Child Support in Western Australia

Child support in Western Australia is calculated using both parents’ incomes, the number and ages of the children, and the amount of care each parent provides. There is no standard WA payment and no fixed amount that a father must pay. Either parent may be assessed as the payer.

Child support assessment with a care calendar and dollar symbol beside a map of Western Australia on a beach

Services Australia administers child support for WA parents under the Australian child support scheme. Individual assessments in Western Australia vary widely according to family circumstances.

An assessment may be nil, limited to a minimum or fixed rate, or amount to thousands of dollars each year. Income and care have the greatest influence on the result.

How does WA calculate child support?

Services Australia compares each parent’s share of the available income with the share of the children’s costs they meet through care.

The calculation is made under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989. The main inputs are:

Each parent’s taxable income
The number and ages of the children
How care is shared between the parents, measured in nights

A self-support amount is deducted from each parent’s income. The remaining amounts are used to calculate each parent’s income percentage and the estimated costs of the children.

Care nights are converted into a cost percentage. A parent will generally pay child support when their income percentage is greater than the cost percentage credited for their care.

Payment amounts can range from $0 to more than $20,000 per year. The Child Support Calculator provides an estimate based on income, care and the children’s ages.

Child support assessment in Western Australia

A child support assessment is the formal calculation that determines whether child support is payable, who pays and how much.

Assessments can change when a parent lodges a new tax return, provides an income estimate or reports a change in care. A child moving into a different age bracket can also affect the amount.

For child support periods starting in 2026, the minimum child support rate is $551 per year. The minimum does not apply to every low-income payer, and some assessments can be reduced to nil.

A fixed rate of $1,825 per child may apply when a parent reports a low taxable income but did not receive an income support payment during the relevant year.

How to apply for child support in WA

WA parents can apply for a child support assessment through Services Australia. Applications can be started online, and an established case can be managed through a Child Support account linked to myGov.

The online account can be used to check assessments and payments, upload documents, update income details and report changes in care.

Child support contact number and services in Western Australia

The Child Support Enquiry Line is 131 272. Services Australia handles assessment, payment and collection enquiries from parents throughout Western Australia.

Online contact options and service centre information are listed with the Child Support Agency contact details.

What does child support cover in Western Australia?

Child support contributes to the general costs of raising children. WA parents can use payments for a wide range of child-related and household expenses. There are normally no rules requiring the receiving parent to account for each payment.

The costs that child support can cover include food, clothing, housing, education, healthcare and transport.

Common expenses covered by child support

Food. Groceries and meals.
Clothing. Everyday wear, school uniforms and seasonal needs.
Housing. Rent, mortgage payments and utilities.
Education. General school fees, textbooks and necessary supplies.
Medical care. Routine healthcare, including doctor visits and medications.

The receiving parent can allocate the funds towards these expenses or other household costs involved in providing for the children.

Summary for Western Australian parents

Child support amounts depend mainly on income, care and the children’s ages
There is no standard amount that a father must pay
Either parent can be assessed as the payer
Minimum and fixed rates may apply in some low-income cases
Services Australia administers assessments and payment collection
Child support can contribute to ordinary child-related and household expenses

When does child support end in Western Australia?

Because Western Australia uses a school starting age cut-off of 30 June, child support typically ends when a child turns 18. Becoming an adult is the normal cut-off for child support.

Payments can continue until the end of Year 12 if a child turns 18 while finishing secondary school. An application to extend the assessment generally needs to be made before the child turns 18. University study does not qualify.

A significant number of first-year university students from WA are still 17 when they commence their course, so child support may continue for several weeks or months.