With free child care ending from July 13, 2020, there are many families trying to work out exactly what they need to do before the Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is re-introduced.
Some families may already be familiar with the CCS, while others may have commenced care during the relief package and have not previously applied for the subsidy.
In either circumstance, it’s worth being fully informed before making any big decisions. Read on for more information on our new offer, plus our top tips on what families need to do before the end of the month when the new financial year begins.
Take advantage of our new offer
We understand that these are financially challenging times for many families, and we’d love to help.
Enrol your little one in childcare and commence care by 30th September to receive a $500 Coles Group gift card to spend as you like with your family*. Read more about it here.
Existing families, we have you covered too. When you refer a family and they enrol and commence with us by September 30, 2020*, you’ll each receive a $500 Coles Group Gift Card. Simply click here to share this offer with a friend.
How to get your CCS in order
If you were receiving CCS before 6 April 2020, and your enrolment is current and confirmed, it will automatically start again if you’ve stayed eligible.
If you’re new to child care, you should claim CCS as soon as possible. It has been confirmed that from 13 July 2020, you’ll pay full fees unless you’re getting CCS.
It’s okay if you feel as though you don’t understand anything about the subsidy when first enrolling your child into care. You can find our guide to the Government Child Care Subsidy here.
Whether you’re a new or returning family, there are also options available to try to maximise your Child Care Subsidy. Click here to read all about our top tips for applying and maximising your subsidy, including options such as the Additional Child Care Subsidy and Flexible Hours.
Confirm your income by June 30
Your family will need give Centrelink your 2020–21 family income estimate to receive the correct CCS percentage and avoid an overpayment. You can click here for more information on how to do so.
If your family was receiving the Child Care Subsidy before the relief package, and if you have not completed a tax return for the 2018-19 period, you will also need to confirm your income for that financial year by 30 June 2020 for CCS to continue.
You can do this by:
- Lodging your tax returns with the Australian Taxation Office, or:
- Completing an ‘Advise non-lodgment of tax return’ with Centrelink, if you don’t need to lodge a tax return.
If your income is not confirmed, Centrelink will stop all CCS payments from 13 July 2020 onwards. They will not start again until you have confirmed your income, so completing one of the above is the only way to prevent your CCS from being halted by Centrelink.
The Federal Government will not back-pay CCS to families for the period between when it ends and when you confirm your income – so it’s well worth submitting either of the above if you have not done so already. This can all be arranged via your MyGov here.
Update your Centrelink Activity Statement
It’s worth remembering that the activity test is easing 13 July 2020 to 4 October 2020 to support eligible families whose employment has been impacted due to COVID-19. These families will receive up to 100 hours per fortnight of subsidised care during this period.
Job hunting, studying, starting a new business and volunteering, amongst others, are all eligible activities for which you can claim subsidised hours of care. Be sure to review your Activity Test in your Centrelink Online account via your MyGov account and update these details accordingly.
We hope to see you in centre soon! In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with any questions on 1800 891 320.