Child Care Subsidy Calculator 2026-27

Estimate your Child Care Subsidy (CCS) percentage, hourly rate cap, subsidised hours and out-of-pocket child care costs for the 2026-27 financial year. Enter your family income estimate, how many children aged 5 or under are in approved care, your session hours and fee, the type of care, and your recognised participation.

Rates used: official FY2026-27 CCS percentages, income thresholds and hourly rate caps, in force from Monday 6 July 2026. The 3-day guarantee (at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight) has applied since 5 January 2026. Figures were checked against Services Australia and the Department of Education on 1 November 2026.

Adjusted taxable income for you and your partner, if you have one.

The first child uses the standard rate. Younger siblings may get the higher rate.

If you are billed a daily session fee, divide that fee by the session hours.

How this estimate is worked out

Child Care Subsidy is not a flat discount. Three official settings decide the amount: your income-tested percentage, the hourly rate cap for the care type, and how many hours you can have subsidised in a CCS fortnight.

From 5 January 2026 the old activity-test ladder was replaced. Eligible families are guaranteed three subsidised days a week (72 hours a fortnight) even with little or no recognised participation. Extra hours still depend on participation or a listed exception.

If you have more than one child aged 5 or under in approved care, the calculator treats the first child as the standard-rate child and applies the higher published scale to each younger child. That matches the Services Australia and Department of Education description of the “standard rate child” and “higher rate child”.

Out-of-pocket figures are what you would pay the service after CCS is paid to them, including the default 5% withholding unless you change it. If your income estimate is right, withheld subsidy is usually paid to you after the financial year is balanced. The estimate assumes every child uses the same days, session length, fee and care type, and that the children have not started school.

2026-27 CCS percentages

These are the published standard rates. The percentage applies to the lower of your hourly fee and the hourly rate cap.

Combined family incomeStandard CCS
Up to $88,52090%
More than $88,520 to below $538,520Tapers from 90% to 0% (1 percentage point per $5,000)
$538,520 or more0%

Higher rate for second and younger children aged 5 or under

Combined family incomeHigher CCS
Up to $146,43795%
More than $146,437 to below $191,437Tapers from 95% to 80% (1 percentage point per $3,000)
$191,437 to below $270,72780%
$270,727 to below $360,727Tapers from 80% to 50% (1 percentage point per $3,000)
$360,727 to below $370,72750%
$370,727 or moreHigher rate ends — all children use the standard rate

Related calculators

CCS uses your combined family income estimate. If you are starting from a salary, the take-home pay calculator can help you see tax and Medicare levy before you estimate adjusted taxable income.

Disclaimer

This page is a general estimate for families in Australia. It is not a Services Australia, Department of Education, or Centrelink tool, and it is not financial, legal, or social security advice. It does not check CCS eligibility (residency, immunisation, share of care, approved service, or whether a child has started secondary school). It does not calculate Additional Child Care Subsidy, In Home Care family-level caps, absence-day rules, or combined-family arrangements after separation.

Always confirm your percentage, hours and gap fee in your Centrelink online account and with your child care service. Official information is published byServices Australiaand theDepartment of Education.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Child Care Subsidy calculated in 2026-27?

Services Australia works out a percentage from your combined family income estimate. That percentage is applied to the lower of your service’s hourly fee and the hourly rate cap for the type of care. The result is the hourly subsidy. It is then applied only to your subsidised hours for the fortnight. Any hours above that fortnight cap are charged at the full fee.

This calculator follows the published Family Assistance Guide formulas. It is an estimate only and does not decide your claim.

What is the 3-day guarantee that started in January 2026?

From 5 January 2026, every family who is eligible for Child Care Subsidy can get at least 72 hours of subsidised care each fortnight. That is three days a week. You no longer need a minimum number of work or study hours to get those 72 hours.

You can get 100 hours a fortnight if you and your partner each do more than 48 hours of recognised participation, you have a valid exemption, you receive certain Additional Child Care Subsidy payments, or the child is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Why can a second child get a higher CCS percentage?

If more than one child aged 5 or under is eligible for CCS, the eldest of those children usually gets the standard income-tested percentage. The second child and any younger children get a separate, higher percentage, up to 95%, while combined family income stays below the higher-rate cutoff ($370,727 in 2026-27).

Once income reaches that cutoff, every child is assessed on the standard scale. In Home Care sessions do not attract the higher rate.

What is the hourly rate cap?

The hourly rate cap is the most the government will subsidise for each hour of approved care. If your service charges less than the cap, CCS is a percentage of the fee you are charged. If the fee is above the cap, CCS is a percentage of the cap and you pay the extra in full.

For 2026-27 the below-school-age caps are $15.19 an hour for centre-based day care and outside school hours care, and $14.08 an hour for family day care. School-age caps are lower for centre-based care and OSHC.

What family income figure should I enter?

Enter your combined family adjusted taxable income estimate for the financial year — the same figure you give Centrelink. That is not always the same as take-home pay. Use the take-home pay calculator if you need to work from a salary toward an income estimate, then confirm the adjusted taxable income rules on the Services Australia site.

Does this calculator include Additional Child Care Subsidy?

No. Additional Child Care Subsidy (child wellbeing, temporary financial hardship, grandparent, and transition to work) uses different rates and, in some cases, different hours. If you think you may get ACCS, use your Centrelink online account or call the Families line.

Why is 5% of the subsidy withheld?

Services Australia withholds 5% of CCS by default and pays the rest to your child care service. The withheld amount is used if you are overpaid when your actual income is known at the end of the year. You can change the withholding percentage in your Centrelink online account. This calculator lets you set that percentage so the out-of-pocket figure matches what you pay the service during the year.