Coming to grips with the different benefits and options available for families can be a little difficult. As your circumstances change, so do the benefits and taxes that apply – and every year the government passes new laws on these payments.
This section offers a basic guide to what’s available. Read ‘Where to learn more’ at the bottom of this page to find out how to get detailed information for your family’s situation.
Overview of payments
Income tested = the amount received (if any) is based on your family’s income or your individual income (what you or your family earn).
Assets tested = the amount received (if any) is based on your family’s assets (what you own). The family home isn’t included, but almost everything else is.
Changes in payment can happen for all the above payments and occurs when:
-
your circumstances change
-
the payment rate changes (usually due to indexation).
| Payment type |
Who is it for? |
Income tested? |
Assets tested? |
|
Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme
|
Families of students under 16 who can’t go to an appropriate government school on a daily basis because of geographic isolation. Types of assistance are:
- Boarding Allowance
- Second Home Allowance
- Distance Education Allowance
- Pensioner Education Supplement.
|
No, with the exception of the additional component of Boarding Allowance |
No, with the exception of the additional component of Boarding Allowance |
|
Baby Bonus
|
Parents of newborn and recently adopted children |
Yes, family income |
No |
|
Carer Allowance
|
People who care for a child with a disability at home |
No |
No |
|
Child Care Benefit
|
All parents |
Yes |
No |
|
Child Care Rebate
|
All parents |
No |
No |
|
Dad and Partner Pay
|
Eligible working dads or partners, including same sex partners |
Yes, individual income |
No |
|
Double Orphan Pension
|
People whose child’s parents or adoptive parents have both died, or one of the child’s parents is dead and the other parent can’t parent at that time. See Centrelink website for other possible eligibilities. |
No |
No |
|
Family Tax Benefit (Part A)
|
All parents |
Yes |
No |
|
Family Tax Benefit (Part B)
|
Single parents and single income families |
Yes |
No |
|
Parental Leave Pay
|
Eligible working parents (usually birth mothers) of newborn or recently adopted children
|
Yes, individual income
|
No |
|
Parenting Payment
|
Low-income parents |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Schoolkids Bonus
|
Families with children undertaking primary or secondary school studies and who are entitled to Family Tax Benefit Part A |
No |
No |
Example of payments
In 2012, a single mother with:
- no income
- no assets
- dependent children
was eligible for
- Child Care Benefit, if using approved or registered care
- Family Tax Benefit (A and B)
- Baby Bonus
- Parenting Payment.
Depending on other circumstances, she might have also been eligible for payments such as Rent Assistance.
Where to learn more
For up-to-date information about your specific situation, contact the Department of Human Services or visit your nearest Centrelink office.
You can’t get Parental Leave Pay and Baby Bonus for the same child. To learn more about Parental Leave Pay and the Baby Bonus, and which one would be best for your family, use the Centrelink Rate Estimator. You can use this to estimate all Centrelink, Family Assistance and Child Care Benefit payments online.
