Behind every NDIS plan is a workforce of support workers, and many of them aren’t sure whether they’re being paid correctly. Most are covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award, usually called the SCHADS Award, which rose 4.75 per cent from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Here’s the plain-language guide to what you should now be earning.
Which Level Are You?
Most qualified disability support workers, including those with a Certificate III in Individual Support, start at Level 2 of the SCHADS Award. Level 2 covers personal care, community participation and household support under regular supervision. More experienced workers, or those with a Certificate IV, are often at Level 3.
Within each level, there are pay points that increase with experience.
The Minimum Rates at Level 2
At Level 2, pay point 1, the minimum is $36.22 an hour for permanent full-time and part-time workers. Casual workers receive a 25 per cent loading on top, making the minimum casual rate $45.28 an hour.
Weekends and public holidays attract higher rates. A casual Level 2 worker should receive at least $63.39 an hour on Saturdays, $81.50 on Sundays and $99.61 on public holidays. If you do a sleepover shift, there’s a sleepover allowance of $62.87, plus pay for any work you actually do during the night.
Above the Award
These are minimums. Many providers pay more, especially larger organisations and those with enterprise agreements, and workers in high-demand areas or with specialist skills can often negotiate higher rates.
Independent support workers who work as contractors, including through online platforms, aren’t paid under the award at all. They set their own rates, but they also have to cover their own superannuation, insurance, tax and unpaid time between shifts, so a higher hourly figure doesn’t necessarily mean higher take-home pay.
Why Pay Matters for the Whole Sector
The NDIS competes with aged care, hospitals and other industries for the same workers. Aged care nurses received their final work value increase this year, and many providers say NDIS price limits haven’t kept pace with wage costs. For participants, that shows up as staff turnover and difficulty filling shifts.
Check Your Pay
Check your classification first, since being placed at the wrong level is a common cause of underpayment. Then compare your rate, including casual loading and penalty rates, against the Fair Work Ombudsman’s SCHADS Award pay guide. If something doesn’t add up, raise it with your employer, then the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or your union.
For providers, it’s worth reviewing classifications and rosters now, particularly around weekends, public holidays and sleepovers, since underpayment claims can be costly.
The Bottom Line
Since July, a Level 2 NDIS support worker under the SCHADS Award should earn at least $36.22 an hour permanent or $45.28 casual, with casual weekend and public holiday rates of $63.39 to $99.61 and a $62.87 sleepover allowance. Many providers pay more. Check your level and penalty rates, and get help if you think you’re being underpaid. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.
Epik Wire covers the NDIS in plain language for participants, families, providers and the people who work in disability support. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
