Minimum pay rates for home care 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 home care workers is $27.55/hr under the SCHADS Award. Casuals receive $34.44/hr (base + 25% loading). Rates effective from 1 July 2026.
Home care workers providing domestic assistance, personal care, and support to people in their homes are covered by the home care stream of the SCHADS Award (MA000100) — there is no standalone 'Home Care Award'. This includes workers in Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programme services, who are paid on a separate, higher aged-care ladder within the stream. Travel between clients and split shifts are key pay issues in this sector.
| 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 home care. Use our underpaid checker to calculate what you're actually owed.
Check If You're Underpaid →The minimum base rate for home care workers is $27.28/hr (Home Care Level 1) under the SCHADS Award home care stream. Casual workers receive $34.10/hr. Level 3 (qualified personal care workers) earn $29.45/hr base. Home care workers delivering aged care (Home Care Packages or CHSP) are on a higher ladder starting at $32.61/hr.
Yes. All travel time between clients during a shift must be paid at your base rate. Travel costs (fuel, tolls, public transport) must also be reimbursed. Unpaid travel time is one of the most common underpayment issues in home care.
For permanent employees, Saturday pays 1.5x, Sunday pays 2.0x, and public holidays pay 2.5x your base rate (casuals add their 25% loading on top). Afternoon shifts (finishing after 8pm) attract a 12.5% loading. Night shifts (finishing after midnight or starting before 6am) get 15%.
Under the Home Care Award, full-time and part-time workers must receive a minimum of 2 hours per engagement. Casual workers also have a 2-hour minimum. If your employer rosters you for a 1-hour visit, they must pay you for 2 hours.
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