How to Claim All NSW Kinship Carer Payments Without Missing Any
The payments available to a kinship carer in NSW come from two completely separate systems — Centrelink (federal) and DCJ (state) — and which ones you can claim depends entirely on your care arrangement. Most carers find one system and stop there, missing the other entirely. A grandparent with a Children's Court care order who claims the DCJ Statutory Care Allowance often never realises they can also claim Family Tax Benefit from Centrelink. An informal carer who gets Family Tax Benefit may not realise that if DCJ later formally assesses and supports a placement, different DCJ assistance, including possible establishment payments and a Supported Care Allowance, may then apply. The trick is knowing which payments exist in both systems, which ones your arrangement unlocks, and in what order to apply.
The Two Systems and What Each Pays
Centrelink (Services Australia) — Federal
These payments are available to non-parent carers regardless of whether you have a court order, as long as you meet the care threshold:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A — income-tested payment per child, requires at least 35% actual care. For a child under 13, the maximum rate is over $200 per fortnight
- Family Tax Benefit Part B — additional payment for single-income families or single carers, up to $200.34 per fortnight when the youngest child is under 5
- Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) Grandparent — up to 100 hours of fully subsidised childcare per fortnight for grandparent carers receiving an income support payment
- Double Orphan Pension — if both parents have died, or one has died and the other is in prison for at least 10 years, in custody facing a possible 10-year sentence, in a psychiatric institution or nursing home indefinitely, or their whereabouts are unknown. Other eligibility rules apply.
- Carer Allowance — if the child has a disability or medical condition requiring additional care
- Carer Payment — income replacement if the child's care needs prevent you from working
- Foster Child Health Care Card — covers prescription medicines and some specialist costs
DCJ (NSW Department of Communities and Justice) — State
These payments generally require a DCJ-approved placement or court order:
- Statutory Care Allowance — $714–$1,081 per fortnight depending on the child's age (for children placed under a Children's Court care order)
- Supported Care Allowance — for relative or kinship carers where a Children's Court order allocates parental responsibility to them, or a Family Court order follows formal DCJ protective intervention and assessment
- Guardianship Allowance — for carers with a guardianship order from the court
- Adoption Allowance — for carers who have adopted a child from care
- Establishment payments — up to $1,400 for setting up a long-term placement (crisis: up to $200, short-term: up to $350)
- Emergency payments — for urgent placement costs
What Your Care Arrangement Unlocks
| Payment | Informal Carer (no order) | Supported Care (DCJ) | Children's Court Care Order | Parenting Order | Guardianship Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTB Parts A & B | Yes (35% care) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ACCS Grandparent | Yes (if grandparent on income support) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Double Orphan Pension | Yes (if criteria met) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Carer Allowance/Payment | Yes (if child has disability) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foster Child Health Care Card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DCJ Statutory Care Allowance | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| DCJ Supported Care Allowance | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| DCJ Guardianship Allowance | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| DCJ Establishment Payment | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
The critical insight: Centrelink payments and DCJ payments are not mutually exclusive. A carer with a Children's Court care order can receive the DCJ Statutory Care Allowance and Family Tax Benefit simultaneously. The DCJ allowance is not counted as income for FTB assessment purposes.
The Application Order That Prevents Delays
Applying to the wrong agency first costs weeks. Here is the sequence that avoids the most common delays:
Step 1: Establish non-parent care with Centrelink first. Call the Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser Line (1800 245 965, Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:30pm) with:
- The child's full name and date of birth
- Your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)
- Evidence the child lives with you (school enrolment letter, GP letter, statutory declaration)
- The 35% actual care threshold applies — if the child sleeps at your house most nights, you meet it
Ask the adviser to register you as a non-parent carer and begin your Family Tax Benefit claim. Services Australia assesses the effective claim date using your first contact and claim information; it cannot be backdated to before your first contact.
Step 2: If you have a DCJ caseworker or court order, contact DCJ separately. DCJ allowances are administered through your caseworker, not through Centrelink. The two claims run in parallel — you don't need one before the other.
Step 3: Apply for ACCS Grandparent if you use childcare. This is a separate application through MyGov after your FTB claim is registered. It provides up to 100 hours of fully subsidised childcare per fortnight.
Step 4: Check Medicare access. Contact Services Australia to add the child to your Medicare card or get a separate card in the child's name.
Step 5: Review remaining entitlements. Carer Allowance (if the child has a disability), Double Orphan Pension (if both parents have died or one has died and the other meets Services Australia's specific criteria), and the Foster Child Health Care Card.
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Who This Is For
- Grandparents or relatives who have been raising a child in NSW and suspect they're not claiming everything the child qualifies for
- Informal carers who found Centrelink but not DCJ, or DCJ but not Centrelink
- Carers whose arrangement recently changed (new court order, new DCJ placement) and need to know what the change unlocks
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kinship carers who want a clear map of entitlements without engaging casework they didn't ask for
- Adult children researching on behalf of an older grandparent to make sure nothing is missed
Who This Is NOT For
- Carers with an active caseworker who is already coordinating claims across both systems
- Anyone seeking legal advice on which court order to pursue — call LawAccess NSW (1300 888 529)
- Foster carers placed through an approved agency — your agency manages DCJ claims
The Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Assuming DCJ and Centrelink are the same system. They're not. DCJ is NSW state government. Centrelink is federal. They don't share data, they don't share applications, and qualifying for one doesn't automatically register you with the other.
Mistake 2: Stopping at DCJ because you have a care order. The DCJ Statutory Care Allowance is substantial, but FTB, ACCS, and the Health Care Card are additional payments from a completely separate agency. Many carers with court orders never claim them.
Mistake 3: Calling the main Centrelink number. The general Centrelink line doesn't have specialist knowledge of non-parent care claims. The dedicated 1800 245 965 Adviser Line can manually override identity requirements, connect you to a social worker, and process non-standard care claims.
Mistake 4: Applying online through MyGov without preparation. Non-parent FTB claims submitted through MyGov without prior phone contact frequently stall because the system doesn't handle non-standard care documentation well. Call the Adviser Line first.
The Support for Grandparents and Kinship Carers in NSW guide puts every payment from both systems into a single care-arrangement matrix with the documents and application steps for each, so you can check every row against your situation instead of discovering them one website at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I receive both DCJ care allowances and Centrelink Family Tax Benefit at the same time?
Yes. DCJ care allowances and Centrelink payments are administered by different levels of government and are not mutually exclusive. The DCJ Statutory or Supported Care Allowance is generally not counted as income for FTB assessment. A carer with a Children's Court care order can receive both simultaneously.
How long does it take to get Family Tax Benefit approved as a non-parent carer?
Processing times vary, but calling the 1800 245 965 Adviser Line with your documents ready typically results in faster processing than an online-only application. Services Australia assesses the effective claim date using your first contact and claim information; it cannot be backdated to before your first contact.
What if I don't have any documents proving the child lives with me?
Start with what you have — school enrolment confirmation, a letter from the child's GP, a statutory declaration from a neighbour or community member. The 1800 245 965 adviser can guide you on acceptable evidence. A statutory declaration under the Oaths Act 1900 (NSW) is one of the standard proof-of-care documents.
Does receiving Centrelink payments affect my eligibility for social housing?
DCJ Statutory and Supported Care Allowances are classified as non-assessable income for NSW social housing rent subsidy calculations, so they don't increase your rent. Centrelink FTB is also generally excluded from rent assessments. Check with Homes NSW if your specific arrangement is unclear.
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