[ras500]

Hi all
I'm getting confused about the 50% out of pocket expenses CCR and the work/study etc test

I've seen some conficting things and their help line is now shut.

So you you need to be doing work/study ect for a min of 15hrs a week or is there no min.

I won't be working, I will be studying, the course is online and flexible but not trehnically 15hrs a week, does text reading and research time etc get counted as additional hours.

I am also enrolled in uni in teaching but deffered, I do volunteer work at the local school but again not 15 hrs a week, and how do they determine if volunteer work is improvoing your skills

I will also be looking for work but that often will not be 15hrs a week, how do they know, do you report the hours you did what.

Sorry, I think this sounds rambling butin summary is there a 15hrs min, what counts to it and what sort of evidence do you show each week?
tia

[Guest_zeus359_*]

YOu need to be involved in some form of work or study during the week to get CCR
YOu need to be doing 15 hours a week to get more than 2 days per week CCB

I questioned this, a couple of years ago, i dropped down to 1 subject for uni which is technically only a 10 hour per week study load, and i was assured i was still eligible for the CCR.

[SeaPrincess]

PP is right - there's no minimum hours for CCR, but I think they asked me what course/Uni I was enrolled in.

[~*Amethyst*~]

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/e...ning-study-test

[ingridhumanservi...]

Hi Ras500, I work with the Australian Government Department of Human Services in a team that responds to questions about Centrelink payments and services on social media sites like this. I just wanted to add some extra information to the great info you've already been given here by others. I passed your questions on to the CCR/CCB subject matter experts and they've provided me with a lot of information to pass on. I hope it answers all of your questions. Ingrid

__________________________________
The Work/Training/Study test is different for Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR).

To be eligible for CCB for approved care of more than 24 hours (and up to 50 hours) of child care per week, a person (and their partner) must satisfy the CCB Work/Training/Study test by undertaking a work related activity (or a combination of activities) for at least 15 hours per week (or 30 hours per fortnight) or have an exemption.

Where Voluntary work is being undertaken to meet the test it should improve work skills or employment prospects or needs to be undertaken 15 hours per week or more.

Study should be work related or to improve employment prospects and would be assessed based on the amount of time spent studying. Both contact and non-contact study hours are included, therefore this would include time spent on text reading and research. Semester and vacation breaks throughout the duration of the study course are counted where the person intends continuing the study in the following semester. Vacation breaks after the course of study has concluded are not included.

Evidence of meeting the Work/Training/Study test is generally not required except where a person is looking for work. When time spent looking for work is included in the total hours that a person meets the test, they may be requested to provide evidence of actively looking for work.

To be eligible for CCR (to be assessed for 50% of the out of pocket child care expenses), there is no minimum hour requirement for a person (and their partner) to be undertaking to satisfy the CCR Work/Training/Study test. That is, if a person (and their partner) are undertaking a work related activity (or have an exemption) at some time during the week that care is being provided then the CCR Work/Training/Study test is met.

Child Care Benefit may entitle you to a reduction of your child care fees, based on your and your partner's income estimate. Child Care Rebate would then entitle you to a 50% reduction of your remaining out of pocket expenses provided the CCR eligibility requirements are met.

[ras500]

Thanks so much, that makes more sense than the website
I'm only going to be using pre-school 2 days a week so 12 hrs a week in school terms so Ii take from thatn no minimum is required, unless we wanted more than 24hrs

[Julie3Girls]

I'm only going to be using pre-school 2 days a week so 12 hrs a week in school terms so Ii take from thatn no minimum is required, unless we wanted more than 24hrs

If it's preschool in NSW, as in preschool that only runs during school terms, it might not be approved care.

It needs to be approved care to qualify for the 50% rebate, and the CCB amount will be different too if it's not approved care.