Who the SCHADS Award covers
The award covers employers and employees in four sectors: social and community services, home care, crisis assistance and supported housing, and family day care schemes. For disability providers, the key parts are:
- Social and community services, which includes providing personal care, domestic and lifestyle support to a person with disability in the community, a residential setting, a respite centre or a day service
- Home care, which means personal care, domestic assistance or home maintenance for an older person or a person with disability in a private residence
Who it does not cover
Workers covered by another award, such as the Nurses Award, Health Services Award, Aged Care Award or Children's Services Award, are not covered by SCHADS. Independent support workers who work for themselves as sole traders are not employees, so the award does not set their rates. Check the full award and the Fair Work Ombudsman's tools for classification questions.
How NDIS price limits are built on SCHADS
The NDIA uses the Disability Support Worker Cost Model to set support worker price limits. It estimates the full cost of a billable hour: base pay, shift loadings, leave, on costs, allowances, supervision, overheads and a margin. The 2026/27 pricing schedule ties each worker level to a SCHADS Schedule B pay point:
- Disability Support Worker Level 1, such as standard self care support: SCHADS level 2.3. Weekday daytime limit $73.58 an hour
- Level 2, high intensity and intensive behaviour supports: the average of levels 2.4 and 3.1. Weekday daytime limit $79.60 an hour
- Level 3, such as capacity building in self management and tenancy support: level 3.2. Limit $83.87 an hour
- Level 4, psychosocial recovery coaching: level 4.4. Weekday daytime limit $110.44 an hour
Award shifts versus NDIS time of day
The award decides what you pay your worker. The NDIS time of day rules decide what you can claim, and they are not the same thing. The pricing arrangements say the price limit depends on when the support is delivered to the participant, not the worker's shift under an award or agreement. Plan rosters with both in mind, because penalty rates under the award may not line up exactly with the NDIS evening, night, weekend and public holiday items.
What changed in 2026
Support worker price limits rose on 1 July 2026 in line with the Fair Work annual wage increase. On 11 September 2026 the Fair Work Commission decided on Schedule E of the SCHADS Award, as part of its review of gender based undervaluation. The award changes take effect on 1 December 2026, and the government has said the 2026/27 pricing schedule will be updated later in the year to reflect any required changes.
Since 27 August 2026 the Minister for Disability and the NDIS, rather than the NDIA, decides price limits, taking advice from the NDIA.
What providers should do
- Check every employee's classification and pay point against the award, and review them as skills and duties grow
- Read the Fair Work Commission's decision and update your payroll for 1 December 2026
- Watch for the updated NDIS pricing schedule and check your service agreements against the new limits
- Model your margins: the NDIA expects providers to pay workers in line with relevant awards and agreements, and it does not get involved in individual wage disputes, which are a matter for the Fair Work Ombudsman