Time Limits for Family Assistance Payments

If you want to claim family assistance payments for the 2026 financial year, you must lodge a claim with Services Australia (Centrelink) by 30 June 2027 to be eligible.

This deadline applies to taxpayers who intend to lodge a claim for:

• Family Tax Benefit
• Child Care Benefit
• Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS).

Income tax lodgments also required

Taxpayers must also lodge their 2026 Individual income tax return by 30 June 2027 to receive their full Family Tax Benefit and SIFS entitlements for the 2026 year.

This applies to payments that are a lump sum payment, as well as when payments have been received throughout the year.

Taxpayers who do not need to lodge an income tax return for the 2026 financial year, must notify Centrelink by 30 June 2027.

A delay in lodging after 30 June (even by one day) will result in not being paid your full Family Assistance entitlements by Centrelink.

BEWARE:   A deferral past 30 June for tax matters is not taken into account by Services Australia (Centrelink)

If a lodgement time deferral for the Income Tax Return has been granted by the ATO, this does not change the Centrelink Family Assistance lodgement requirements.