The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is designed to help all Australian families afford child care.
On this page:
How the Child Care Subsidy works
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is paid directly to child care providers, who in turn charge you a reduced fee.
- Understand eligibility requirements
- Learn about extra help for low and middle-income families
How your income affects your subsidy
The amount of Child Care Subsidy you get depends on your family’s income.
- Estimate your family income
- Explain the annual subsidy cap
- Explain withholding
How your activity level affects your subsidy
The hours of subsidised care you can get per fortnight depends on the hours of recognised activities you do.
- What are recognised activities?
- Learn about exemptions
- Find out about irregular work hours
CCS for children in preschool programs
If you have a child enrolled in a preschool program at Centre Based Day Care you may not have to meet the normal activity test requirements.
Learn more about this exemptionCCS for different types of care
The type of child care service you choose will determine your level of CCS.
- Hourly rate subsidy
- Other factors
- Resources
Estimate your benefit
You can get an estimate of your entitlement.
- Take the test
- Discover benefits for which you may be eligible
- Estimate benefits
How to claim
You apply for the CCS through your myGov or Centrelink online account.
- Set up online account
- What documents you’ll need
- How you’ll be assessed
Gap fees
Parents who receive CCS contribute to child care fees by paying the gap fee. The gap fee is the remainder of the fees after the CCS amount has been applied.
- Information for providers
- Contribution breakdowns
- Extra support for families in bushfire affected areas and for volunteer firefighters
Balancing your CCS
Your CCS is calculated at the end of each financial year by comparing your family's income estimate with your actual adjusted taxable income.
estimate with your actual adjusted taxable income.
- Estimating your family income
- Balancing your subsidy
- What to do when your circumstances change