Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Payments in Western Australia

When a grandchild lands in your care, the financial hit is immediate — food, clothes, school supplies, childcare — all on a pension income that wasn't built for raising a child. Western Australia has more financial support available than most grandparent carers realise, but it's split across state and federal agencies, and nobody gives you the full list in one place.

Here it is.

WA State Payments

Grandcarers Support Scheme (GSS) — $1,000 per eligible grandchild per year, plus a cost-of-living top-up of $500 for the first child and $250 for each additional child in 2026–27. Administered by Uplyft (formerly Wanslea), applications open 1 July each year. Eligibility is limited to qualifying grandparents who permanently reside in WA and provide full-time primary care for at least four months, without regular Department of Communities financial support.

Foster and Grand Carer Gold Card — a one-off $377.14 Energy Bill Relief Payment per household, deposited into a nominated bank account. Further discounts and benefits are planned. Register through ServiceWA by 30 November 2026 to receive the payment.

WA Student Assistance Payment — the 2026 round offered $150 for kindergarten and primary students and $250 for secondary students. Claims closed on 25 September 2026.

Secondary Assistance Scheme — $535 per eligible secondary student ($300 clothing + $235 education program allowance) if you hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. Apply through the school by end of Term 1.

KidSport — up to $300 per child per year toward registered sport club fees. Children aged 5–18 listed on a concession card.

The GSS is explicitly exempt from federal income testing and does not reduce pension entitlements. For the Gold Card payment and Student Assistance Payment, ask Services Australia how they are treated under your Centrelink payment's income test.

Federal Centrelink Payments

Family Tax Benefit Part A — paid per child, income-tested. You need to provide at least 35% of the child's care to claim.

Family Tax Benefit Part B — per-family payment for single-income households. Single grandparent carers on the Age Pension receive this without a secondary income test.

Parenting Payment Single — income support if you're the principal carer of a child under 14 and under Age Pension age.

Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) — up to 100 hours per fortnight of fully subsidised childcare, no activity test. You must be a grandparent on income support with 65%+ care.

Double Orphan Pension — non-means-tested, tax-free supplement if both parents are deceased, or one is deceased and the other is indefinitely incapacitated, imprisoned while serving a sentence of 10 or more years, or missing after reasonable search efforts.

Carer Allowance — non-means-tested supplement if the child has a severe disability or medical condition requiring constant care.

Rent Assistance — if you receive FTB Part A and pay private rent.

Tax Treatment

The GSS is a tax-free state grant and is exempt from federal social security income testing. FTB Part A and B are tax-free. Double Orphan Pension is tax-free and non-assessable. Parenting Payment Single and the Age Pension are taxable social security payments. Confirm the treatment of other state payments with Services Australia if an income test applies to you.

Where to Start

1. Call the Centrelink Grandparent Advisers on 1800 245 965 to start the change of care and FTB claim
2. Call Wanslea on 1800 794 909 to register for the Grandcarers Support Scheme
3. Register for the Gold Card through ServiceWA by 30 November 2026 if you qualify; the 2026 Student Assistance Payment claim period has closed.
4. Check SAS eligibility through the school office

The WA Kinship Carer Support Guide walks through each of these claims in order, with the documents you'll need and what to expect at each step.

See more Western Australia guides →