Aunt or Uncle Raising a Child in Victoria: Payments and Support

When the Relationship Matters

Most of the information about kinship care in Victoria focuses on grandparents, because they make up the largest group of kinship carers. But if you're an aunt, uncle, older sibling, cousin or family friend raising a child, some Centrelink support may be available based on your care of the child and your circumstances. Eligibility rules differ between payments, and some are limited to particular relationships.

The Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) has specific relationship and care requirements. The program is for eligible grandparent carers who receive an eligible income support payment, have at least 65% care of the grandchild, and hold primary day-to-day decision-making responsibility. An aunt or uncle should ask Services Australia whether any other child care support applies to their circumstances.

Commonwealth Payments to Ask About

As a non-parent carer with primary care of a child in Victoria, you may be able to claim or ask about:

Family Tax Benefit Part A — paid per child, income-tested. You need at least 35% care of the child. Maximum rate is $235.48 per fortnight (age 0–12) or $306.46 (age 13–19), with a base rate of $75.60 if your income is above the threshold.

Family Tax Benefit Part B — additional support with eligibility based on family circumstances and income. The current income cap for single grandparent carers is $124,327; ask Services Australia to confirm whether an aunt or uncle qualifies under the relevant rules. For partnered carers, the secondary earner's income affects the rate.

Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) — for eligible grandparent carers who receive an eligible income support payment, have at least 65% care of the grandchild, and hold primary day-to-day decision-making responsibility. It can cover 100% of the actual fee up to 120% of the Child Care Subsidy hourly rate cap for up to 100 hours per fortnight. Aunts and uncles should ask Services Australia about other child care support options.

Foster Child Health Care Card — an eligible informal non-parent carer may be able to get this non-means-tested card for the child. It provides lower-cost PBS medicines and local concessions; it does not guarantee bulk-billed GP visits.

Parenting Payment (Single or Partnered) — if you are the primary carer of a child under 14 (single) or under 6 (partnered) and meet the income and assets tests.

Double Orphan Pension — if both parents are deceased, or one parent is deceased and the other is untraceable, incarcerated or in long-term care. No income or assets test.

To claim any of these, call the Centrelink Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser line on 1800 245 965. This service is for all kinship carers, not just grandparents. They will assess your specific situation and tell you what to apply for.

Proving Care Without a Court Order

If you're an aunt or uncle raising a niece or nephew through an informal family arrangement (no court order, no DFFH involvement), proving your care arrangement to Centrelink is straightforward but requires documentation:

• School enrolment records showing you as the primary contact and the child at your address
• GP letter confirming the child attends medical appointments with you
• Medicare card with the child added
• Statutory declaration setting out the care arrangement, signed and witnessed
• Utility bills, rental agreements or other documents showing the child resides at your address

You do not need the birth parent's consent to claim Centrelink payments. Services Australia assesses based on who physically cares for the child. If the parent disputes the care arrangement, Centrelink will investigate and may request additional evidence from both parties.

Victorian State Support

Victorian Carer Card: Informal carers with a primary, ongoing caring role may be eligible under Category B or C. It provides a 50% discount on public transport via a carer-coded myki and free weekend travel across two consecutive zones. You need an Informal Carer Statutory Declaration or an authorised professional's signature on Section 4 of the application.

CSEF: The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund pays $400 per eligible student per year. Eligibility includes holding a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Gold Card on the first day of Term 1 or Term 2, or the child being in a formal out-of-home care arrangement. Apply through the school.

DFFH care allowance: Only available if DFFH has formally endorsed the placement and registered you as a carer; a court order alone is not enough. If the child came to live with you through a family decision (informal arrangement), you are not eligible for DFFH allowances regardless of the family relationship.

Where It Gets Complicated

Care percentage disputes. If you share care with the birth parent — say the child spends weekdays with you and weekends with their parent — Centrelink splits payments based on care percentages. This can create friction. Keep a written record of the actual care arrangement and update Centrelink if it changes.

The birth parent claims you don't have care. This happens. The parent may still be receiving FTB and does not want Centrelink to know the child is living elsewhere. You can make a claim regardless. Centrelink will contact the parent as part of the assessment. Evidence wins: school records, GP records and a statutory declaration are hard to dispute.

You're on a partner visa or temporary visa. Some Centrelink payments require Australian residency. If your visa status limits your entitlements, a Centrelink social worker can advise on alternative support. Call 132 850 for social work referrals.

Getting Help

Kinship Carers Victoria (0499 969 234) supports all non-parent carers, not just grandparents. They can help with advocacy if you're being stonewalled by an agency. Grandparents Victoria's services are grandparent-focused, but many of their information sessions and resources apply to any kinship carer.

The Victoria Kinship Carer Support Guide covers every payment and concession available to non-parent carers in Victoria, with step-by-step claim instructions and evidence checklists that work whether you're a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling or family friend.

See more Victoria guides →