ccs – Noble Park Early Learning Centre

Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

What is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a government subsidy that offers different levels of financial assistance to help cover the cost of childcare for Australian families. How much you receive depends on your individual circumstances. There is more information below about the CCS, how much you should receive and how to apply.

How much CCS should I receive?

Your CCS is calculated using three components:

Your combined family income
Your level of ‘activity’
Your childcare provider’s hourly rate

Your Combined Family Income

Your Level of Activity

What counts as an activity?

Paid work (including all-time between drop off at the centre and pick up at centre, commute time, lunch breaks etc)
All types of work across all jobs/employers
Authorised leave (e.g. maternity leave, long service leave, annual leave)
Unpaid leave of up to 6 months
Unpaid work in a family business
Time spent setting up a business that has not yet started to operate
Training and study (including additional study outside scheduled hours, holiday and non-class periods)
Work experience/internships (paid or unpaid)
Volunteering
Looking for work (including contacting employers, preparing resumes and letters of application, preparing for and attending job interviews etc)

Exemptions to the ‘Activity Test ’

Your childcare provider hourly rate

How can I get the most out of the CCS?

COVID and your level of Activity

Temporary changes have been made to help families whose activity levels have dropped as a result of COVID-19. From 13 July 2020 to 4 October 2020, impacted families can access up to 100 hours of subsidised childcare, per child, per fortnight. To be eligible, families must have experienced a reduction in their number of hours of recognised activity compared to pre-COVID-19. This is also available for two-parent families – where one or both parents have experienced reduced activity compared to pre-COVID-19. Both parents must still be engaged in at least eight hours of recognised activity per fortnight to be eligible for this additional subsidised care. To access this, you must update your activity levels with Centrelink via your Centrelink online account through myGov or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

Recent updates to the CCS: What You Need to Know

Free childcare under the Government’s ‘Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package’ ended on 12 July. From 13 July 2020, the regular Child Care Subsidy (CCS) returned.

What does this mean for my family?

From 13 July 2020, families again need to pay the ‘gap fee’. The gap fee is the fee payable by you over and above the CCS subsidy amount. It is often referred to as your out-of-pocket cost. NOTE: This excludes families located in areas subject to Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria who choose not to attend care.

What do I need to do now?

Next steps will depend on your individual circumstances.

Already receiving CCS before 6 April 2020? You don’t need to do anything for your subsidy to start again, as long as you have remained eligible and enrolled. Your CCS will have started again automatically on 13 July 2020.
Your circumstances have changed? For example, if your income level or contact information has changed, you should update your details with Centrelink as soon as possible. This can be done through your Centrelink online account through myGov or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
New to childcare? You should put in a claim for CCS as soon as possible. Otherwise, from 13 July 2020, you will need to pay full fees. In addition, claims for CCS can only be backdated for up to 28 days from the day the claim is lodged, so the sooner you act, the better it will be for your back pocket.

Noble Park Early Learning Centre

We are committed to providing the families in the community with high-quality Early Childhood learning and care service.

Your family income	Child Care Subsidy percentage
$0 to $69,390	85%
More than $69,390 to below $174,390	Between 85% and 50% The percentage goes down by 1% for every $3,000 of income your family earns
$174,390 to below $253,680	50%
$253,680 to below $343,680	Between 50% and 20% The percentage goes down by 1% for every $3,000 of income your family earns
$343,680 to below $353,680	20%
$353,680 or more	Nil

Activity level each fortnight	Hours of subsidised care each fortnight
Less than 8 hours	0 hours if you earn above $68,163 24 hours if you earn $68,163 or below
More than 8 to 16 hours	36 hours
More than 16 to 48 hours	72 hours
More than 48 hours	100 hours

Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

What is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

How can I get the most out of the CCS?

COVID and your level of Activity

Noble Park Early Learning Centre

Quick Links

Contact Info

Search In Website