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
- New Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement - a payment when you start caring for a baby or child that’s recently come into your care.
- 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.
- 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:
Help with the cost of raising children
- Parenting Payment - income support payment while you're the primary carer for a young child.
- Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B - a two part payment that helps with the cost of raising children.
- Double Orphan Pension - help with the cost of caring for an orphaned child.
- Rent Assistance - a regular extra payment if you pay rent and get certain payments from the Australian Government. Read about other rent assistance schemes.
- Single Income Family Supplement - an annual payment of up to $300 to help eligible families.
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 an 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 awards to help with school costs
- support for those living in rural and remote locations
- Scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- 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 - an income support payment if you give constant care to someone who has a severe disability, illness, or an adult who is frail aged
- Carer Allowance - an additional fortnightly payment if you give daily care to someone who has a disability, serious illness, or is frail aged.
- Child Disability Assistance Payment - an automatic yearly payment if you get Carer Allowance for 1 July and looking after a child with a disability or serious illness.
Single parents
As a single parent, you may be able to claim the Parenting Payment.
You may also be eligible for other payments listed on this page, including:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B - a two part payment that helps with the cost of raising children
- Single Income Family Supplement - an annual payment of up to $300 to help eligible families.
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 Australians is provided through schemes and payments offered by Human Services (Centrelink).
If you have an illness or injury and can't work
- Sickness Allowance - an income support payment if you can’t work or study for a while because of illness, injury or disability. 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, injury or disability.
- 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 income support.