The lower hourly amount
Your CCS percentage applies to the lower of your centre’s hourly fee and the government hourly cap.
Australian Child Care Subsidy
See what child care may
really cost your family.
A simple fortnightly estimate using your Centrelink-approved CCS details. No personal information is stored.
smartworks.au
Child Care Subsidy estimate
Prepared 6 July 2026
What this estimate uses
The important bits,
without the government-speak.
Your approved hours
Only care within your fortnightly approved hours is subsidised. Any hours above the limit are full fee.
A small amount is withheld
Centrelink usually withholds part of your CCS to reduce the chance of an overpayment at balancing time.
How is this calculated?
From centre fee to out-of-pocket cost.
A simple visual guide to how the calculator moves from your centre’s fee to your estimated weekly payment.
Current calculation snapshot
Follow the money from centre fee to subsidy, then to your final out-of-pocket payment.
Full fee
Centre daily rate × days
Hourly rate used for CCS
The lower of your centre hourly rate and the government hourly cap.
Max. Government Subsidy before withholding
Eligible hours × capped hourly rate × CCS percentage
Government subsidy withheld
Max. Government Subsidy × 5%
Government subsidy paid to centre
Max. Government Subsidy − withheld amount
What you pay
Full fee − government subsidy paid after withholding
Worked example
Daily rate $185 · 10 hours · 3 days · 70% CCS
$185/day
10 hrs/day
3 days/week
70% CCS
$15.19/hr cap
Full fee
$185 × 6 days = $1,110.00
6 days per fortnight
Centre hourly rate
$185 ÷ 10 hrs = $18.50/hr
The $15.19 government cap is lower, so the cap is used.
Max. Government Subsidy
60 hrs × $15.19 × 70% = $637.98
3 days × 10 hrs × 2 weeks = 60 eligible hours.
Withheld 5%
$637.98 × 5% = $31.90
Reserved by Centrelink.
Paid to childcare centre
$637.98 − $31.90 = $606.08
Subsidy after withholding.
Estimated out-of-pocket
$1,110.00 − $606.08 = $503.92
That is about $251.96 per week.
Estimate only. This explains the calculator’s method, not a Centrelink assessment. Actual CCS can change after balancing, absences, enrolment/session reporting, or changes to your circumstances.
Child Care Subsidy FAQ
Common questions about CCS estimates.
These answers explain how the SmartWorks Child Care Subsidy Calculator estimates weekly out-of-pocket child care costs in Australia.
What is the Child Care Subsidy?
The Child Care Subsidy, or CCS, is an Australian Government payment that helps eligible families reduce approved child care fees. The amount depends on your approved CCS percentage, subsidised hours and the applicable hourly rate cap.
Who is eligible for Child Care Subsidy?
Eligibility generally depends on residency rules, approved child care use and family circumstances. Australian citizens, permanent residents and some eligible visa holders may qualify, but you should confirm your own eligibility with Services Australia.
How does this Child Care Subsidy calculator work?
The calculator estimates your full fee from the daily centre rate and days attending, calculates the centre hourly rate, applies the lower of that rate and the government hourly cap, then applies your CCS percentage, withholding and approved subsidised hours.
What government hourly cap does this calculator use?
The default hourly cap is $15.19 per hour for Centre Based Day Care from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. You can adjust calculator settings if you need to test different assumptions.
Why is 5% of CCS withheld?
Centrelink commonly withholds part of the subsidy to reduce the chance of an overpayment when payments are balanced. This calculator uses a default 5% withholding assumption.
Is this an official Centrelink assessment?
No. This calculator is an estimate only and is not an official Centrelink or Services Australia assessment. Actual CCS can differ due to eligibility, absences, session reports, balancing and changes in circumstances.