Support worker pay vs the NDIS price limit
The NDIS price limit is what a provider can charge; the SCHADS award is what you’re paid. Here’s why the two numbers differ — and what it means for your pay.
The short answer: two numbers, two different jobs
What is the NDIS price limit, exactly?
What is SCHADS Award pay, exactly?
Why the price limit is higher than your pay
A worked example of the gap (illustrative only)
Side-by-side: price limit vs your pay
Independent and self-employed workers: read this twice
How to check you're actually being paid correctly
A realistic scenario: Priya questions her Sunday pay
What this means when you're choosing where to work
Frequently asked questions
Is the NDIS price limit the same as my hourly pay?
No. The NDIS price limit is the maximum a provider can charge a participant's plan for an hour of support, while your pay is the wage your employer owes you under the SCHADS Award, your enterprise agreement or contract. The price limit has to cover your wage plus super, leave, insurance, non-billable time and admin, so it is always higher than your hourly rate. Compare your pay to the award, never to the price limit.
Why does my provider bill so much more than they pay me?
Because the price limit is designed to fund the entire cost of delivering support, not just your wage. Out of that billed amount the provider also pays your superannuation and leave, your paid-but-unbillable time like travel and meetings, insurance, workers' compensation, rostering and compliance, plus a small operating margin. The gap is mostly genuine cost rather than profit, though how fairly it is shared varies between providers, which is exactly what's worth comparing when you choose an employer.
Where do I find the correct SCHADS pay rate for my job?
Use the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool or the SCHADS award (MA000100) directly — these are the primary sources and they are updated at least once a year. Enter your classification (usually Level 2 or 3), your employment type and the shift details to get the base rate plus the right penalties and loadings. Do not rely on figures quoted in articles, including this one, because rates change annually.
Does the price limit control what I can earn as an independent worker?
If you are a sole trader or contractor rather than an employee, the SCHADS Award generally does not set your rate, so you negotiate your own fee up to the NDIS price limit for participants using managed funds. But you then carry your own super, insurance, leave, admin and tax, so a higher headline rate does not automatically mean more in your pocket. Confirm your tax, GST and super obligations — and whether you're genuinely a contractor rather than an employee — with the ATO before setting rates.
Do the weekend and public holiday penalties apply to both numbers?
Yes, but in different ways. The SCHADS structure gives you penalty pay — 150% on Saturdays, 200% on Sundays and 250% on public holidays, plus casual loading and shift loadings — and the NDIA builds higher price limits for those same times so providers can afford to pay you. So both the price limit and your pay rise on weekends and public holidays, but the penalty is what you actually receive; the higher price limit is just what makes it affordable to bill.
Am I being underpaid if my provider charges close to the price limit?
Not necessarily — those are two separate questions. Underpayment is measured only against the SCHADS award or your enterprise agreement, so a provider can legally bill near the price limit while paying you the correct award minimum. To check, compare your actual pay and loadings against the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool, and if the numbers fall short, raise it in writing with your employer and then the Fair Work Ombudsman if needed.
Is superannuation paid out of the price limit or on top of my wage?
Your employer pays superannuation on top of your wage as a legal entitlement, and that cost is funded from inside the price limit along with everything else. Super is rising to 12% from 1 July 2026, so it becomes an even larger share of the gap between what you're paid and what's billed. Always check your payslip shows super and, importantly, log into your fund to confirm it is actually arriving — a payslip line is not proof it was paid.