If your employer has a registered enterprise agreement, its rates apply instead of the award rates below (an agreement must leave you better off overall than the award).
Which award covers disability support workers
Disability support workers employed by NDIS providers and other disability services are covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 — the SCHADS Award [MA000100]. Which pay table applies depends on where the support is delivered.
Support in a community or residential setting — group homes, supported accommodation, respite and day programs — falls under the Social and community services stream (Schedule B). Support delivered in the client's own home falls under Home care — disability (Schedule E), which has lower rates.
In the Social and community services stream, a support worker who has completed a relevant certificate and does work related to it must be appointed at Level 2. With a Certificate IV (or a diploma) the minimum is Level 2 pay point 2. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close direction, including new recruits with limited experience.
The Social and community services rates for Levels 2 and up already include the Equal Remuneration Order uplift, which the award says forms part of ordinary pay for all purposes. Level 1 receives no uplift.
Read the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 September 2026), or see every classification on our MA000100 award rates page.
Disability Support Worker award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Disability support worker pay rates — group homes, day programs and residential settings
SCHADS Award Schedule B (Social and community services), Levels 1 to 4. Weekly and hourly rates as published, including the Equal Remuneration Order for Levels 2 and up. Casual is the hourly rate plus the 25% loading.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 pay point 1Entry level, close direction | $27.55 | $1,046.90 | $54,439 | $34.44 |
| Level 1 pay point 2 | $28.44 | $1,080.60 | $56,191 | $35.55 |
| Level 1 pay point 3 | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Level 2 pay point 1Relevant certificate | $36.22 | $1,376.49 | $71,577 | $45.28 |
| Level 2 pay point 2Certificate IV or diploma starts here | $37.36 | $1,419.79 | $73,829 | $46.70 |
| Level 2 pay point 3 | $38.50 | $1,462.96 | $76,074 | $48.13 |
| Level 2 pay point 4 | $39.53 | $1,501.95 | $78,101 | $49.41 |
| Level 3 pay point 1 | $40.49 | $1,538.59 | $80,007 | $50.61 |
| Level 3 pay point 2 | $41.66 | $1,582.94 | $82,313 | $52.08 |
| Level 3 pay point 3 | $42.55 | $1,616.71 | $84,069 | $53.19 |
| Level 3 pay point 4 | $43.42 | $1,649.97 | $85,798 | $54.28 |
| Level 4 pay point 1 | $46.70 | $1,774.74 | $92,286 | $58.38 |
| Level 4 pay point 2 | $47.92 | $1,821.07 | $94,696 | $59.90 |
| Level 4 pay point 3 | $49.16 | $1,867.93 | $97,132 | $61.45 |
| Level 4 pay point 4 | $50.25 | $1,909.51 | $99,295 | $62.81 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Disability support worker pay rates — support in the client's home
SCHADS Award Schedule E (Home care — disability). These rates carry no Equal Remuneration Order uplift. Casual is the hourly rate plus the 25% loading.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 pay point 1 | $27.28 | $1,036.80 | $53,914 | $34.10 |
| Level 2 pay point 1 | $28.86 | $1,096.60 | $57,023 | $36.08 |
| Level 2 pay point 2 | $29.06 | $1,104.10 | $57,413 | $36.33 |
| Level 3 pay point 1 | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Level 3 pay point 2 | $30.36 | $1,153.70 | $59,992 | $37.95 |
| Level 4 pay point 1 | $32.13 | $1,221.00 | $63,492 | $40.16 |
| Level 4 pay point 2 | $32.77 | $1,245.40 | $64,761 | $40.96 |
| Level 5 pay point 1 | $34.45 | $1,309.20 | $68,078 | $43.06 |
| Level 5 pay point 2 | $35.81 | $1,360.80 | $70,762 | $44.76 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Support worker pay rates: which SCHADS stream applies
"Support worker" is not a classification in the SCHADS Award. Your minimum depends on the stream your work falls in and then your level. Support in group homes, supported accommodation, respite and day programs is the Social and community services stream (Schedule B). Support in a person's own home is Home care — disability (Schedule E), or Home care — aged care (Schedule F) when the client is older. Support workers in residential aged care homes are covered by the Aged Care Award instead — see the aged care worker page.
Home care — disability rates are about to rise. The Fair Work Commission's gender undervaluation decision ([2026] FWCFB 232) lifts Schedule E rates by up to 15% from 1 December 2026 (PR814259): Level 2 pay point 1 goes to $1261.10 a week. The rest of the increase comes with a new classification structure from 1 October 2027.
| Stream and level | Hourly | Weekly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group homes and day programs — Level 1 pay point 1 | $27.55 | $1046.90 | $34.44 |
| Group homes and day programs — Level 2 pay point 1 | $36.22 | $1376.49 | $45.28 |
| In-home disability support — Level 1 pay point 1 | $27.28 | $1036.80 | $34.10 |
| In-home disability support — Level 5 pay point 2 | $35.81 | $1360.80 | $44.76 |
| Home care for older people — Level 2 Home carer | $34.42 | $1307.80 | $43.03 |
| Home care for older people — Level 3 Qualified | $36.23 | $1376.70 | $45.29 |
SCHADS Award minimums from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026; Schedule B Level 2 includes the Equal Remuneration Order. Casual is the hourly rate plus 25%. In-home disability rows show the lowest and highest Schedule E levels.
Disability Support Worker penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
| Afternoon shift | 112.5% | — |
| Night shift | 115% | — |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate. Casual weekend and public holiday rates include the 25% loading. Weekend rates replace shift loadings rather than adding to them (cl 26.2).
Overtime
- Disability services, home care and day care employees: time and a half for the first 2 hours of overtime Monday to Saturday, then double time (cl 28.1(a)(i)).
- Sunday overtime is double time and public holiday overtime is double time and a half.
- Overtime rates replace, rather than add to, shift premiums and weekend penalties.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Sleepover allowance | $62.87 per sleepover | 4.9% of the standard rate (cl 25.7(d)). |
| Broken shift allowance | $21.81 (one break) or $28.87 (two breaks) | Per broken shift. |
| Vehicle allowance | $1.05 per km (1 Sep 2026 – 28 Feb 2027) | When you are required and authorised to use your own car for work. A temporary rate under cl 20.7(aa) (PR813674), from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 September 2026; the ordinary rate of $1.01 per km applies again from 1 March 2027. |
Disability Support Worker pay after tax
On the Level 2 pay point 1 rate of $1,376.49 a week, a full-time disability support worker earns $71,577 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $71,577 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$11,993 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,432 |
| Take-home per year | $58,152 |
| Take-home per week | $1,118 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $70,000 (the nearest step to $71,577), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What disability support workers actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Aged and Disabled Carers (ANZSCO 4231) at $1,761 a week ($46 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Crisis accommodation and family day care streams, and trainee rates under Schedule I.
- Casual shift loadings, which follow different rules for casuals.
Disability Support Worker pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010, consolidated to 1 September 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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