Child Care Subsidy Calculator

From 5 January 2026, the old CCS activity test was replaced by the 3 Day Guarantee. Every CCS-eligible family now receives at least 72 subsidised hours (3 days) per fortnight for each child, regardless of work, study, or any other activity.

This was a major change for families who previously received fewer hours — including stay-at-home parents, those between jobs, and casual workers who could receive as few as 0 or 24 hours under the old rules.

Families can still access 100 hours if both parents each exceed 48 hours of recognised activity per fortnight, or if a valid exemption applies. The change did not affect subsidy percentages — income still determines how much of each hour is subsidised.

Your CCS percentage is based on your combined family Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI), which includes wages, investment income, fringe benefits, and foreign income for all adults in your household.

• Income of $85,279 or less → 90% CCS
• Above $85,279 → rate reduces by 1% for every $5,000 of income
• Income of $535,279 or above → 0% (no CCS)

You give Services Australia an income estimate at the start of the year. Your CCS is based on this estimate and reconciled against your actual ATO tax return at year end. If you earned more than estimated, you may have a debt.

The hourly rate cap is the maximum fee per hour that the government will subsidise. If your centre charges more than the cap, you pay the full difference with no subsidy at all.

For example: if your centre charges $16/hr and the CBDC pre-school cap is $14.63/hr, the government subsidises your CCS% of $14.63. You pay (1 − CCS%) × $14.63 plus the full $1.37/hr gap above the cap.

This is why the fee comparison feature in this calculator is useful — a higher-fee centre can cost significantly more even with the same family income and subsidy percentage.

If you have more than one child aged 5 or under in approved care and your combined income is below $367,563, the second and all younger children receive a higher CCS rate using a separate income schedule. The eldest eligible child always gets the standard rate.

The higher rate starts at 95% for lower incomes and has its own taper. This calculator correctly applies the higher rate to all eligible younger children — not just one additional child — which makes a meaningful difference for families with three or more young children in care.

Recognised activities include: paid work (including casual and self-employment), paid or unpaid leave from paid employment, approved study or training, paid or unpaid volunteering, actively looking for work, and other circumstances approved by Services Australia.

For partnered families, the lower of the two partners' recognised hours determines subsidised hours for all children. Both partners must each exceed 48 hours to unlock 100 subsidised hours per fortnight.

ACCS provides support above the standard CCS for families in specific circumstances. All ACCS types provide 100 subsidised hours per fortnight and require Services Australia approval.

• Transition to Work (TTW): 95% rate for families undertaking approved study or training. Eligibility is activity-based — there is no income ceiling.
• Temporary Financial Hardship (TFH): Up to 100% for families who have experienced a significant unexpected income drop. Covers fees up to 120% of the cap.
• Grandparent (GP): Up to 100% for grandparent principal carers.
• Child Wellbeing (CW): Up to 100% for children at risk. Provider-initiated — families cannot apply directly.

Services Australia withholds a percentage of your CCS as a safeguard against year-end debts. At the end of the financial year, your actual income (from your ATO tax return) is compared to your estimate. If your income was higher than estimated, you may have received too much CCS, creating a debt. The withheld amount partially offsets this.

The default is 5%. You can change it via your Centrelink online account. Higher withholding = lower fortnightly payment but less debt risk. Lower withholding = more money now but higher debt risk if income rises. Withholding does not apply to ACCS payments.

Yes. Children who do not meet Australian immunisation requirements receive 0% CCS unless a valid medical exemption is recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). This calculator does not model immunisation status. If your child is not up to date, the real subsidy may be 0% regardless of income or hours.

Check your child's status on the Australian Immunisation Register ↗

No. All calculations run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you enter — income, fees, children's ages, days in care — is sent to any server or stored in any database. The only data saved to your device is your theme preference (light/dark mode) in browser localStorage, which never leaves your device. See our Privacy Policy.

No. This is a personal estimation tool only. Results are not a formal CCS determination and must not be used as a basis for tax filings, Centrelink applications, legal claims, or financial decisions. Your actual entitlement is determined by Services Australia based on verified income, attendance records, and your individual circumstances.