Childcare Subsidy Calculator
The Childcare Subsidy (CCS) helps families with the cost of approved childcare. Your subsidy depends on your family income, activity hours, hourly childcare fees, and the number of children in care. This calculator estimates your eligible subsidy and out-of-pocket (gap) fee per week. Results are indicative only and may vary with official assessments.
How to Use the Childcare Subsidy Calculator
Step One:
Enter your family’s total annual income (before tax) in Australian dollars. This figure will determine your eligible subsidy percentage, with higher subsidies available to lower-income families.
Step Two:
Specify the number of children you have in approved childcare. The calculator supports up to ten children, allowing for accurate estimates for families of various sizes.
Step Three:
Input your average weekly hours of approved activity per parent. Approved activities include work, study, volunteering, or actively seeking employment. The number of hours you enter affects the maximum weekly hours of subsidised care you can claim.
Step Four:
Provide your childcare provider’s hourly fee and the number of hours each child attends care per week. The calculator automatically uses the lower of your provider’s fee or the government’s hourly cap to ensure accuracy.
Step Five:
Click the “Calculate Subsidy” button. The calculator will display your estimated weekly subsidy and out-of-pocket (gap) cost. Results are clearly highlighted, and an explanation is provided, including the calculation steps and what each figure means. You can adjust your inputs to see how changes in income, activity hours, or fees affect your subsidy and costs.