Payment rates
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Payment amount
The maximum amount of Child Care Rebate you may receive per child, per financial year, depends on the year you are eligible for and your out-of-pocket expenses.
Out-of-pocket expenses are total child care fees less your Child Care Benefit entitlement. Child Care Benefit entitlement includes any Jobs, Education and Training Child Care fee assistance that you may be eligible for.
Note: From July 2011 the Child Care Rebate annual cap is $7,500 per child per year
| Financial year | Maximum rebate |
|---|---|
| 2011/12 | $7,500 |
| 2010/11 | $7,941 |
| 2009/10 | $7,778 |
| 2008/09 | $7,500 |
Indexation has been paused which means the maximum rebate amount will remain unchanged until 30 June 2014.
The amount of Child Care Rebate is based on 50 per cent of your out-of-pocket expenses.
Methods of payment
Child Care Rebate is paid either direct to service, direct to customer, quarterly or annually.
Payment of Child Care Rebate is based on the frequency of child care attendance received from your Child Care Service.
Note: the payment method you choose for Child Care Rebate will be applied for the entire financial year. A new payment method cannot be applied until the start of the next financial year.
Fortnightly payments
The direct payment methods will be paid fortnightly and in many cases weekly depending on when the attendance details are lodged.
Direct to Service: You can choose to have Child Care Rebate automatically sent to your Approved Child Care Service. The Child Care Service will reduce your account by the amount of the Child Care Rebate entitlement.
Direct to Customer: Your Child Care Rebate entitlement will be credited to your bank account each time your Approved Child Care Service lodges child care attendance details.
Note: If you choose 'Direct to Service' or 'Direct to Customer' and you are in receipt of Child Care Benefit at a legislative rate of greater than zero per cent, you will have 15 per cent of your Child Care Rebate withheld to reduce your chances of a debt when your entitlement is reconciled after the end of the financial year.
Quarterly payments
Your Child Care Rebate entitlement will be credited to your nominated bank account quarterly. The first quarter commences on the first Monday in July of each financial year and is for a period of 13 weeks. Each quarter thereafter is for a period of 13 weeks. Quarterly payments are paid in October, January and April with the last quarter paid at reconciliation.
When are quarterly payments made?
The Child Care Rebate quarterly periods and the payments timeline for 2011-2012 are:
| Quarter | Child Care Rebate Quarterly Periods (2011-2012) | Child Care Rebate Payment Periods - If parents have not received their payment within a week of the end of the relevant payment period below they may need to contact the Family Assistance Office on 13 6150 (2011-2012) |
|---|---|---|
| One | 4 July 2011 - 2 October 2011 | 19 October 2011 - 2 November 2011 |
| Two | 3 October 2011 - 1 January 2012 | 18 January 2012 - 31 January 2012 |
| Three | 2 January 2012 - 1 April 2012 | 18 April 2012 - 1 May 2012 |
| Four | 2 April 2012 - 1 July 2012 | 23 July 2012 onwards - If tax returns have been lodged for the 2011-2012 financial year with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and attendance information is received from the parent's Child Care Service Provider. |
Annual payments
Your Child Care Rebate will be paid directly to your nominated bank account as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, once your and your partner’s tax return/s have been lodged and your childcare attendance has been received.
If you claim Child Care Benefit for approved care as a lump sum payment, you can only receive your Child Care Rebate as a lump sum. You must lodge your Child Care Benefit for approved care lump sum claim with the Family Assistance Office within 2 years of the end of the financial year for which you are claiming Child Care Benefit. For example, for the 2009/10 financial year you will need to lodge your Child Care Benefit for approved care lump sum claim before 30 June 2012.
Child Care Rebate is paid by direct credit to the account you have nominated.
Note: If you and/or your partner do not need to lodge tax returns, you must tell us.
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Payment adjustments and reviews
After the end of the financial year, your Child Care Rebate may be adjusted when your actual Child Care Rebate entitlement is known.
Your actual Child Care Rebate entitlement will be known when your actual Child Care Benefit for approved care entitlement has been worked out.
Under and overpayments
If your Child Care Benefit for approved care entitlement changes for any reason, your Child Care Rebate will be re-calculated. This may result in an under or overpayment of Child Care Rebate.
More information
On the Family Assistance Office website
- Child Care Rebate payment
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