attending secondary school, unless an exemption applies
- use an approved child care service
- be responsible for paying the child care fees
- meet residency and immunisation requirements
How to estimate your CCS: online calculator
To determine what your CCS might be, you can use the Governments online calculator
How do I claim the CCS?
To receive subsidy payments, you need to register for CCS through your MyGov Centrelink account.
The Services Australia eligibility tool guide can help guide you through the process.
You’ll then receive confirmation from Centrelink informing you of your new CCS percentage and hours of subsidy.
Changes to CSS in July 2023
From 10 July 2023, most families using child care will now get more subsidy. Some families previously not eligible for CCS will be entitled to receiving it.
The changes are as follows:
- The maximum amount of CCS is increasing from 85% to 90%
- Families earning $80,000 or less will get a CCS rate of 90%
- Families earning over $80,000 get a CCS rate that tapers down by 1% point for each $5,000 of family income. This rate reaches 0% for families earning $530,000.
- Families with more than one child aged 5 or under in care can still get a higher rate for their second and younger children.
- Families with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can get at least 36 hours of subsidy per fortnight for each child attending child care.
Tuition fees
For current tuition fees, please contact your local Niño ELA centre.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS): What you need to know
The Commonwealth Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a means and activity tested subsidy designed to make it easier for families to access affordable childcare.
How the subsidy works
The main components of the CCS are based on activity, family income and type of childcare service and will affect the percentage you are eligible to receive.
The activity test determines how many hours of childcare per fortnight you will receive subsidy for. How much you receive depends on a number of factors, including your family’s income, the age of your child, and the paid and unpaid activities, like your job or volunteer work, your family is involved in.
Additional financial support is available for some families experiencing temporary financial hardship.
Who can get the child care subsidy?
To get the CCS you must:
- care for a child 13 or younger who’s not attending secondary school, unless an exemption applies
- use an approved child care service
- be responsible for paying the child care fees
- meet residency and immunisation requirements
How to estimate your CCS: online calculator
To determine what your CCS might be, you can use the Governments online calculator
How do I claim the CCS?
To receive subsidy payments, you need to register for CCS through your MyGov Centrelink account.
The Services Australia eligibility tool guide can help guide you through the process.
You’ll then receive confirmation from Centrelink informing you of your new CCS percentage and hours of subsidy.
Tuition fees
For current tuition fees, please contact your local Niño ELA centre.
Changes to CSS in July 2023
From 10 July 2023, most families using child care will now get more subsidy. Some families previously not eligible for CCS will be entitled to receiving it.
The changes are as follows:
- The family income limit to get CCS is increasing to $530,000
- The maximum amount of CCS is increasing from 85% to 90%
- Families earning $80,000 or less will get a CCS rate of 90%
- Families earning over $80,000 get a CCS rate that tapers down by 1% point for each $5,000 of family income. This rate reaches 0% for families earning $530,000.
- Families earning below $362,408 with more than one child aged 5 or under in care can still get a higher rate for their second and younger children.
- For families with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, you can get at least 36 hours of subsidy per fortnight for each child attending child care.
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