Grandparents who take on the care of a second family face a number of financial issues. You may have had to retire early to cope with the demands of child rearing, or you may need to continue working longer than expected to meet the costs of having children living with you full time. Children, naturally, have many needs – for food, clothing, schooling, recreation and medical treatment, for example. You may have to buy a new car and/or extend the living space in your house to accommodate children. The grandparent of a child with a disability is likely to be faced with additional expenses. Many grandparents indicate that they are anxious about their capacity to meet financial pressures long term.
This booklet outlines the financial assistance to which grandparents may be entitled when raising grandchildren. Whether or not you are eligible to receive particular assistance will sometimes depend on your legal status as primary carer and/or on your income and, in some cases, on your assets. (Assets may include the value of the family home, for example.) It is not possible to detail every aspect of eligibility because decisions are based on individual circumstances and conditions are subject to change, so this booklet provides phone numbers for government agencies which you can contact to discuss your entitlements.
The booklet begins by explaining the two kinds of Australian Government benefits – Family Assistance Payments and Income Support Payments. It then describes State Government services and benefits.
For further information:
This information is also available in the Finance brochure [PDF 998KB].
Helping grandparents with school costs
The Minister for Education, David Bartlett, recently announced in the 2007-08 State Budget that $20,000 will be provided annually so that grandparents can access the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS).
The extension of STAS to cover the needs of grandparents recognises the important role that many grandparents play in caring for our students. As a result of this announcement grandparents will also have access to the Spectacles Assistance Scheme.
To be eligible for financial assistance, grandparents will be required to show evidence of a formal relationship with the student.
For further information please call 1800 816 057.
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