Kinship Carer Cost of Living Help Victoria: Concessions and Transport Discounts

The Hidden Costs of Raising Someone Else's Child

When a child arrives, your household expenses jump overnight. Food, clothing, school supplies, medical costs, higher energy bills — and if the child needs their own room, potentially a housing change. For kinship carers on a pension or low income, those costs stack up fast against a budget that was already tight.

Victoria has a layered system of concessions and rebates that can reduce the pressure, but most carers don't know about all of them. Here's what's available and how to access each one.

Transport Concessions

Victorian Carer Card (myki). The Carer Card gives you a carer-coded myki with a 50% discount on Victorian public transport fares, free weekend travel across two consecutive zones, and two to four free off-peak annual travel vouchers. Apply online at carercard.vic.gov.au — you can use an Informal Carer Statutory Declaration or an authorised professional's verification. Processing takes 4–6 weeks online or 8–10 weeks by mail.

Pensioner Concession Card myki. If you hold a Pensioner Concession Card (from Age Pension, Disability Support Pension or Carer Payment), you qualify for concession-rate myki fares and free Sunday travel separately from the Carer Card. The two concessions don't stack — use whichever gives you the better deal on a given trip.

Health Care Card holders. A Centrelink Health Care Card also entitles you to concession myki fares. If you receive FTB Part A at the maximum rate, you automatically receive a Health Care Card.

Energy Rebates

Annual Electricity Concession. Holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA Gold Card qualify for the Victorian Energy Concession — a discount applied directly to your electricity bill. Contact your electricity retailer to register your concession card.

Gas Concession. A similar concession applies to mains gas bills. The concession is calculated under the Victorian Government's current rules; ask your retailer how it is applied to your bill.

Utility Relief Grant Scheme. If you have an overdue energy, gas or water bill and are experiencing financial hardship, ask your retailer which Utility Relief Grant Scheme applies, how to apply, and whether repeat-application limits apply to your account.

Non-mains energy relief. If you use a non-mains energy source and are in financial crisis, ask about the Non-Mains Utility Relief Grant Scheme and confirm the current eligibility and application steps with the responsible agency.

Council Rate Concessions

Victorian councils may offer rate reductions, deferred payment plans or waivers for municipal waste charges to eligible Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card holders. Availability and amounts depend on the council. Contact your council's rates department to ask what applies.

Some councils also offer hardship provisions for ratepayers who are struggling financially. If you don't qualify for the standard concession, ask about hardship arrangements.

Water Concessions

Water concession. Pensioner Concession Card and Health Care Card holders qualify for a concession on their water bill — contact your water retailer to register.

Hardship programs. If the arrival of a child has significantly increased your water usage and bills, contact your retailer and ask what hardship options are available.

Medical and Health Concessions

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.

Pensioner Concession Card. If you hold one, you get concessional PBS rates for your own prescriptions too, plus potential discounts on ambulance services.

Health Care Card. Automatically issued to recipients of FTB Part A at maximum rate. It provides access to concessional PBS rates; bulk billing depends on the provider.

These cards stack: you can hold a Pensioner Concession Card for yourself and a Foster Child Health Care Card for the child, getting concessional rates for both.

School Cost Relief

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 — the form goes to the school office, not to Centrelink.

State Schools' Relief. Provides uniforms, shoes and essential school supplies to students experiencing financial hardship. Your school's wellbeing coordinator or principal submits the application on your behalf.

School hardship funds. Many Victorian government schools have discretionary funds to waive essential item contributions, subject costs and excursion fees for families under financial pressure. Ask the school directly.

How to Make Sure You're Getting Everything

The concession system in Victoria is fragmented — no single agency tells you about all of them. A practical approach:

1. Get your concession cards sorted first. Apply for the Foster Child Health Care Card (through Centrelink, no means test) and ensure you have a Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. These unlock nearly everything else
2. Register your card with every utility provider — electricity, gas, water. Call each one and give them your concession card number. The rebate is not automatic; you have to register
3. Contact your council rates department with your concession card details
4. Apply for the Victorian Carer Card for transport discounts
5. Apply for CSEF at the school at the start of the school year
6. Ask about hardship provisions wherever costs are high — most providers have them but don't advertise them

The Victoria Kinship Carer Support Guide includes a concession checklist that lists every Victorian and Commonwealth concession a kinship carer can access, organised by the card you need to qualify.

See more Victoria guides →