Childcare & ECE Options, Quality, Checklists, Funding, Costs, & Information Costs for Families, Subsidies & Funding Childcare Subsidy (WINZ) & Tax Deduction Information for Families
Childcare Subsidy (WINZ) & Tax Deduction Information for Families
Work and Income Subsidy Entitlements
Depending upon how much you and your partner earn (family income) you may be eligible for a WINZ Childcare Subsidy provided for up to 9 hours a week where the parent is not working and up to 50 hours a week where the parent is working or in training.
The subsidy is only available for children up to 5 years of age (or 6 years if your child receives a Child Disability Allowance) who attend a licensed early childhood programme for 3 or more hours a week.
If your service is receiving the 20 Hours ECE funding for your child, then you can not get the Childcare Subsidy for the first 20 hours even if the service is still charging you a "fee" (a compulsory donation) or asking you to cover other costs. If you are faced with paying 'optional' charges you might choose to ask your service for your child not to be on the 20 Hours ECE funding rate so that you can claim the WINZ subsidy.
As at 1 April 2011 the WINZ subsidies are as follows: ( See note* below for parents already on subsidies on 27 September 2010)
|
Number of children |
Gross weekly total household income before tax |
Childcare Subsidy |
Childcare Subsidy |
|
1 |
Less than $1,200.00 |
$3.84 |
$192.00 |
|
$1,200.00 to $1,299.99 |
$2.67 |
$133.50 |
|
|
$1,300.00 to $1,399.99 |
$1.48 |
$74.00 |
|
|
$1,400.00 or more |
Nil |
Nil |
|
|
2 |
Less than $1,380.00 |
$3.84 |
$192.00 |
|
$1,380.00 to $1,489.99 |
$2.67 |
$133.50 |
|
|
$1,490.00 to $1,599.99 |
$1.48 |
$74.00 |
|
|
$1,600.00 or more |
Nil |
Nil |
|
|
3 or more |
Less than $1,540.00 |
$3.84 |
$192.00 |
|
$1,540.00 to $1,669.99 |
$2.67 |
$133.50 |
|
|
$1,670.00 to $1,799.99 |
$1.48 |
$74.00 |
|
|
$1,800.00 or more |
Nil |
Nil |
For more information, any changes on the information provided above, and the latest updates go to the WINZ website, click here ...
*Subsidies for parents who were already receiving them prior to 27 Sept 2010 remain now at the same pre-Sept rate which was slightly higher than the ones above, and also have different total household income cutoff levels for each size of subsidy. Families have this rate grand-parented for 3 years; however the subsidy must remain current. If the subsidy is cancelled the parent may need to meet the new income threshold criteria.
Tax Deductions
You can receive a maximum tax credit of $310 if you paid $940 or more during the tax year in fees and have receipts for this.
You can claim a tax credit of the lesser of one-third of the total donations you've made or one-third of your taxable income providing you have receipts from approved charitable organisations. If your early childhood service requires you to pay extra on top of the 20 hours of ECE you may be eligible for (and this is called a donation) a tax credit can not be claimed for it unless the organisation is an approved charitable organisation. To check if you can claim a tax credit visit the Inland Revenue website.