SCHADS Home Care Disability Pay Rates 2026
- Fair Work pay guide, 1 July 2026
- 9 levels and pay points
- Award text to 1 Sep 2026
Pay point 1.1
$27.28
an hour · casual $34.10
$1,036.80 a week · $53,914 a year
Pay point 2.1
$28.86
an hour · casual $36.08
$1,096.60 a week · $57,023 a year
Pay point 2.2
$29.06
an hour · casual $36.33
$1,104.10 a week · $57,413 a year
Pay point 3.1
$29.45
an hour · casual $36.81
$1,119.10 a week · $58,193 a year
Pay point 3.2
$30.36
an hour · casual $37.95
$1,153.70 a week · $59,992 a year
Pay point 4.1
$32.13
an hour · casual $40.16
$1,221.00 a week · $63,492 a year
Pay point 4.2
$32.77
an hour · casual $40.96
$1,245.40 a week · $64,761 a year
Pay point 5.1
$34.45
an hour · casual $43.06
$1,309.20 a week · $68,078 a year
Pay point 5.2
$35.81
an hour · casual $44.76
$1,360.80 a week · $70,762 a year
Full-time and part-time
Home care: disability 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | $27.28 | $40.92 | $54.56 | $68.20 | $30.69 | $31.37 | $338.24 |
| 2.1 | $28.86 | $43.29 | $57.72 | $72.15 | $32.47 | $33.19 | $357.84 |
| 2.2 | $29.06 | $43.59 | $58.12 | $72.65 | $32.69 | $33.42 | $360.32 |
| 3.1 | $29.45 | $44.18 | $58.90 | $73.63 | $33.13 | $33.87 | $365.20 |
| 3.2 | $30.36 | $45.54 | $60.72 | $75.90 | $34.16 | $34.91 | $376.48 |
| 4.1 | $32.13 | $48.20 | $64.26 | $80.33 | $36.15 | $36.95 | $398.40 |
| 4.2 | $32.77 | $49.16 | $65.54 | $81.93 | $36.87 | $37.69 | $406.32 |
| 5.1 | $34.45 | $51.68 | $68.90 | $86.13 | $38.76 | $39.62 | $427.20 |
| 5.2 | $35.81 | $53.72 | $71.62 | $89.53 | $40.29 | $41.18 | $444.08 |
Casual
Home care: disability 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | $34.10 | $47.74 | $61.38 | $75.02 | $37.51 | $38.19 | $392.80 |
| 2.1 | $36.08 | $50.51 | $64.94 | $79.37 | $39.68 | $40.40 | $415.60 |
| 2.2 | $36.33 | $50.86 | $65.39 | $79.92 | $39.96 | $40.68 | $418.48 |
| 3.1 | $36.81 | $51.54 | $66.26 | $80.99 | $40.49 | $41.23 | $424.08 |
| 3.2 | $37.95 | $53.13 | $68.31 | $83.49 | $41.75 | $42.50 | $437.20 |
| 4.1 | $40.16 | $56.23 | $72.29 | $88.36 | $44.18 | $44.98 | $462.64 |
| 4.2 | $40.96 | $57.35 | $73.73 | $90.12 | $45.06 | $45.88 | $471.92 |
| 5.1 | $43.06 | $60.29 | $77.51 | $94.74 | $47.37 | $48.23 | $496.08 |
| 5.2 | $44.76 | $62.67 | $80.57 | $98.48 | $49.24 | $50.13 | $515.68 |
From 1 December 2026
The interim increase
Weekly rates from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026, set by determination PR814259. Hourly rates are the weekly rate divided by 38, the way the pay guide works them out.
| Level | Weekly now | Weekly from 1 Dec | Hourly from 1 Dec | Casual from 1 Dec | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | $1,036.80 | $1,192.30 | $31.38 | $39.23 | 15.00% |
| 2.1 | $1,096.60 | $1,261.10 | $33.19 | $41.49 | 15.00% |
| 2.2 | $1,104.10 | $1,269.70 | $33.41 | $41.76 | 15.00% |
| 3.1 | $1,119.10 | $1,287.00 | $33.87 | $42.34 | 15.00% |
| 3.2 | $1,153.70 | $1,326.80 | $34.92 | $43.65 | 15.00% |
| 4.1 | $1,221.00 | $1,404.20 | $36.95 | $46.19 | 15.00% |
| 4.2 | $1,245.40 | $1,431.70 | $37.68 | $47.10 | 14.96% |
| 5.1 | $1,309.20 | $1,505.60 | $39.62 | $49.53 | 15.00% |
| 5.2 | $1,360.80 | $1,541.90 | $40.58 | $50.72 | 13.31% |
Worked example
What a shift pays at pay point 1.1
| Shift | Full-time or part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday day shift, 7.6 hours | $207.33 | $259.16 |
| Saturday, 6 hours | $245.52 | $286.44 |
| Sunday, 6 hours | $327.36 | $368.28 |
| Public holiday, 6 hours | $409.20 | $450.12 |
For NDIS providers
Wage against the NDIS price limit
A casual at 1.1 on standard self-care support. What is left pays for super, workers’ compensation, supervision, travel and overheads.
| Hour of support | NDIS item | NDIS price limit | Casual 1.1 wage | Left per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday daytime | 01_011_0107_1_1 | $73.58 | $34.10 | $39.48 |
| Saturday | 01_013_0107_1_1 | $103.54 | $47.74 | $55.80 |
| Sunday | 01_014_0107_1_1 | $133.50 | $61.38 | $72.12 |
| Public holiday | 01_012_0107_1_1 | $163.46 | $75.02 | $88.44 |
The five disability home care levels
Schedule E covers home care employees providing services to a person with a disability in their own home. Each level has one descriptor; these are the award’s words, shortened.
| Level | Who | Typical tasks | Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Less than 12 months’ experience in the industry, using basic skills to provide domestic assistance and support. Work is routine and clearly defined. | Cleaning, shopping, preparing and cooking meals, emptying and cleaning commodes, banking and paying accounts, organising appointments, helping care for pets (E.1.4). | Has started on-the-job training, which may include an induction course (E.1.6). |
| 2 | A range of developed skills in domestic assistance and support, with scope to use discretion. May help supervise work at the same or a lower level. | Personal care, supervising daily hygiene, helping with dressing, monitoring medications, fitting and changing catheters, help with communication, going with clients on outings (E.2.3). | Level 1 completed or equivalent, a Home Care Certificate or equivalent, or relevant experience or on-the-job training (E.2.5). |
| 3 | Works under general supervision, accountable for the quality and timeliness of their own work, using personal judgement. | Personal care for clients needing extra help because of physical problems or frailty; meal planning; coordinating up to four support staff; planning diversional therapy programs (E.3.3). | A Certificate III relevant to the position, or the same skills gained on the job. Pay point 1 is labelled “certificate 3” (E.3.5, cl 17.1). |
| 4 | Uses discretion within standard practices and may provide direction, leadership, administration and rostering for direct care employees. | Rostering staff and directing work programs, overseeing and training lower-level employees, helping develop budgets and client care plans (E.4.3). | Level 3 completed or equivalent, plus relevant experience (E.4.5). |
| 5 | Coordinates resources, supports senior employees or does specialist work, accountable for the programs and work plans they control. The award names care coordinator, foreperson and maintenance supervisor as examples. | Complex or technical problems that need some creativity and originality (E.5.2). | Beyond a TAFE certificate or associate diploma: a degree or diploma, or lesser qualifications with relevant skills or experience. Pay point 1 is labelled “degree or diploma” (E.5.6, cl 17.1). |
Home care or social and community services?
The award defines the home care sector as personal care, domestic assistance or home maintenance for an aged person or a person with a disability in a private residence. Support in group homes and supported independent living falls under social and community services (Schedule B), and a note to the definitions lets an employer use Schedule B even for work in a private home.
The Fair Work Commission said in 2025 that the position for in-home disability support has become confused and that some employers pay disability support workers under Schedule B and others under Schedule E. From 1 October 2027 it is settled: disability support work falls under the social and community services stream “regardless of where that work is performed”, and only domestic assistance or home maintenance for a client with a disability stays home care work.
Moving up a pay point
After each 12 months’ continuous employment, an employee is eligible to move up one pay point within their level if they have shown competency and satisfactory performance over at least 12 months at that pay point and either used new or enhanced skills the employer required, or been rated satisfactory under the employer’s performance appraisal scheme (cl 13.3(a)).
Moving to a higher level happens only by promotion or reclassification (cl 13.3(b)), and employers must tell employees their classification in writing when they start and whenever it changes (cl 13.2).
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))
- Fair Work Commission decision [2026] FWCFB 137 (1 June 2026): a new single classification structure from 1 October 2027
- Fair Work Commission decision [2026] FWCFB 232 (11 September 2026): interim increase deferred to 1 December 2026; disability support work in the social and community services stream from 1 October 2027
- Determination PR814259: the disability home care weekly rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman: changes to the SCHADS Award
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 disability pay rate in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, $27.28 an hour at Level 1 up to $35.81 at Level 5 pay point 2 for full-time and part-time employees, and $34.10 to $44.76 for casuals.
Are SCHADS disability home care rates going up in December 2026?
Yes. Home care employees who provide disability care get an interim increase of up to 15% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026 (Fair Work Commission determination PR814259). Most rates rise 15%; Level 4 pay point 2 rises 14.96% and Level 5 pay point 2 13.31%. The rest of the increase comes with the new classification structure on 1 October 2027.
Is an NDIS support worker on the home care or the social and community services rates?
Support in group homes and supported independent living falls under social and community services (Schedule B), as the Fair Work Commission has said. For support in a client’s own home the current award is unclear, and the Commission found employers use both schedules. From 1 October 2027, disability support work falls under the social and community services stream wherever it is done.
What is the 24-hour care rate for disability 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: $338.24 at Level 1. Casuals get 8 hours at 180%: $392.80 at Level 1.
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