ACT Kinship Carer Payments and Support: What You Can Claim in 2026

Two Separate Money Streams — Territory and Commonwealth

If you are raising a relative's child in the ACT, support can come from two separate places. The ACT Government pays the Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy through the Community Services Directorate — but only when a child is placed with you through child protection. Services Australia (Centrelink) administers Commonwealth payments such as Family Tax Benefit, Carer Allowance and Double Orphan Pension. Eligibility depends on the rules for each payment; informal carers may qualify if they meet those rules.

The type of care arrangement determines which stream you can access, and most informal carers — grandparents and relatives who stepped in without a court order — draw primarily from the Commonwealth side.

Payments for Informal Kinship Carers in the ACT

If you are caring for a child under a private family arrangement with no CYPS involvement, the ACT Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy is not available to you. That subsidy is legislatively restricted to children in out-of-home care under a statutory order.

What you can claim through Centrelink:

• Family Tax Benefit Parts A and B — per-child fortnightly payments based on the child's age and your household income. At least 35% actual care is the threshold for a proportion of FTB, subject to other rules, including restrictions when you live with the child's birth parent.
• Foster Child Health Care Card — issued in the child's name with no income test on the carer. Grants concession-rate PBS medicines and lower Medicare Safety Net thresholds.
• Double Orphan Pension — $81.60 per fortnight (January 2026 rate) if both parents are deceased, or one parent is deceased and the surviving parent is incarcerated for at least 10 years, admitted to a psychiatric institution indefinitely, or missing after reasonable search efforts.
• Carer Allowance (Child) — $162.60 per fortnight if the child has a recognised disability or severe medical condition. Non-means-tested.
• Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) — up to 100% of the benchmark fee for up to 100 hours per fortnight, with no standard activity test requirement.

ACT Territory Concessions for Informal Carers

Although the territory subsidy is off-limits, the ACT Government runs cost-of-living programs that informal carers can access:

• Future of Education Equity Fund — annual grants of $400 (preschool), $500 (primary) or $750 (high school/college) per student for low-income families and carers holding a Centrelink concession card. Applications open 1 December each year.
• Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate — up to $800 per year in direct utility credits for holders of a Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card.

Payments for Statutory (CYPS) Kinship Carers

If the Community Services Directorate placed the child with you under a care order, you receive the ACT Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy — a fortnightly payment scaled by the child's age group. This subsidy is tax-exempt and is not counted as income for Centrelink or child support purposes.

On top of the subsidy, CSD can reimburse approved expenses for school uniforms, medical gaps, establishment costs and transport. These require prior written authorisation from your case manager.

Statutory carers can also claim Commonwealth payments like Family Tax Benefit, though there may be interaction rules to manage.

Where to Start

The Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser Line at Services Australia (1800 245 965) is the single best first call. These specialist advisers can walk you through which payments apply to your specific arrangement and help you set up claims correctly. For ACT territory-specific advocacy, contact the Carers ACT Kinship and Foster Carers Advocacy Service on (02) 6296 9965.

If you want the full breakdown of every payment, form, deadline and evidence requirement for the ACT in one place, the ACT Kinship Carer Support guide covers the complete picture.

See more Australian Capital Territory guides →