SCHADS Home Care Aged Care Pay Rates 2026
- Fair Work pay guide, 1 July 2026
- 6 levels
- Award text to 1 Sep 2026
Level 1: Introductory
$32.61
an hour · casual $40.76
$1,239.00 a week · $64,428 a year
Level 2: Home carer
$34.42
an hour · casual $43.03
$1,307.80 a week · $68,006 a year
Level 3: Qualified
$36.23
an hour · casual $45.29
$1,376.70 a week · $71,588 a year
Level 4: Senior
$37.68
an hour · casual $47.10
$1,431.70 a week · $74,448 a year
Level 5: Specialist
$39.13
an hour · casual $48.91
$1,486.80 a week · $77,314 a year
Level 6: Team leader
$40.58
an hour · casual $50.73
$1,541.90 a week · $80,179 a year
Full-time and part-time
Home care: aged care penalty rates per hour
Saturday 150%, Sunday 200%, public holiday 250%, afternoon shift 112.5%, night shift 115%, each worked from the ordinary hourly rate.
| Level | Ordinary | Saturday | Sunday | Public holiday | Afternoon | Night | 24 h care (per shift) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, Introductory | $32.61 | $48.92 | $65.22 | $81.53 | $36.69 | $37.50 | $404.40 |
| 2, Home carer | $34.42 | $51.63 | $68.84 | $86.05 | $38.72 | $39.58 | $426.80 |
| 3, Qualified | $36.23 | $54.35 | $72.46 | $90.58 | $40.76 | $41.66 | $449.28 |
| 4, Senior | $37.68 | $56.52 | $75.36 | $94.20 | $42.39 | $43.33 | $467.20 |
| 5, Specialist | $39.13 | $58.70 | $78.26 | $97.83 | $44.02 | $45.00 | $485.20 |
| 6, Team leader | $40.58 | $60.87 | $81.16 | $101.45 | $45.65 | $46.67 | $503.20 |
Casual
Home care: aged care casual rates per hour
Including the 25% casual loading: ordinary 125%, Saturday 175%, Sunday 225%, public holiday 275%.
| Level | Ordinary | Saturday | Sunday | Public holiday | Afternoon | Night | 24 h care (per shift) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, Introductory | $40.76 | $57.07 | $73.37 | $89.68 | $44.84 | $45.65 | $469.60 |
| 2, Home carer | $43.03 | $60.24 | $77.45 | $94.66 | $47.33 | $48.19 | $495.68 |
| 3, Qualified | $45.29 | $63.40 | $81.52 | $99.63 | $49.82 | $50.72 | $521.68 |
| 4, Senior | $47.10 | $65.94 | $84.78 | $103.62 | $51.81 | $52.75 | $542.56 |
| 5, Specialist | $48.91 | $68.48 | $88.04 | $107.61 | $53.80 | $54.78 | $563.44 |
| 6, Team leader | $50.73 | $71.02 | $91.31 | $111.60 | $55.80 | $56.81 | $584.32 |
Worked example
What a shift pays at Introductory
| Shift | Full-time or part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday day shift, 7.6 hours | $247.84 | $309.78 |
| Saturday, 6 hours | $293.52 | $342.42 |
| Sunday, 6 hours | $391.32 | $440.22 |
| Public holiday, 6 hours | $489.18 | $538.08 |
The six aged care home care levels
Schedule F has applied since 1 January 2025. Each level is set by experience and qualification, and none has pay points.
| Level | Name | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introductory | Provides home care to aged care clients and has less than 3 months’ aged carer experience. |
| 2 | Home Carer | Has 3 months’ or more aged carer experience. |
| 3 | Qualified | Has a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) or an equivalent qualification. |
| 4 | Senior | Has the Certificate III (Ageing) or equivalent and 4 years’ experience at level 3 after 1 January 2025. |
| 5 | Specialist | Has a Certificate IV in Ageing Support or equivalent, which the employer requires for the job. |
| 6 | Team Leader | Has the Certificate IV in Ageing Support or equivalent, required by the employer, and supervises and trains other aged care home care employees. |
Aged carer experience means previous work as an aged care home care employee under the award, or as a direct care employee in residential aged care. Residential aged care itself is covered by the Aged Care Award, not SCHADS.
Weekend, shift and overtime rates
Full-time and part-time employees get 150% on Saturday, 200% on Sunday and 250% on public holidays; casuals get 175%, 225% and 275%, which already include the 25% loading. Afternoon shifts are paid at 112.5% and night shifts at 115% (137.5% and 140% for casuals), and weekend and public holiday rates replace them rather than adding to them. Overtime from Monday to Saturday is 150% for the first 2 hours and 200% after (175% and 225% for casuals); full-time social and community services work that is not disability services gets 150% for the first 3 hours.
The sleepover allowance is $62.87 a night, and the broken shift allowance is $21.81 for one unpaid break or $28.87 for two. Price a whole shift in the SCHADS Pay Rate Calculator, see every level side by side in SCHADS Award pay rates 2026, or read the SCHADS Award 2026 guide.
Every SCHADS level
Level 1 · Level 2 · Level 3 · Level 4 · Level 5 · Level 6 · Level 7 · Level 8 · Home care: disability · Home care: aged care
What this tool follows
- Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide: SCHADS Award [MA000100], from 1 July 2026: published 24 June 2026; minimum hourly, penalty, overtime and allowance rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100]: award text consolidated to 1 September 2026; Schedule B, E and F (classification definitions), cl 13 (classification and progression), 15 and 17 (rates), 25.8 (24-hour care), 26, 28, 29 and 34 (penalties and overtime)
- Fair Work Commission: Annual Wage Review decision [2026] FWCFB 3500 (2 June 2026): 4.75% increase to modern award rates from 1 July 2026; disability home care work value change to be implemented by 1 October 2027 (para [72](7))
General information only, not financial, legal or claiming advice. Always check a claim against the current official documents.
Questions people ask
What is the SCHADS home care aged care pay rate in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, $32.61 an hour for an Introductory home carer (Level 1) up to $40.58 for a Team Leader (Level 6), for full-time and part-time employees. Casuals get $40.76 to $50.73.
What level is a home carer with a Certificate III?
Level 3, Qualified: a home care employee with a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) or an equivalent qualification. With 4 years’ experience at Level 3, counted from 1 January 2025, they are Level 4, Senior.
Do aged care home care workers get the December 2026 increase?
No. The interim increase from 1 December 2026 applies only to home care employees providing disability care. Aged care home care rates (Schedule F) are unchanged until the new classification structure starts on 1 October 2027.
What is the 24-hour care rate for aged care home care?
A 24-hour care shift is paid as 8 hours at 155% of the hourly rate for full-time and part-time employees: $404.40 at Level 1. Casuals get 8 hours at 180%: $469.60 at Level 1.
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