Child turns 18 and may continue to be included

When a dependent child turns 18, they are generally no longer considered a dependent child and will be excluded from their parent or caregiver's assistance, or the assistance paid for them must stop, from the start of the pay period following the child's 18th birthday.

However, an 18-year-old child may continue to be considered a dependent child and be included in their parent or caregiver's assistance, or have assistance paid for them, for a limited period if they are:

• continuing in education and
• not financially independent

In this situation, the 18-year-old must be excluded from their parent or caregiver's assistance, or the assistance paid for them must stop, from the start of the pay period following:

• the date the child is no longer enrolled in school or tertiary education
• the date the child is no longer attending school or tertiary education as required
• the date the child is financially independent
• the date the child leaves the parent or caregiver's care or
• 31 December of the year they turned 18

whichever is earlier.

If an 18-year-old child is enrolled in education for the following year (e.g. they are finishing high school and are enrolled in tertiary education for next year), the child may continue to be considered a dependent child and be included or have assistance paid for them until the start of the pay period following 31 December of the year in which they turn 18.

Note children who are born on 29 February and turn 18 in a non-leap year are considered to have their birthday on 1 March.

If a parent or caregiver is getting assistance that is not a benefit when the child turns 18 (for example, Social Housing or a Special Needs Grant), the child may be excluded from a different date.

To be considered continuing in education, an 18-year-old child must be enrolled in school or tertiary education and attending as required.

For a child to be considered attending school or tertiary education as required, they should be meeting the attendance expectations of their school or tertiary education provider. A child is considered to be attending as required during school holidays when they are on a break between terms, between school years, or between semesters.

For example, Zoe turns 18 on 3 February. She finished high school last year, and isn't attending university in semester one, but has enrolled in classes for semester two which starts on 20 July.

Because she is enrolled in tertiary education, and attending as required (she doesn't need to attend until semester two starts), she can continue to be considered a dependent child and be included in her caregiver's benefit for a limited period after her 18th birthday.

An 18-year-old is not considered to be continuing in education when they are:

• homeschooled but not enrolled in correspondence school, distance learning, or another tertiary training establishment
• intending to enrol in further education, but have not yet enrolled

An 18-year-old cannot be considered a dependent child and be included in their parent or caregiver's benefit if they are not continuing in education. They may qualify for a benefit in their own right.

Child under 18 leaves school or education

When a child under the age of 18 leaves school or tertiary education, they can continue to be included in their parent or caregiver's financial assistance, or have assistance paid for them, as long as the child is considered to be a dependent child.

An 18-year-old child is considered financially independent when they:

• are in full-time employment
• get a Student Allowance or an Independent Circumstances Allowance under the Student Allowances Regulations 1998 or
• get a main benefit in their own right

There may be other situations where an 18-year-old is considered financially independent because all their financial needs (including the provision of accommodation and material needs) are being met by someone other than the parent or caregiver or from some other source. For example:

• a family trust or
• the parent who is not the day-to-day caregiver

An 18-year-old cannot be considered a dependent child and be included in their parent or caregiver's benefit, or their parent or caregiver cannot get other assistance for them, if they are financially independent.

When a child has applied for a Student Allowance or main benefit in their own right and they are continuing in education, they may continue to be considered a dependent child and be included in their parent or caregiver's benefit until the start of the pay period following the commencement date of that assistance. If the commencement date is in the middle of a pay period, there may be a short overlap in payment between the parent or caregiver's assistance, and the assistance paid to the child in their own right.

If the child has applied for assistance in their own right and they are not continuing in education, they will no longer be considered a dependent child and will be excluded from their parent or caregiver's benefit from the start of the pay period following their 18th birthday.