Payment rates
Child Care Benefit rates are adjusted on 1 July each year in line with the Consumer Price Index - that is, in line with increases in the costs of living, which means that the rates are different for each new financial year.
Payment rates that appear below for 2011–12 are to be used as a guide only.
Approved care
You can choose to have your Child Care Benefit for approved care paid directly to your child care service to reduce your child care fees, or to claim it as a lump sum at the end of the financial year.
You are limited to 24 hours care per child per week unless you and/or your partner meet the work, training, study test for Child Care Benefit. If you meet the test, or an exception applies, you can get up to 50 hours care per child per week.
The current rate for a non school-age child in up to 50 hours of care per week is $3.78 per hour or $189 per week.
Payment rates for school-age children are 85 per cent of the non school-age rate.
Registered care
You are paid Child Care Benefit for registered care directly when you lodge a claim and provide your child care receipts to the Family Assistance Office.
The current registered care rate for a non school-age child in up to 50 hours of care per week is $0.632 per hour or $31.60 per week.
Payment rates for school-age children are 85 per cent of the non school-age rate.
Payment adjustments and reviews
Your entitlement to Child Care Benefit for approved care is reviewed each year to take into account changes in your circumstances that can occur over the course of the year.
At the end of each financial year your Child Care Benefit payments for approved care are balanced against your actual annual family income (when you and your partner lodge your tax returns). The amount of Child Care Benefit you received through the year will be checked against the amount you should have received. This review can result in a top-up payment, nil adjustment, or an overpayment.
More information
- A guide to Australian Government payments booklet
- Family Assistance Office guide to payments factsheet
- Online estimators
- Child Care Benefit section
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