primary · Services Australia
Up to $88,520
90% / percent
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.7, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
I pay for approved child care · Services Australia
Child Care Subsidy
Subsidy paid to approved child care services. The percentage and hourly cap depend on family income, hours of recognised activity, and the service type.
90% / percent
Hover the amount for four other currencies (live rate).
Who it is for
Families with a child in approved child care who meet the activity test (or an exemption).
A subsidy of approved fees. It is not a cash parenting payment and not private nanny insurance.
ISSA (1 January 2024) — Design (ISSA 2024)
Percentage of an approved hourly fee cap, tapering with family income, with a higher rate for more than one child in care. ISSA’s 2024 income bands (90% up to A$80,000; zero from A$530,000) are below the 2026 booklet (90% up to A$88,520; zero from A$538,520). Keep 2026.
Conditions
- Approved care
- The service must be approved for CCS.
- Activity test
- Hours of subsidised care follow recognised activity, with a higher entitlement for First Nations children and some exemptions.
- Income
- The subsidy percentage tapers with family income. A higher rate can apply for more than one child in care.
Primary source first. A disputed or stale figure stays visible. Hover a rand or dollar figure for four other currencies. W weekly · F fortnightly · M monthly · A annually.
primary · Services Australia
More than $88,520 to below $538,520 — $538,520 or more
0%
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.7, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Up to $146,437
95% / percent
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.8, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
More than $146,437 to below $191,437 — $191,437 to below $270,727
80% / percent
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.8, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
$270,727 to below $360,727 — $360,727 to below $370,727
50% / percent
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.8, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Centre based day care, Hourly rate cap for children below school age
$15.19 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Centre based day care, Hourly rate cap for school aged children
$13.30 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Outside school hours care, Hourly rate cap for children below school age
$15.19 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Outside school hours care, Hourly rate cap for school aged children
$13.30 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Family day care, Hourly rate cap for children below school age
$14.08 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Family day care, Hourly rate cap for school aged children
$14.08 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
In home care (per family), Hourly rate cap for children below school age
$41.31 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
In home care (per family), Hourly rate cap for school aged children
$41.31 / hour
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.9, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
Cross-checks
- agrees A guide to Australian Government payments Rates from co029-2607 (2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19).
- agrees ISSA country profile — Australia ISSA 1 January 2024 structure. Current dollars from the 2026 payments guide.
How to apply
Centrelink families claim, then the service reports attendance.
Methodology
coreau_ss_methodology.centrelink_indexation
Maximum rates from Services Australia. Pensions and most allowances index on 20 March and 20 September. FTB indexes 1 July. Income and assets tests can pay less than the maximum. Current Compass figures are overlaid from the 1 July–19 September 2026 payments guide (co029-2607). Change this row in Core AU and the Compass follows.
- Read the live Services Australia page for that payment.
- Cross-check A guide to Australian Government payments for the current quarter (Core AU job payments_guide_quarterly).
- Do not treat a September-preview blog figure as in force before indexation day.