Family payments and support
A range of government benefits and payments are available to help families with the costs of bringing up children. This page is a guide to many of those payments.
On this page:
- new parents
- childcare assistance
- help with the cost of raising children
- help with medical costs
- help with education costs
- parents or carers of a child with an illness or disability
- single parents
- rural and remote families
- if you have an illness or injury and can't work
- Special Benefit.
New parents
- Baby Bonus*—a payment of $5000 in 13 fortnightly instalments to help with the costs of a newborn baby or an adopted child younger than 16. From 1 July 2013, the payment will be reduced to $3000 if the child is not your first child.
- Parental Leave Pay—eligible working parents will receive payments for a maximum of 18 weeks to help with the cost of a newborn baby or adopted child. The payments are made to the primary carer of the child. Read more about parental leave.
- Dad and Partner Pay—up to 2 weeks pay may be available if you are caring for a newborn baby or adopted child and you are on unpaid leave or are not working.
Childcare assistance
The following benefits may help to reduce the cost of your childcare fees:
- Child Care Benefit
- Child Care Rebate
- Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care Fee Assistance
- Health Care Card subsidy
- multiple births subsidy.
Help with the cost of raising children
- Parenting Payment—income support for parents or guardians. If you are a single parent, you must care for at least 1 child under 8 to be eligible. If you have a partner, you must care for at least 1 child under 6 to be eligible. The amount you receive is based on your family’s income and assets.
- Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B—Part A is paid for each child, while Part B gives extra help to single parents and families with 1 main income. The amount you receive is based on your family’s income.
- Double Orphan Pension—help with the cost of caring for an orphaned child. No income or asset tests are required.
- Rent Assistance—if you already receive a payment from Human Services (Centrelink), you may also be eligible for help with paying your rent. Read about other rent assistance schemes.
- Single Income Family Supplement—available from 1 July 2013, this payment will help families with 1 primary income earner to meet expenses following the introduction of a carbon price.
Help with medical costs
- Rebates, Medicare and bulk billing—what is covered by Medicare, eligibility and how to make claims, and information about prescription medicines and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
- Payments for people living with illness, injury or disability and their carers.
- Medical costs and dental costs—using the public health system, how it works and eligibility.
- Health Care Card—an Australian Government Health Care Card is often required to access other payments and forms of support. Read about eligibility criteria.
Help with education costs
Financial support may be available to help with the cost of educating your child. This includes:
- scholarships and funding such as the textbook and resource allowance and the Schoolkids Bonus
- support for those living in rural and remote locations
- Indigenous scholarships
- school transport assistance schemes.
Your child may also be eligible for Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.
Parents or carers of a child with an illness or disability
Financial support for parents and carers may include:
- Carer Payment—if you are unable to work because you provide full-time care.
- Carer Allowance—a supplementary payment for parents or carers who provide daily care to a child with a disability or medical condition.
- Child Disability Assistance Payment—an annual payment to people who receive a carer allowance.
Single parents
As a single parent, you may be able to claim the Parenting Payment (paid fortnightly).
You may also be eligible for other payments listed on this page, including:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B—Part A is paid for each child while Part B gives extra help to single parents. The amount you receive is based on your income and assets
- Single Income Family Supplement—available from 1 July 2013, this payment will help families with 1 primary income earner to meet expenses following the introduction of a carbon price.
Find out about parenting plans and child support so that you can make the best arrangements for your child.
Rural and remote families
Assistance for rural and remote families is provided through schemes and payments offered by Human Services (Centrelink).
If you have an illness or injury and can't work
- Sickness Allowance—payments for people who temporarily can’t work or study due to illness or injury. You must have work or study to return to when you are better in order to claim this payment. If you don’t satisfy the eligibility criteria, you may be eligible for Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance. For more information, contact Human Services (Centrelink) on 13 27 17.
- Job in Jeopardy Assistance—this service can help to see what can be done to keep your current job if you at risk of losing it because of illness or injury.
- Payments for people living with illness, injury or disability—read about the payments available if you have a long-term inability to work. Services are also available if you are sick, injured or disabled but would like to find a job.
If you have been away from work because of illness or injury for a total of 3 months or more (either continuously or during a 12 month period), your employer may be within their rights to review your employment. Contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for more information and to discuss your situation.
If you have lost your job or income, you can read about other forms of financial help and cost of living support.
Special Benefit
Special Benefit payments may be available if you are in severe financial hardship and cannot receive any other pension or payment.
