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You may get a Childcare Subsidy if:

• you're the principal caregiver of a dependent child
• you're a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• your family is on a low or middle income.

You should also normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.

It also depends on how much you and your partner earn.

The child must be:

• aged either:
  • under 5, or
  • over 5 if they're going to a cohort entry school (where new entrants start together on a set date after they turn 5), or
  • under 6 if you get a Child Disability Allowance for them
• attending an approved early childhood education programme or service for 3 or more hours a week

Approved programmes

Approved programmes include licensed early childhood education and care services, eg:

• kindergartens and preschools
• childcare centres and creches
• playcentres and playgroups
• a playgroup that has been approved by Ministry of Education
• Kohanga Reo, Punanga Reo, Aoga and other programmes with a language and culture focus
• approved home-based care.

A Childcare Subsidy is normally paid for up to 9 hours of childcare a week if you're not working, studying or training.

You may be able to get up to 50 hours a week if you're in one of these situations:

• working, studying or on an approved training course
• involved in an activity that Work and Income has asked you to do
• a shift worker who works nights
• seriously ill or disabled
• caring for a child in hospital or for a child you get the Disability Allowance for.

In most cases you can't get the Childcare Subsidy for more than 9 hours a week if the child's other parent or caregiver can care for them.

For example:

• You're in study for 50 hours and your partner's working for 40 hours and travelling for 3 hours (to and from work).
• We'll pay for 43 hours of childcare.

20 Hours Early Childhood Education ECE

You can only get Childcare Subsidy for the same hours you're getting 20 Hours Early Childhood Education (ECE) if:

• your child is at a home-based educator, and
• the home-based educator is charging a top up payment for the same hours as 20 Hours ECE.

Home-based educators may charge you a top up payment to cover the difference between their normal hourly rate and 20 Hours ECE.

Public holidays

We pay Childcare Subsidy for public holidays like Waitangi Day and anniversary days. However, most programmes close between Christmas and New Year, so payments won’t be made during this time. 

Optional charges and donations

You can’t get Childcare Subsidy for optional charges and donations requested by your childcare provider.

How much you get depends on:

• the size of your family
• your income
• how many hours a week your child goes to the childcare provider
• the amount and type of childcare charged.

Childcare assistance starts from the date the care starts (or from the date you apply if you apply after it starts). All subsidies are paid directly to the childcare provider

We can grant you the Childcare Subsidy from the date you first contact us, or the date your childcare started, whichever is later, as long as you complete your application within 20 working days of that date.

How you apply depends on whether you're an existing client of ours or a new client.

Existing client

If you already get payments from us, you can apply online using the SmartStart website.

You'll need your:

• RealMe login - if you haven't registered for RealMe, you'll be asked to register in SmartStart
• income verification documents, eg, payslips
• partner's income verification documents
• dependent children’s birth certificates
• Work and Income client number
• IRD number
• email address, so SmartStart can send you notifications during the application process.

If your (or your partner's) information has changed, you'll also need to provide proof of your identity.

You can upload your documents through SmartStart when you apply.

New client

If you don't get any payments from us, you need to:

1. Complete the Childcare Subsidy application form
2. Get the childcare provider to fill out their part of the form.
3. Get evidence of your situation (the application form will tell you what to provide)
4. Request a client number - you can do this on or phone us.
5. Log in to Connect and upload your form and evidence.

If you're getting childcare payments for your child and they haven't started school yet, your payments are reviewed every 52 weeks.

Childcare payments are reviewed regularly. It also usually stops or is reviewed:

• the day after your course ends
• when your child reaches the age limit for the subsidy
• when your child leaves the pre-school facility or OSCAR programme
• if the child leaves your care.

You must also tell us straight away about any changes in your circumstances that could affect your payments, eg:

• if you or your partner's income changes
• if your child stops going or moves to another early childhood education programme
• if there's a change in your child's attendance
• if the number of hours you (or your partner) study or work each week changes
• if the reason why you get a subsidy changes, eg your health improves or you stop working
• your child starts or stops receiving 20 Hours ECE
• your Home-based educator starts to charge a top up payment for the same hours as 20 Hours ECE.