Help with childcare costs
A Childcare Subsidy can help with the costs of childcare while you’re studying.
General Childcare Subsidy criteria
A Childcare Subsidy can help pay childcare costs for children under 5 (or under 6 if you get a Child Disability Allowance for the child). You may be able to get up to 50 hours a week for each child while you're studying on an approved course. If your partner is able to take care of the child you may only be eligible for 9 hours Childcare Subsidy a week. The child has to attend the childcare or pre-school service at least 3 hours a week.How much you can get depends on your income and how many children you have. The payment is made directly to the childcare or pre-school service.
| Number of Children | If your weekly income before tax is… | Then the Childcare Subsidy per hour, per child from 1 April 2007 is… |
| 1 | Less than $1200.00 | $3.51 |
| $1,200.00 to $1,299.99 | $2.44 | |
| $1,300.00 to $1,399.99 | $1.35 | |
| $1,400.00 or more | nil | |
| 2 | Less than $1,380.00 | $3.51 |
| $1,380.00 to $1,489.99 | $2.44 | |
| $1,490.00 to $1,599.99 | $1.35 | |
| $1,600.00 or more | nil | |
| 3 or more | Less than $1,540.00 | $3.51 |
| $1,540.00 to $1,669.99 | $2.44 | |
| $1,670.00 to $1,799.99 | $1.35 | |
| $1,800.00 or more | nil |
*For the latest income thresholds please go to the Working for Families website
How to get more information
For more details on the Childcare Subsidy, call us on 0800 88 99 00.If your children are 5-13 years old and you have a partner who is working, your partner may be able to get an OSCAR Subsidy to help with before and after school care and care during the school holidays.
For more details on these subsidies call us on 0800 88 99 00.
If you are a parent under 18 years of age and in secondary school, you may be able to get a Young Parent Childcare payment.
For more details call Work and Income on 0800 55 90 09.
Introduction of Free early childhood education
From 1 July 2007 the Goverment will fund the cost of children aged three and four attending early childhood education for up to 20 hours a week. This will be up to six hours a day at any teacher-led early childhood education service offering Free early childhood education (Free ECE), which has a place available for the child.
The childcare subsidy may still be available to support people who need extra hours on top of Free ECE.