Family Assistance

Family Assistance sections

The Family Assistance referred to in this section includes:

• Family Tax Benefit Part A
• Family Tax Benefit Part B
• Parenting Payment
• Maternity Immunisation Allowance
• Rent Assistance
• Baby Bonus
• Paid Parental Leave scheme
• Child Care Benefit
• Child Care Rebate
• Double Orphan Pension
• Carer Allowance

To be eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A and Family Tax Benefit Part B you need to meet an income test. There is no assets test for Family Tax Benefit payments. You do not have to meet an income or an assets test to qualify for Carer Allowance or Double Orphan Pension. The rate of Parenting Payment you are paid depends on your circumstances. If you are receiving Family Tax Benefit, you may also receive Rent Assistance.

If you care for a child between 14% and less than 35% of the time you will not be entitled to Family Tax Benefit payments, but you may be eligible to receive Rent Assistance, a Health Care Card, Remote Area Allowance, Child Care Benefit and access to the lower threshold of the Medicare Safety Net.

For more information on these payments, choose the relevant link from the list above or contact your local Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

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Are payment rates adjusted in line with the cost of living?

Your payment rate is usually adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI):

• if you receive Family Tax Benefit Part A, Family Tax Benefit Part B or Baby Bonus, your payment is adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in July each year
• if you receive Parenting Payment or Rent Assistance, your payment is adjusted in March and September each year.

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Family Tax Benefit income test

Entitlement to Family Tax Benefit is based on your actual annual family income for the current financial year. Each financial year you and your partner must report your taxable income to the Family Assistance Office. Your taxable income includes:

• reportable fringe benefits
• reportable superannuation contributions
• total net investment losses
• tax free pensions or benefits
• any foreign income that is not taxable in Australia
• foreign income
• child support paid.

For more information about income assessed by Centrelink, refer to assessable income.

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More information

• phone the Family Assistance Office on 13 6150
• visit a Family Assistance Office located in Medicare offices and Centrelink Customer Service Centre
• view the Family Assistance Office website

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