Your benefits may change if you have shared care of your child.
You only get benefits for Your partner and child of you or your partner. Your family doesn’t have to live with you to be recognised family. and A person who lives with you but who isn’t a resident family member. .
If your child was already living with you
If your relationship ends and you have shared care of your child, they can stay as your Your partner and children who live with you. if they’ll be living with you for more than 90 nights a year.
If your child will be living with you for less than 90 nights a year, you may be able to get approval for them to stay as accompanied resident family. This means you can keep getting benefits for them.
Complete and submit an Application of recognition of child for housing assistance (AD499) form to get approval.
You can download this from the Web Forms portal on the Defence Protected Network (DPN).
If the request is approved, you don’t need to change your family’s categorisation.
If your request isn’t approved, you need to change your family’s categorisation.
You can choose to add your child as A child or partner who doesn't normally live with you. .
If your child has been living somewhere else
If your child has been living somewhere else and will now be living with you, you can apply to get benefits for them.
If you’re merging families, you’ll also need to apply to get benefits for your partner's children.
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Complete and submit an Application of recognition of child for housing assistance (AD499) form
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Change your categorisation if you don't have other accompanied resident family
Housing
You can get housing assistance when you have shared care of your child.
If you own a suitable home in your housing benefit location, you're not eligible for other housing assistance.
You should inform Defence Housing Australia (DHA) within 14 days when you begin sharing the care of your child. They can assess your housing options.
Live in a Service residence
You can keep your Service residence when you have shared care of your child.
You can get a Service residence if you were in:
- living-in accommodation (LIA)
- Member Choice Accommodation (MCA).
If the home you rent doesn't have enough bedrooms, you can apply for a Service residence.
Live in a home and get rent allowance
You can live with your child in a home in the private rental market and get rent allowance.
You can reapply for rent allowance and move to a home with the right number of bedrooms for your family. The amount you get may increase if you get an extra room for your child.
The amount you get depends on how many bedrooms you need for your family, your rent ceiling and your actual rent.
Moving homes
You may get a Defence paid move to a suitable home when you have shared care of your child.
You may be eligible for moving assistance such as temporary accommodation allowance and leave benefits.
If your child has special needs, you may get extra moving assistance.
Contact Toll Transitions if you need to move when you have shared care of your child. They help manage your move.