Minimum pay rates for disability support workers in Australia under the SCHADS Award. Updated 1 July 2026.
Last verified: 21 May 2026Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100)
$27.55
Base rate/hr
$34.44
Casual rate/hr
The minimum pay rate for disability support workers is $27.55/hr under the SCHADS Award. Casuals receive $34.44/hr (base + 25% loading). Rates effective from 1 July 2026.
Disability support workers are covered by the SCHADS Award under the disability services stream. Whether you're providing in-home support, community access, or working in supported independent living (SIL), the award sets your minimum pay. With NDIS funding shaping the sector, knowing your entitlements is critical.
| Level | Classification | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Annual (38hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | SCHADS Level 1 | $27.55 | $34.44 | $54,438.80 |
| Level 2 | SCHADS Level 2 | $36.22 | $45.28 | $71,570.72 |
| Level 3 | SCHADS Level 3 | $40.49 | $50.61 | $80,008.24 |
| Level 4 | SCHADS Level 4 | $46.70 | $58.38 | $92,279.20 |
| Level 5 | SCHADS Level 5 | $53.43 | $66.79 | $105,577.68 |
| Level 6 | SCHADS Level 6 | $58.37 | $72.96 | $115,339.12 |
| Home Care L1 | Home Care Employee Level 1 | $27.28 | $34.10 | $53,905.28 |
| Home Care L2 | Home Care Employee Level 2 | $28.86 | $36.08 | $57,027.36 |
| Home Care L3 | Home Care Employee Level 3 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $58,193.20 |
| Home Care L4 | Home Care Employee Level 4 | $32.13 | $40.16 | $63,488.88 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010. Casual rates include 25% loading.
Casual workers get a 25% loading on top of the base rate. This compensates for no paid leave, no notice period, and no redundancy pay. Here's what that looks like for each level:
| Level | Base Rate | + 25% Loading | Casual Rate/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.55 | +$6.89 | $34.44 |
| Level 2 | $36.22 | +$9.06 | $45.28 |
| Level 3 | $40.49 | +$10.12 | $50.61 |
| Level 4 | $46.70 | +$11.68 | $58.38 |
| Level 5 | $53.43 | +$13.36 | $66.79 |
| Level 6 | $58.37 | +$14.59 | $72.96 |
| Home Care L1 | $27.28 | +$6.82 | $34.10 |
| Home Care L2 | $28.86 | +$7.22 | $36.08 |
| Home Care L3 | $29.45 | +$7.36 | $36.81 |
| Home Care L4 | $32.13 | +$8.03 | $40.16 |
Penalty rates are calculated on the base rate (Level 1: $27.55/hr). Casual employees receive penalty rates on their base rate before casual loading is applied.
Saturday
$41.33/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$55.10/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$68.88/hr
2.5x base
| Penalty Type | Multiplier | Level 1 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 1.5x | $41.33/hr |
| Sunday | 2x | $55.10/hr |
| Public Holiday | 2.5x | $68.88/hr |
| Afternoon shift (finishes after 8pm) | 1.125x | $30.99/hr |
| Night shift (finishes after midnight / starts before 6am) | 1.15x | $31.68/hr |
| Overtime (first 2 hours) | 1.5x | $41.33/hr |
| Overtime (after 2 hours) | 2x | $55.10/hr |
View the complete SCHADS Award including all classification levels, break rules, allowances, and more.
View Full SCHADS Award Pay Rates →If your payslip shows less than $27.55/hr (or $34.44/hr casual), you might be getting underpaid. It happens more than you'd think in disability support. Use our underpaid checker to calculate what you're actually owed.
Check If You're Underpaid →The minimum base rate for disability support workers is $27.55/hr (Level 1) under the SCHADS Award. Casual workers receive $34.44/hr. Most experienced support workers sit at Level 2 ($36.22/hr base) or Level 3 ($40.49/hr base).
Sleepover shifts are paid as a flat allowance of $62.87 per sleepover (from 1 July 2026, per the FWO SCHADS pay guide) rather than hourly rates. However, if you're woken and required to work during a sleepover, that work is paid separately at overtime rates with a minimum payment of 1 hour.
A broken shift is when you work two or more periods in a day with an unpaid break of more than one hour. You're entitled to a broken shift allowance on top of your normal pay. Recent changes have improved broken shift protections for disability workers.
Yes. All NDIS providers must pay at least the SCHADS Award minimum rates. NDIS pricing does not override employment law. If a provider claims they can't afford award rates because of NDIS funding levels, that's their problem — not yours.
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