Can you get CCS and other government payments at the same time?

Georga Holdich Content Specialist

14 Jul 2026

When it comes to childcare costs, the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is often just one part of the support families receive. Other payments, like Family Tax Benefit or Paid Parental Leave, can also play a role - each designed to support a different part of family life. For many families, these payments can work alongside each other - but they don’t all apply in the same way or at the same time. Here’s how it all fits together.

Not sure how much CCS your family could receive? Try our Childcare Subsidy Calculator to estimate your subsidy and get a clearer picture of your expected childcare costs before exploring how CCS works alongside other family payments.

CCS and Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Different purposes

CCS and Family Tax Benefit (FTB) are often mentioned together, but they support different parts of family life.

CCS helps reduce the cost of approved childcare
FTB helps with the general cost of raising children

You don’t need to choose between them - many families receive both.

How they work together

While you can receive both payments, they’re assessed separately.

CCS is based on things like your income, the type of care you use, and the hours of subsidised care
FTB is based on your income and number of children

One doesn’t directly reduce the other, but your overall income can affect eligibility for both. In practice:

CCS reduces your childcare fees at the service
FTB is usually paid to you (fortnightly or as a lump sum)

One exception worth knowing about: you can't get FTB part B on days you're receiving Paid Parental Leave.

CCS and Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

How they work together

Good news here: you can receive CCS and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) at the same time. There's no rule stopping you from getting both, and plenty of families use childcare while one parent is on leave, especially when an older sibling is already enrolled.

There are two things worth knowing about how they interact:

PPL counts as income. Your Parental Leave Pay is included in your family income estimate, which can affect your CCS percentage.
Your subsidised hours are protected. Since 5 January 2026, the 3 Day Guarantee gives all CCS-eligible families at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight (that's 3 days a week), no matter how much you're working or studying. Being on leave doesn't change that.

If your family needs more than 72 hours a fortnight, Services Australia looks at your recognised participation, and parental leave can count towards this if you're expected to return after your leave ends.

What this looks like in practice

If you’re on leave with a newborn, an older child already in care keeps their CCS as normal
If your baby starts care while you’re still receiving PPL, CCS can apply from their first session, since you don’t need to be back at work first
If your income changes when you return to work, update your income estimate through myGov so your CCS percentage stays accurate

Why this matters when planning childcare costs

When you’re thinking about childcare costs, it’s easy to focus only on CCS. But your overall budget is often supported by a combination of payments. Your final out-of-pocket cost depends on how everything works together.

For example:

CCS reduces your childcare fees upfront
FTB can help cover everyday household costs
Other payments may provide support during transitions (like returning to work)

Looking at the bigger picture can help you better understand what childcare will actually cost your family.

A quick reality check

Government payments can feel complicated, especially when you’re navigating multiple changes and policies at once. But in most cases:

you can receive CCS alongside other payments
each payment has a clear purpose
eligibility rules are there to make sure support is targeted and fair

If you’re unsure, it’s always okay to double-check your situation with Services Australia, especially during times like returning to work or increasing your childcare days.