How to Claim Every WA Kinship Carer Payment Without Missing Any
If you are a grandparent or relative raising a child in Western Australia, there are at least seven separate payments and concessions the child or you may qualify for — spread across two levels of government and three different agencies. The reason most carers miss at least one is not that the information is hidden. It is that each agency describes its own payment in isolation, and none of them tells you the order.
Lodging them in the wrong sequence can stall your claims. Lodging Family Tax Benefit before gathering the right evidence adds weeks. Missing the Grandcarers Support Scheme because nobody at Centrelink mentioned it (they cannot — it is a state payment) means leaving $1,000 or more on the table. This post maps out the full sequence.
The Payments You May Qualify For
Here is the complete list for an informal grandparent carer in WA. Not every carer qualifies for every payment, but you should check each one.
| Payment | Who Pays | Approximate Value | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Tax Benefit Part A | Centrelink (federal) | Varies by age and income — up to several thousand dollars per year | Any carer with 35%+ care of a dependent child |
| Family Tax Benefit Part B | Centrelink (federal) | Up to $200.34/fortnight (child 0–4) or $139.86/fortnight (child 5–18) | Single-income households, single carers, non-parent carers |
| ACCS Grandparent | Centrelink (federal) | Up to 100 hours/fortnight; subsidy covers up to 100% of fees within 120% of the standard CCS hourly rate cap | Grandparents on income support with 65%+ principal care |
| Rent Assistance | Centrelink (federal) | Calculated based on rent paid and family size | FTB Part A recipients or income support recipients paying private rent |
| Grandcarers Support Scheme | WA Dept of Communities via Wanslea | $1,000/year per grandchild + $500/$250 cost-of-living top-up (2026–27) | Informal grandparent carers in WA, full-time care 4+ months |
| Foster and Grand Carer Gold Card | WA State Government | $377 energy relief + transport concessions | Registered foster carers and grandcarers in WA |
| WA Student Assistance Payment | WA State Government | 2026 round: $150 (Kindergarten and primary) or $250 (secondary); claims closed 25 September 2026 | Eligible WA Kindergarten to Year 12 students; the 2026 round was claimed via ServiceWA or the Department of Education |
| Double Orphan Pension | Centrelink (federal) | Supplementary per-child payment, non-means-tested | Both parents deceased, or one deceased and the other indefinitely incapacitated, imprisoned for 10+ years, or missing after reasonable searches |
The Sequence That Avoids Delays
The order matters because some claims create the evidence base for others, and some agencies process faster when you have already established care on a parallel system.
Week 1: Gather Your Evidence
Before you contact any agency, assemble these documents:
- Your identity documents (Services Australia requires proof of identity before you claim; follow the claim flow for accepted documents)
- The child's birth certificate or other proof of birth accepted by Services Australia (the care declaration below is separate evidence)
- A statutory declaration describing when the child came into your care, why, and that you are the full-time primary carer
- Any letters or records from schools, GPs, hospitals, or community services that show the child lives with you
- The child's Medicare card or number (if you have it)
- Your bank account details for direct deposits
This evidence set serves every application below. Gathering it once saves repeating the process for each agency.
Week 1–2: Lodge Family Tax Benefit First
FTB is the anchor claim. When Centrelink processes it, your care percentage goes onto the system. That record then simplifies every other Centrelink claim.
Call the Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser line on 1800 245 965 or lodge online via myGov. Submit your statutory declaration and supporting evidence. If the biological parent is still receiving FTB for the child, Centrelink initiates a Change of Care — they contact the parent, and if the parent does not dispute within the response window, the transfer proceeds.
Processing time: typically 21 to 42 days. If you are in financial hardship during the wait, ask to speak to a Services Australia social worker about an advance payment or emergency-relief referral; Crisis Payment may apply if you are fleeing domestic violence.
Week 2: Apply for ACCS Grandparent (if eligible)
If you are on the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, JobSeeker, or Parenting Payment, you may qualify for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) — up to 100 hours per fortnight, with the subsidy covering up to 100% of fees within 120% of the standard CCS hourly rate cap and no activity test. You need to have already lodged (or be lodging) your FTB claim so Centrelink can see your care percentage.
If you are not on income support, you claim the standard Child Care Subsidy instead, which is income-tested.
Once You Meet the GSS Care Requirement: Apply for the Grandcarers Support Scheme
This is a WA state payment — Centrelink cannot see it, tell you about it, or help you apply. Contact Wanslea (operating as Uplyft) on 1800 794 909 or use the ServiceWA platform. You need proof of WA residency, proof of grandparent relationship, and evidence of full-time primary care for at least four months. The annual application cycle opens on 1 July.
If the child arrived recently and you have not yet been caring for four months, gather the care evidence and contact Wanslea about applying once you meet the care requirement during the application cycle.
Week 3–4: Register for the Gold Card and Check the Student Assistance Payment Status
The Foster and Grand Carer Gold Card ($377 energy relief) is available through the ServiceWA app from 1 July 2026. The 2026 WA Student Assistance Payment was $150 for Kindergarten and primary students and $250 for secondary students, but claims closed on 25 September 2026. Check ServiceWA or the Department of Education for any future round.
Ongoing: Handle School and Medical Paperwork
School enrolment without a court order requires a meeting with the school principal, a statutory declaration, and supporting documents. The WA Department of Education gives principals discretion to enrol a child under informal care arrangements if the carer presents sufficient evidence.
Medical consent requires checking who has authority to consent to treatment and what documentation the provider requires. A statutory declaration documents the care arrangement but does not transfer parental responsibility; adding the child to your Medicare card and logging consent arrangements are separate steps.
As Needed: Check for Rent Assistance and Double Orphan Pension
Rent Assistance is calculated automatically once you are receiving FTB Part A or income support and paying private rent. Check your Centrelink record after your FTB claim is processed to confirm it has been applied.
The Double Orphan Pension applies only in specific circumstances: both parents are deceased, or one is deceased and the other is indefinitely incapacitated, imprisoned for 10+ years, or missing after reasonable searches. If this applies to your situation, lodge the claim alongside your FTB.
The Common Mistakes
Calling only Centrelink. The Grandparent Adviser line is excellent for federal payments but has no visibility into the Grandcarers Support Scheme, the Gold Card, or the Student Assistance Payment. You need to contact Wanslea separately.
Waiting for a court order before claiming anything. You do not need a parenting order to claim FTB, ACCS Grandparent, or the Grandcarers Support Scheme. Evidence of informal primary care is sufficient.
Lodging incomplete applications. Missing care evidence or identity documents can delay a claim. Gather the evidence each agency requests before you lodge.
Not recording your interactions. When you are dealing with three agencies across multiple calls, the details blur. Write down the adviser's name, what was agreed, and the receipt number for every interaction.
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Who This Is For
- Grandparents who have recently taken in a grandchild and want to make sure nothing is missed
- Carers on the Age Pension or DSP who need every payment the child qualifies for
- Family members helping an older grandparent navigate the system
- Anyone who has been caring for a while and suspects they are not receiving everything they are entitled to
Who This Is NOT For
- Foster carers approved by the Department of Communities — your payment stream is the foster care subsidy, not the GSS
- Carers with a Special Guardianship Order — you are on the Department of Communities subsidy and are excluded from the Grandcarers Support Scheme
- Carers outside Western Australia — the state payments are WA-specific
The Full Walkthrough
This post covers the sequence. If you want the complete application walkthroughs — every form, every evidence list, every agency interaction log — the Support for Grandparents and Kinship Carers in Western Australia guide puts it all in one printable document. The free WA Kinship Carer Checklist gives you a one-page starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the whole process take from start to finish?
Family Tax Benefit and Parenting Payment processing targets are typically 21 to 42 days. The Grandcarers Support Scheme requires at least four months of full-time primary care before eligibility; Wanslea targets processing complete applications within 15 to 30 business days. The 2026 WA Student Assistance Payment claims closed on 25 September 2026. A Centrelink Change of Care dispute can extend the federal timeline.
Will claiming these payments affect my Age Pension?
The Grandcarers Support Scheme is a tax-free grant and does not affect your pension. The Gold Card provides separate energy bill relief and state concessions. Family Tax Benefit is non-taxable and does not reduce your Age Pension. Adding a dependent child to your household can actually increase your pension entitlements through Rent Assistance and other add-ons.
What if the biological parent is still claiming FTB for the child?
Centrelink handles this through the Change of Care process. They contact the parent, and if the parent does not dispute (or disputes without sufficient evidence), the FTB transfers to you. Your address is protected under privacy legislation — Centrelink will not share it with the parent.
Can I claim backdated payments?
FTB can be backdated to the date care started if you lodge within the current financial year. The GSS is an annual grant, and its application cycle opens each July; you also need at least four months of full-time primary care to qualify. Contact Wanslea about applying once both requirements are met.
What if I need help and cannot navigate this alone?
Start with the free checklist to see what applies. Call Wanslea's Grandcare line (1800 794 909) for state payment help and the Centrelink Grandparent Adviser (1800 245 965) for federal claims. If you want everything in one document with step-by-step instructions, the full guide is $24. Full refund, no time limit — email [email protected].
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