Parent or guardian

Online services for families

Centrelink has a range of online services available for families. Save yourself some time and go online to do things like:

• Claim approved Child Care Benefit online
• Pay bills online
• Update your family income estimate online

Make sure you are registered for online services first.

Online services demonstrations

Want to know how easy it is to use Centrelink's online services?

Try out the new online services demonstrations. You'll quickly discover how you can save yourself time.

The Parent Pack

The Parent Pack is a resource kit developed by the Australian Government for you as a new parent. It provides you with information about the family assistance that may be available to you.

Grandparents or guardians (or relatives) who care for children

If you are a grandparent or relative caring for children, and are unsure of what you may be entitled to, refer to grandparents and relatives caring for children.

Owing money to Centrelink or the Family Assistance Office

Centrelink manages the recovery of amounts owed to the Family Assistance Office.

Hot topics for parents or guardians

Other important topics for parents or guardians include:

• Child Care Estimator
• Family Tax Benefit and your tax return
• National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care
• New requirements for Family Tax Benefit children aged 16–20
• Accommodation, renting and homeless issues
• Household Stimulus Package
• Centrelink recognises same-sex relationships from 1 July 2009
• Child care information
• Emergency assistance
• Training Supplement

Direct bill-paying service

Centrepay is a free direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving payments from Centrelink.

Through Centrepay you can choose to pay bills by having a regular amount deducted from your Centrelink payment.

Contact Centrelink

You can contact Centrelink in lots of ways:

• Message us
• Phone us
• Visit us
• Write to us

For all Centrelink contact information, refer to contact us.

Useful links for parents or guardians

To find other resources on the web for parents and guardians, refer to useful website links.

Parent or guardian payments

Centrelink can support parents or guardians with a range of payments:

• Payments if you are having a baby
• Payments to help you raise children
• Payments while you are studying or training
• Payments while your child is ill, injured or has a disability

Changes to family assistance payments

To learn more about these payment and policy changes, refer to changes to family assistance payments.

Payment choices for families

If you are at risk of being overpaid your Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Benefit, there are payment choices available to help you.

All payment choices available are designed to suit varying family circumstances to reduce the potential of being overpaid.

Support for families and guardians

Centrelink can support parents or guardians with a range of services and programs:

• Child Support Agency
• Family Assistance
• Personal/family counselling
• Special Disability Trusts

For more information, refer to services and programs for parents and guardians.

Publications

Listed below are publications you may find useful:

• Are you a parent or guardian booklet
• Changes to the definition of income could affect your payment factsheet
• Child Care Rebate factsheet
• Family Tax Benefit and your tax return factsheet
• Parenting Payment rates factsheet

For more information, view publications for parents and guardians.

Forms

Listed below are claim forms you may find useful:

• Baby Bonus
• Child Care Benefit
• Family Tax Benefit
• Parenting Payment

For more information, view claim forms for parents and guardians.

Education Tax Refund

The Australian Government's new Education Tax Refund will help eligible families and independent students with the cost of primary and secondary education.

Find out more from the Education Tax Refund website.

Avoid a Centrelink debt

Avoid a debt by letting us know when your situation changes.

Centrelink's here to help, but there are lots of things that can affect your payment.