Centrelink and the Family Assistance Office

Centrelink administers income support payments for the Australian Government. Family assistance payments are also administered by Centrelink on behalf of the Family Assistance Office.

The Australian Government offers a range of payments through the Family Assistance Office to support families with their work and family responsibilities. Each payment is different, depending on the needs of each family, and your family may be entitled to more than one of these payments.

The main family assistance payments are:

Family Tax Benefit Part A

This is the most common payment to help you with the cost of raising children and is paid per child. It includes a supplement per child which is available after the end of the financial year.

Family Tax Benefit Part B

Gives extra assistance to single parent families and to two-parent families with one main income. It includes a supplement per family which is available after the end of the financial year.

Child Care Benefit

Helps with the cost of child care.

Child Care Tax Rebate

Additional help for working families with the cost of child care.

Baby Bonus

Helps with the cost of caring for a new baby.

Maternity Immunisation Allowance

To encourage parents to immunise their children.

You may be entitled to other assistance, for example:

• Rent assistance—to help with your rental expenses
• Health Care Card—a benefit for low income earners and foster parents (including grandparents who are the primary carers of a grandchild)
• Large Family Supplement—assistance for large families
• Multiple Birth Allowance—a payment for triplets, quadruplets, etc
• Double Orphan Pension—assistance for guardians of orphans
• Lower Threshold of the Medicare Safety Net - to help with medical expenses above a set threshold.

Other assistance may also be available, such as Carer Allowance and Parenting Payment.

Facts about Family Tax Benefit

Family Tax Benefit Part A is the most common payment to help you with the cost of raising your children. You don't have to be a parent to be entitled to Family Tax Benefit Part A, for example you could be a foster carer or grandparent with children in your care.

If you share the care of your child for 35 per cent or more of the time (128 nights or more a year), you may be entitled to Family Tax Benefit Part A or Family Tax Benefit Part B based on the time the child is in your care. Single parent families always get the maximum rate of Family Tax Benefit Part B, based on the age of their child and the level of care.

Changes you need to tell the Family Assistance Office and Centrelink about

Contact the Family Assistance Office or Centrelink immediately if:

• there's a change to your family income (including tax exempt foreign income and fringe benefits)
• there's a change in your marital status
• a child enters or leaves your care
• your child support payments change
• you leave Australia (temporarily or permanently)
• there's a change in your child care arrangements
• a child starts or leaves school
• your shared care arrangement changes
• you think your child over 16 will earn over the income limit
• you change your address.

Help and information

Family Assistance Offices are located in Medicare Australia, Centrelink and Australian Taxation Office shopfronts. Find an office near you or more information online or call 136 150.

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