About the Child Care Subsidy calculator
Child Care Subsidy pays part of your child care fees. The percentage you get depends on your family income, and it’s applied to the lower of your service’s hourly fee and the hourly rate cap for your type of care. Younger children in care alongside an older sibling can get a higher rate.
Since 5 January 2026 the 3 Day Guarantee means every family that gets the subsidy can have at least 72 subsidised hours per child each fortnight, or 100 hours if you do more than 48 hours of work, study or similar.
| Subsidy up to a family income of $88,520 | 90% |
|---|---|
| Above that | 1 percentage point less for each $5,000, to nil at $538,520 |
| Hourly cap: centre-based day care, below school age | $15.19 |
| Hourly cap: school age | $13.30 |
| Hourly cap: family day care | $14.08 |
| Subsidised hours a fortnight | 72, or 100 with more activity |
Common questions
How much Child Care Subsidy will I get?
It starts at 90% for family income up to $88,520, then drops by 1 percentage point for each $5,000 of income above that, reaching nil at $538,520. At $130,000, it’s about 81.7%.
What is the 3 Day Guarantee?
From 5 January 2026, every family eligible for Child Care Subsidy gets at least 72 subsidised hours of care per child a fortnight (three days a week), whatever their work or study. It’s 100 hours if you meet a higher activity level.
Why is my out-of-pocket cost higher than I expected?
Usually because your service’s fee is above the hourly rate cap, because you’ve booked more than your subsidised hours, or because a small part of the subsidy is held back until your income is confirmed.
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Rates last checked 5 November 2026. Payment rates from 20 September 2026; limits from 1 July 2026.