Centrelink Payments for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in 2026

Here's the thing. If you're a grandparent with primary care of a grandchild, you can claim Family Tax Benefit (FTB) in your own right. You don't need a formal court order — you need to demonstrate that the child lives with you and you're responsible for their day-to-day care.

FTB Part A pays up to $219.36 per fortnight for each child under 13 and $285.44 for each child aged 13 to 15. FTB Part B pays up to $174.02 per fortnight if your youngest grandchild is under 5, or $121.54 if aged 5 to 18. As a grandparent carer, you also qualify for the FTB Part A supplement of $850.70 per child per year and the Part B supplement of $430.70 per year.

If the child

The Double Orphan Pension (DOP) is payable to grandparents or other non-parent carers who look after children whose parents have both died, or where one parent has died and the other is unable to care for the child (in prison, in an institution, or whereabouts unknown). DOP pays $69.80 per fortnight per child on top of any FTB payment.

It's not income or asset tested. If the child is a refugee or has recently arrived in Australia and the parents can't be located, DOP may also apply. grandparent carers of foster children or children placed through kinship care may receive state-based carer payments.

Let's break this down. NSW pays the Statutory Care Allowance of approximately $550 to $850 per fortnight per child depending on age, Victoria pays Foster Care Allowance of $516 to $827 per fortnight, and Queensland pays approximately $360 to $640 per fortnight. These state payments are not counted as income for Centrelink purposes.

Grandparent carers on an income support payment (such as Age Pension, JobSeeker, or DSP) who have primary care of a grandchild qualify for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) Grandparent rate. This provides a 100% subsidy of child care fees up to the hourly rate cap — meaning you pay nothing for approved child care.

The hourly rate cap is $15.04 for centre-based day care, $13.73 for family day care, and $15.71 for outside school hours care. If your centre charges above the cap, you only pay the difference. ACCS Grandparent is available for up to 100 hours of child care per fortnight, and there's no activity test — you don't need to be working or studying to receive the full hours.

To qualify, you must be receiving an income support payment and have a formal change in care arrangement (such as a parenting order, guardianship order, or written agreement with the child

Grandparent carers may receive their own income support payment in addition to FTB and CCS for the grandchild. If you're over 67, you likely receive Age Pension at up to $1,144.40 per fortnight.

Quick reality check. If you're under 67, you may qualify for Parenting Payment Single at $987.70 per fortnight (if single with a grandchild under 14), which is higher than JobSeeker. If you're caring for a grandchild with a disability, you may qualify for Carer Payment at $1,144.40 per fortnight plus Carer Allowance of $157.30 per fortnight. Receiving FTB for a grandchild doesn't affect your own income support payment — FTB is treated as a separate entitlement.

You may also qualify for Rent Assistance of up to $209.58 per fortnight (with 1-2 children) if you're renting. The total package for a single grandparent on Age Pension with one grandchild could be: $1,144.40 (pension) plus $219.36 (FTB A) plus $174.02 (FTB B) plus $209.58 (CRA) equals $1,747.36 per fortnight.

Establishing your legal relationship with your grandchild affects your Centrelink entitlements. A Family Court parenting order is the strongest evidence and gives you legal authority to make decisions about the child

Grandchildren in your care can access the same health and education concessions as your own children. Your Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card covers the grandchild for PBS medicine at $7.70 per script and bulk-billed GP visits.

If the grandchild is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, they can access ABSTUDY when they reach secondary school. State education departments offer additional support: NSW provides the Start Strong program for children in the year before school, Victoria offers the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) of $150 per primary child and $225 per secondary child, and Queensland provides the Textbook and Resource Allowance. If the grandchild has a disability or developmental delay, early intervention services through the NDIS are available.

Worth knowing: Grandparent carers also qualify for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, which provides up to $1,095 in dental services per child over 2 years for children aged 2 to 17 in eligible families.