Child Care Subsidy Calculator FAQs

Can I use this CCS calculator if I DON'T meet the Activity Test Requirements?

No! Please DO NOT use this Child Care Subsidy calculator if you DON'T meet the Child Care Subsidy Activity Test Requirements.

Do you have an Excel version of this CCS calculator?

Yes! You can download the free CCS calculator in Excel from this link.

Is this CCS calculator secure?

Yes! Your information is protected with our SSL certificate.

Do you have a CCS calculator for In Home Care?

Yes! You can use the online In Home Care Child Care Subsidy Calculator.

Can you provide some examples of how the CCS is calculated?

Let's have a look at the following examples. Please note that all the examples here assume that 0% of the weekly Child Care Subsidy entitlement will be withheld by the Australian Government unitl the end-of-year reconciliation after the end of each financial year.

Example 1:
Family A meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 85% up to 50 hours per week. The long day care centre charges Family A $130 per day for a 10-hour long day care session for their below school age child.

Example 1 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $130 / 10 = $13.00
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $13.00 x 85% = $11.05
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $14.29 x 85% = $12.15
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $11.05
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $11.05 x 10 x 5 = $552.05
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $130 x 5 - $552.05 = $97.50

Example 2:
Family B meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 85% up to 50 hours per week. The long day care centre charges Family B $160 per day for a 10-hour long day care session for their below school age child.

Example 2 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $160 / 10 = $16.00
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $16.00 x 85% = $13.60
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $14.29 x 85% = $12.15
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $12.15
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $12.15 x 10 x 5 = $607.50
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $160 x 5 - $607.50 = $192.50

Example 3:
Family C meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 85% up to 50 hours per week. The family day care charges Family C $120 per day for a 10-hour long day care session for their below school age child.

Example 3 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $120 / 10 = $12.00
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $12.00 x 85% = $10.20
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $13.24 x 85% = $11.25
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $10.20
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $10.20 x 10 x 5 = $510.00
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $120 x 5 - $510.00 = $90.00

Example 4:
Family D meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 50% up to 50 hours per week. The long day care centre charges Family D $160 per day for a 10-hour long day care session for their below school age child.

Example 4 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $160 / 10 = $16.00
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $16 x 50% = $8.00
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $14.29 x 50% = $7.15
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $7.15
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $7.15 x 10 x 5 = $357.50
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $160 x 5 - $357.50 = $442.50

Example 5:
Family E meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 50% up to 50 hours per week. The long day care centre charges Family E $130 per day for a 10-hour long day care session for their below school age child. The child is enrolled for 50 weeks' care.

Example 5 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $130 / 10 = $13.00
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $13.00 x 50% = $6.50
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $14.29 x 50% = $7.15
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $6.50
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $6.50 x 10 x 5 = $325.00
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $130 x 5 - $325.00 = $325.00

Example 6:
Family F meets the activity test and is entitled to a subsidy of 85% up to 50 hours per week. The long day care centre charges Family F $160 per day for a 12-hour long day care session for their below school age child.

Example 6 Calculation:
Step 1 Work out hourly fee = $160 / 12 = $13.33
Step 2 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee = $13.33 x 85% = $11.33
Step 3 Work out the hourly subsidy based on the hourly fee cap = $14.29 x 85% = $12.15
Step 4 Compare the results from Step 2 and Step 3 and use the less one as the actual hourly subsidy = $11.33
Step 5 Work out the weekly subsidy = $11.33 x 10 x 5 = $566.50
Step 6 Work out the weekly out-of-pocket cost = $160 x 5 - $566.50 = $233.50

How does this Child Care Subsidy Calculator estimate the Child Care Subsidy Percentage?

The Child Care Subsidy Calculator estimates your Child Care Subsidy Percentage based on the Child Care Subsidy Percentage & Combined Family Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI) table (as shown below) published by the Australian Government.

For FY24 families earning $83,280 or less will receive a subsidy of 90 per cent of the actual fee charged (up to 90 per cent of an hourly fee cap). For family incomes above $83,280, the subsidy tapers down by 1 per cent for each $5000 of family income to 0 per cent when family income reaches $533,280. For families with incomes of $533,280 or more, the subsidy is zero per cent.

Standard CCS Rates FY24

Combined Family Income	Subsidy per cent of the actual fee charged (up to relevant percentage of the hourly fee cap)
Up to $83,280	90%
More than $83,280 to below $533,280	Decreasing from 90% The percentage decreases by 1% for every $5,000 of income a family earns
$533,280 or more	0%

From 8 July 2024, the higher subsidy for the second and any younger children aged 5 or under is calculated using the table below. The higher subsidy for second and younger children will end when a family earns $365,611 or more.

Higher CCS Rates FY24

Combined Family Income	Subsidy per cent of the actual fee charged (up to relevant percentage of the hourly fee cap)
Up to $141,321	95%
More than $141,321 to below $186,321	Decreasing from 95% The percentage decreases by 1% for every $3,000 of income a family earns
$186,321 to below $265,611	80%
$265,611 to below $355,611	Decreasing from 80% The percentage decreases by 1% for every $3,000 of income a family earns
$355,611 to below $365,611	50%
$365,611 or more	Higher CCS rates no longer apply, all children in the family will receive the standard CCS rate

What Child Care Subsidy Hourly Fee Caps are being used in this Child Care Subsidy calculator?

The tables below show the hourly rate caps that are being used in this Child Care Subsidy calculator.

Table 1: CCS Hourly Rate Caps by Care Type

Service type	Maximum hourly fee cap (children below school age)	Maximum hourly fee cap (school aged children)
Centre Based Day Care (Long Day Care and Occasional Care)	$14.29	$12.51
Outside School Hours Care (Before, After, and Vacation care)	$14.29	$12.51
Family Day Care	$13.24
In Home Care	$38.87 (per family)

Table 2: ACCS Hourly Rate Caps by Care Type

Service type	Maximum hourly fee cap (children below school age)	Maximum hourly fee cap (school aged children)
Centre Based Day Care (Long Day Care and Occasional Care)	$17.15	$15.02
Outside School Hours Care (Before, After, and Vacation care)	$17.15	$15.02
Family Day Care	$15.89
In Home Care	$46.66 (per family)

My child is currently in child care. We are approved for 100 hours a fortnight as my husband and I both work full time. I will be on maternity leave soon. Will I still be covered for the same amount of CCS at childcare when on maternity leave as when I am at working full time?

Yes, your 100 hours CCS entitlement will be the same. As a matter of fact maternity leave does NOT affect the hours of subsidised care that individuals are entitled to. The Family Assistance Guide does not explicitly state maternity leave as a recognised activity for CCS activity test. This might leave many parents confused. The fact that maternity leave is a type of parental leave entitlements makes it definitely a recognised activity for CCS activity test.

According to 3.5.2.10 CCS - activity test - general in Family Assistance Guide (Version 1.255 - Released 6 May 2024), paid work (a recognised activity for CCS activity test) includes periods of paid and unpaid leave such as parental leave, annual leave, long service leave, leave for illness or injury, or carer's leave. Individuals on paid or unpaid leave will have their leave recognised for the same number of hours per fortnight as they worked immediately prior to being on leave. For example: If an individual was working 50 hours per fortnight immediately before their leave, they would (continue to) have an activity test result of 100 hours per fortnight while on leave. This means when you apply for CCS, under work/activity you need to put the hours you were doing before you went on maternity leave.

On the website of Australian Government Department of Human Services, it clearly states that "We'll count any paid or unpaid parental and maternity leave you take." as recognised activities.

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