How to Claim Family Tax Benefit as a Grandparent Carer in Australia

Family Tax Benefit Is Not Just for Parents

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a Centrelink payment designed to help with the costs of raising children. It follows the child, not the biological parent — which means grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and any other person providing primary care can claim it. You do not need a court order. You do not need DCP involvement. You need to prove at least 35% care to qualify for a share; more than 65% care qualifies you for 100% of the FTB payment for that child, subject to the other eligibility rules.

For most kinship carers, FTB is the first Centrelink payment to claim. Submit a claim as soon as you think you are eligible if you want fortnightly payments; you can also claim FTB as a lump sum within 12 months after the financial year ends.

FTB Part A vs Part B

Family Tax Benefit Part A is paid per child. The rate depends on the child's age and your household income. For the 2025-26 financial year, the maximum fortnightly rates are $235.48 for a child aged 0-12 and $306.46 for a child aged 13-15 (rates are indexed). Part A reduces as family income rises above the lower income threshold, but grandparent carers on the Age Pension or other low incomes typically receive the maximum rate.

FTB Part A also includes an annual supplement paid after end-of-year tax reconciliation. For the 2025-26 financial year, it is up to $938.05 per eligible child.

Family Tax Benefit Part B is paid per family (not per child) and provides extra support for single-income households. A single grandparent carer may be eligible if they meet the income, residence and care requirements. The payment is higher for children under 5. Part B recognises that a sole carer cannot easily work full-time while raising a child.

Both parts are tax-exempt — they do not count as assessable income and do not reduce your Age Pension or other income support payments.

How to Claim — Step by Step

1. Link your myGov account to Centrelink. If you do not already have a myGov account linked to Centrelink, set this up first at my.gov.au. Your local Centrelink office can help if you need assistance.

2. Call the Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser Line (1800 245 965). Before lodging online, call the specialist line. The advisers will confirm your eligibility, tell you exactly which claims to lodge, and flag any additional payments you may have missed. The line operates Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and bypasses the standard phone queue.

3. Lodge the FTB claim online through myGov. The claim form asks for your income estimate, the child's details, the care arrangement, and your bank details for payment.

4. Upload proof of primary care. Centrelink needs evidence that you provide primary care. Accepted evidence for informal kinship carers includes:

• A statutory declaration detailing when the child entered your care and the care percentage
• A school enrolment letter
• A Medicare card listing the child under your name (apply with Form MS011)
• A GP letter confirming the child is registered at your address
• Any professional statement from a teacher, daycare worker, or social worker

5. Provide your income estimate. For FTB Part A, Centrelink uses your family income estimate for the current financial year. If you are on the Age Pension with minimal other income, the estimate is straightforward. Accuracy matters — overestimating means lower fortnightly payments with a top-up later; underestimating means an overpayment debt at reconciliation.

6. Wait for assessment. Processing times vary. If documentation is incomplete, Centrelink issues a formal request notice giving you 14 days to upload missing items.

Backdating and Lump-Sum Claims

For an older child, submit a fortnightly FTB claim as soon as you think you are eligible. You can also claim FTB for a financial year as a lump sum within 12 months after that year ends.

The lump-sum claim must be lodged within 12 months after the end of the financial year (for example, a claim for 2025-26 must be lodged by 30 June 2027). The lump sum is reconciled against your actual income for the year.

What About the Biological Parent's FTB

If the biological parent is currently receiving FTB for the child, Centrelink will contact them as part of your claim. The department conducts a care assessment and redirects payments based on verified care percentages. You do not need the parent's permission or signature. If the parent disputes, Centrelink runs a neutral assessment using both parties' evidence.

Many carers worry that claiming FTB will provoke conflict with the parent. This is a real concern, but the financial reality is that the child's costs are now in your household, and FTB is designed to follow the child. The specialist advisers on 1800 245 965 handle these situations regularly and can guide you through.

Our South Australia Kinship Carer Support guide includes the full payment matrix for SA kinship carers — FTB, Parenting Payment, ACCS, School Card, and more — with a proof-of-care worksheet and the specific evidence Centrelink accepts.

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