SCHADS Award Pay Changes: What Workers & Employers Get
The SCHADS pay rise 2026 explained: what the award change means for support workers, agencies and self-managed participants, and why prices shift.
If you support workers, employ them, or self-manage and pay them yourself, the SCHADS award pay changes matter to you. SCHADS is the award that sets the minimum wages and conditions for most disability and community-sector workers, and it was updated again in 2026. This guide explains, in plain terms, what changed, why it flows through to the price you pay for support, and what it means depending…
What the SCHADS Award is
What changed in 2026
Why an award change moves the price of support
If you are a support worker
If you employ or direct workers
More change on the horizon
What to do now
Frequently asked questions
How much did SCHADS pay go up in 2026?
The Fair Work Commission's 2026 Annual Wage Review lifted award minimum wages, and that increase flows through to every SCHADS classification, applying from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Because the exact percentage is set each year, confirm the current figure on the Fair Work…
Why does a wage award affect my NDIS costs?
The NDIA builds its support worker price limits partly around what agencies must legally pay staff under SCHADS. When the award minimum rises, employing workers costs more, so the NDIS price limits are generally adjusted to match. That is why award increases and NDIS price updates usually arrive…
When do the new SCHADS rates start?
The 2026 increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026 — which may be a few days after 1 July depending on your pay cycle. Employers should update rates from the correct pay period, and workers should check the increase appears on their payslip.
Do I pay the award directly if I self-manage?
It depends how you engage workers. If you directly employ someone, you must meet SCHADS minimums. If you book workers through a platform or engage sole traders at an agreed rate, you are paying a market rate rather than administering the award — but those rates tend to move with award changes…