Unofficial Estimator

Child Care Subsidy Estimator

Answer a few simple questions to understand your potential subsidy and out-of-pocket costs for the 2025–26 financial year.

Rates updated for 7 July 2025 - 30 June 2026

Enter Your Details

Step 1: Family & Income

Your combined income and number of young children determine the percentage of subsidy you may receive.

$

Enter your and your partner's combined 'Adjusted Taxable Income' (ATI) for the financial year. This is your gross income before tax, minus certain deductions. If unsure, use your gross salary as an estimate.

The subsidy rate is higher for the second and younger children in a family. Select the total number of children you will have in approved care who are aged 5 or under.

Step 2: Activity Level

The 'activity test' determines the maximum number of subsidised care hours you can access each fortnight.

Your subsidised hours are based on the parent with the lower number of activity hours. Recognised activities include paid work, study, volunteering, or actively looking for work.

Example: If you work 20 hours per fortnight and your partner works 50, select the '17 to 48 hours' option.

This provides access to a minimum of 36 hours per fortnight under current rules (100 hours from 5 Jan 2026).

Step 3: Child Care Service Details

Providing these optional details will calculate your estimated out-of-pocket cost.

This sets the maximum hourly fee the government will subsidise (the 'rate cap').

A 4-year-old in long day care is 'Below School Age'. A 6-year-old in after-school care is 'School Age'.

$

If you only know the daily fee, divide it by session hours (e.g., $160 / 10hrs = $16.00).

Total enrolled hours over two weeks (e.g., 3 days/wk x 10hrs/day = 60hrs).

About this estimator

Why we built this

CCS rules change, fees vary by service, and families just want a clear number to plan with. We built this unofficial estimator to turn a maze of tables and acronyms into a fast, private, transparent answer you can tweak in seconds. No sign-up. No data leaves your browser.

What this estimator includes

Uses publicly available CCS rules for the 2025–26 financial year (effective 7 July 2025). It supports:

  • Standard CCS and higher CCS (for second and younger children under 6, where eligible).
  • Activity test hours (incl. ATSI minimums and preschool/kindergarten exemptions).
  • Hourly rate caps by service type and age group; In Home Care is capped per family.
  • 5% withholding automatically included in the net subsidy shown.

What’s not reflected

Some cases aren’t covered in this tool. For example:

  • Centrelink debts, asset tests, Social Security Agreements, or periods spent overseas.
  • Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) scenarios.
  • Edge cases, mid-fortnight changes, or unusual billing arrangements.

Important notes

Privacy: All calculations run locally in your browser. No personal data is stored or transmitted.

Not affiliated: This tool is not affiliated with Services Australia or the Australian Government. Please confirm details with Services Australia or refer to the Family Assistance Guide for official rules.

Frequently Asked Questions