Helping customers apply for child support through Centrelink 277-51010000

If required under the Maintenance Action Test (MAT), Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customers must take reasonable action to obtain child support within the 13 week (91 day) timeframe to avoid their FTB Part A from being reduced to the base rate.

It is important to remember that regardless of a customer's personal income both parents are responsible for providing financial support for their children. All customers must be encouraged to take action to obtain child support.

Child Support will assess how much a customer is entitled to receive from the paying parent.

In some cases, it is not applicable for a customer to take action to obtain child support.

Information about child support and how to apply should be given to customers when:

• they first claim FTB
• they claim FTB for an additional child (birth of child or change of care)
• they separate from the parent of a child in their care
• they share the care of a child and their percentage of actual care increases to 35% or more
• their rate of FTB Part A increases to more than the minimum rate and they have not already taken action to obtain child support

If a customer provides care for a child and they are not the parent, they may be able to apply for Child Support from both of the child's parents. Examples of non-parent carers include legal guardians, grandparents or other family members.

There is no MAT requirement for these customers, (if they elect not to apply they will not fail the MAT) however they still may wish to apply for an assessment. If an assessment is commenced for a non-parent carer, the Maintenance Income Test (MIT) will apply as per normal.

Customers can apply for a non-parent carer child support assessment if they:

• care for a child 128 nights or more a year (35 per cent or more care), and
• are not considered to be a member of a couple with one of the child's parents

Refer to Applications for child support assessment through Centrelink for further details.