Kinship Carer Payments Victoria: Every Payment You Can Claim in 2026

The Two Payment Systems You Need to Know About

A child arrives in your care and the costs start immediately — food, clothes, school supplies, a bigger electricity bill. The money to cover those costs comes from two completely separate systems, and which one pays you depends on how your care arrangement is classified.

Victoria runs a dual-jurisdiction payment structure. The state government (through the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, or DFFH) pays carers in formal child protection placements. The Commonwealth government (through Services Australia / Centrelink) pays family assistance to anyone who is physically raising a child, regardless of whether child protection is involved.

Most grandparents and relatives raising children privately — without a Children's Court order or DFFH caseworker — fall into the informal kinship care category. That means Centrelink is your primary payment source, not the state.

DFFH Care Allowance (Formal Placements Only)

If Child Protection has placed a child with you under a court order and DFFH has endorsed the placement, you receive a fortnightly care allowance. The 2026/2027 base rates (Level 1) range from $473.66 per fortnight for a child aged 0–7 up to $696.65 for a teenager aged 13 and over. Higher needs assessments can push this to Level 5, which pays $1,929.33 per fortnight. New placements also receive a $75.25 loading for the first six months.

These allowances are non-taxable and generally excluded from Centrelink income testing.

If you are an informal carer — meaning no child protection involvement — you are not eligible for DFFH care allowances. This is the single biggest gap in the system, confirmed by both the Victorian Auditor-General and the Victorian Ombudsman.

Centrelink Payments for Informal Kinship Carers

Centrelink does not require a court order or DFFH endorsement to pay you. What it requires is proof that you have at least 35% physical care of the child. Here is what you can claim:

Family Tax Benefit Part A — the main per-child payment. Rates depend on the child's age and your household income. If a baby under one enters your care, you may also qualify for the Newborn Supplement and Newborn Upfront Payment.

Family Tax Benefit Part B — an additional payment for single-income families or single carers. Grandparents on the Age Pension commonly qualify.

Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) — if you meet three criteria (receiving an eligible income support payment, providing 65% or more care, and holding primary decision-making responsibility), you can access up to 100 hours of subsidised childcare per fortnight at 120% of the hourly rate cap.

Foster Child Health Care Card — a non-means-tested concession card for non-parent carers. It reduces prescription costs under the PBS and unlocks local concessions.

The dedicated Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers line (1800 245 965) can walk you through which claims apply to your situation and schedule specialist appointments.

Victorian State Concessions and School Help

Beyond Centrelink, Victoria offers several targeted supports:

The Victorian Carer Card gives you a carer-coded myki with 50% off public transport, free weekend travel, and off-peak travel vouchers. Informal carers verify eligibility through a Statutory Declaration or an Authorised Professional Declaration signed by a GP, school principal, or social worker.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) pays $400 per eligible student per year directly to the school. Eligibility is through a valid Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Veterans Affairs Gold Card on the first day of Term 1 or Term 2, or the child being in formal out-of-home care. Applications go through the school and close in late June.

State Schools' Relief provides uniforms, shoes, and study materials through the school — the principal or wellbeing coordinator submits the application on your behalf.

Pulling It All Together

The practical sequence for an informal kinship carer in Victoria looks like this: start with Centrelink (FTB, Foster Child Health Care Card, ACCS if applicable), apply for the Victorian Carer Card and CSEF through the school, and ask the school about State Schools' Relief. If Child Protection later becomes involved and endorses your placement, the DFFH care allowance opens up as well.

The Victoria Kinship Carer Support guide maps out every payment, the eligibility rules, and the paperwork you need — organised by care arrangement type so you only read the sections that apply to you.

See more Victoria guides →