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§ — Family

How much paid parental leave will you get?

From 1 July 2026 the scheme reaches its full size: 130 days — 26 weeks — at $200.98 a day, with 12% super on top. Check the income test, see how the days split between parents, and estimate your total payment.

2026–27 rates·Source: Services Australia·Read · 4 min

Your details

Child born or adopted

Family

A$

For the financial year before your claim or the birth, whichever Services Australia assesses. Must be $186,487 or less — or the family test applies.

A$

Used only if your individual income is over the limit — the family limit is $386,525.

days

5 PPL days = 1 week. 20 days are reserved for your partner.

Your estimate · 2026–27 rates

Estimated Parental Leave Pay (before tax)

$22,108

110 PPL days (22 weeks) at $201 a day, plus $2,653 paid into your super. PPL is taxable income.

Scheme total for this birth130 days
Reserved for your partner20 days
Weekly rate (5 days)$1,005
Super (12%)$2,653
Total incl. super$24,761

2026–27 PPL settings

Daily rate (national minimum wage)$200.98
Individual income limit$186,487
Family income limit$386,525
Days claimable together (couples)10 days

Source: Services Australia · effective 1 July 2026

How the PPL scheme works in 2026–27

Parental Leave Pay is a government payment at the national minimum wage — $200.98 a day, or $1,004.90 for a five-day week, before tax. It's separate from any parental leave your employer pays, and you can usually receive both.

The entitlement is counted in days, and they're flexible: blocks, single days, any time before your child turns two. Births and adoptions from 1 July 2026 attract 130 days (26 weeks) — up from 120 days the year before, completing the expansion that started at 90 days in 2023.

For couples, 20 days are reserved for the other parent on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, and up to 10 days can be taken by both parents at the same time. Single parents get the full 130 days.

Since July 2025 the government also pays 12% superannuationon PPL, deposited into your fund after the end of the financial year — on 130 days that's about $3,135 of super on a $26,127 payment.

Eligibility has three legs: the income test (individual ATI of $186,487 or less in the reference year, with a $386,525 family fallback), the work test (roughly 10 of the 13 months before birth, with at least 330 hours worked), and residency. This calculator covers the income test — the work test depends on your dates.

Sources

  • Services Australia (servicesaustralia.gov.au) — Parental Leave Pay rates, income and work tests, 2026–27
  • Fair Work Commission — National Minimum Wage order, effective 1 July 2026
  • Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 and 2024 amendments (expansion to 26 weeks, super on PPL)
  • Data last verified: July 2026

§ Letters & replies

Parental leave, answered.

Common questions about the government Paid Parental Leave scheme.

What is the work test?+ open

You need to have worked in at least 10 of the 13 months before the birth or adoption, with at least 330 hours in that period (about one day a week), and no gap of more than 12 weeks between work days. There are exceptions for pregnancy complications and dangerous jobs.

Which year's income does the test use?+ open

The financial year before your claim or before the birth, whichever is earlier. If you earned over the limit this year but under it last year, you may still qualify — and vice versa. The limits are indexed each 1 July.

Is PPL taxed?+ open

Yes — Parental Leave Pay is taxable income, withheld like salary whether paid through your employer or Services Australia directly. The 12% super contribution goes to your fund and is taxed at the usual 15% contributions rate.

Can I work while receiving PPL?+ open

Not on a day you're paid PPL for — that's the point of the payment. But because the days are flexible, you can return to work part-time and take PPL on your non-working days, stretching the entitlement out. "Keeping in touch" days (up to 10) don't count as work.

How do the reserved days work for couples?+ open

Of the 130 days, 20 are reserved for the other parent — one parent can take at most 110. Reserved days a partner doesn't use are lost, not transferred. Exceptions apply for single parents and where one parent isn't eligible.

Does PPL affect Family Tax Benefit?+ open

It counts as taxable income, so it feeds into the adjusted taxable income used for FTB and Child Care Subsidy tests. You can't receive Newborn Upfront Payment/Supplement for the same child if you get PPL — usually PPL is worth much more.

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