ECEC services encouraged to support families with next CCS deadline reminder

Approved providers and services have been asked to remind families about the next deadline for balancing Child Care Subsidy (CCS), with two important deadlines falling on June 30 2021.

 

The two important deadlines that fall on 30 June 2021 are:

 

• the second deadline for confirming 2018–19 income, and
• the first deadline for confirming 2019–20 income.

 

While many families confirmed their 2018–19 income before the first deadline on 31 March 2021, those who have yet to do so must do so before the second deadline on 30 June 2021. If families neglect to do so, they place themselves at risk of having to repay all the CCS they received in 2018-19. 

 

The first deadline for families to confirm the 2019-20 income is also 30 June 2021. For families who fail to do so, their CCS will stop, and they will need to pay full fees for care. 

 

CCS payments will have stopped for any families who missed the first deadline on 31 March 2021 to confirm 2018–19 income, and these families must be charged full fees. 

 

Services Australia can start a family’s CCS again after they have confirmed their income, however this can only take place from the first day of the next CCS fortnight, after income has been confirmed.

 

Importantly, if there was a gap between the CCS stopping and starting again, payments won’t be backdated, and you must charge full fees for this period.

 

Many families have confirmed their 2019–20 income already. If they haven’t, they must do so by the first deadline on 30 June 2021. If they don’t, their CCS will stop and they’ll need to pay full fees for child care.

 

Income is confirmed in one of two ways: 

 

• lodging a tax return, or
• advising Services Australia that there is not a need to lodge a tax return. 

 

With regards to the advisement, families can complete an Advise non-lodgement of tax return using their Centrelink online account through myGov or through the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Families will need to do this even if they have already told the Australian Taxation Office they don’t need to lodge.

 

If a parent separates from their partner/s, Services Australia will also need their ex-partner’s income. If a parent is concerned that their ex-partner/s won’t lodge their tax return by the deadline they should call the Families line.

 

Given the two deadlines converging, the Department of Skills, Education and Employment have produced a short video to help clarify obligations, which may be accessed here. 

 

The balancing web page has also been updated to support. Parents can find more information about this on the Services Australia website.