Childcare if the caregiver is incapacitated
The net cost of childcare (after the deduction of any childcare or OSCAR subsidy that is payable) up to a maximum of $6 per hour can be included in the assessment of Temporary Additional Support where the client or their partner is disabled or seriously ill.
In addition, these costs must be essential to meet the family's daily living needs and could not be readily avoided or varied when the expense was incurred.
Allowable childcare costs can be included in Temporary Additional Support where the childcare provider is not a recognised childcare organisation.
Reasonable steps
You need to consider that if a recognised childcare organisation can be used by the client and would cost less than the childcare provider being used, then a reasonable step could be to change their childcare provider.
For more information about this see:
Verification
The client must provide verification of their childcare costs.
SWIFTT process
SWIFTT will not automatically include childcare costs as allowable costs for Temporary Additional Support. You should deduct any Childcare or OSCAR Subsidy paid from the childcare cost before manually adding them into the STAWA screen.
Legislation
- Allowable costs regulation 71 Social Security Regulations 2018
- Disability allowance Part 2, subpart 14 Social Security Act 2018
