Family Assistance Office

Double Orphan Pension

Double Orphan Pension helps you meet the costs of caring for children who are orphans.

Can I get Double Orphan Pension?

You may claim Double Orphan Pension for a child if:

the child's parents or adoptive parents have both died, or
one of the child's parents is dead and the other parent is in long term imprisonment or is on remand for an offence that is punishable by long term imprisonment, lives in a psychiatric institution or nursing home on a long term basis, or their whereabouts is unknown, or
the child is a refugee and has not at any time lived in Australia with either or both parents, and whose parents are outside Australia or their whereabouts are unknown,

AND

you have at least 35 per cent care of the child, if you claim the benefit on or after 1 July 2008; and
the child is under 16 (or is a full time student aged 16 to 21 who does not get Youth Allowance), and
you are eligible for Family Tax Benefit for the child (or would be eligible for payment but your income is above the limit or the child, or you on behalf of the child, are receiving payments under a prescribed educational scheme), and
you are living in Australia (that is, Australia is your permanent home), and
you are either an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, the holder of a permanent visa or the holder of certain temporary visas.

How much can I get?

Double Orphan Pension is a tax free payment of $50.40 per fortnight. It is usually in addition to Family Tax Benefit. If you have not claimed Family Tax Benefit for the child, you need to put in a claim.

An additional amount of Double Orphan Pension may be payable. The additional amount will be equal to the difference between the carer's entitlement to Family Tax Benefit for the young person and the family allowance received for the young person immediately before they became a double orphan.

The additional amount is not payable to approved care organisations and is not subject to an income test or assets test.

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URL: http://www.familyassist.gov.au/content/payments-dop
This page last modified on 01/07/2008.
This page accessed on 21/11/2008.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2008