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What support workers are paid in WA

Almost all disability and aged care work in Perth is paid under one award, the SCHADS award. Once you understand its two levers, classification level and penalties, you can work out what any shift is actually worth.

Rates below took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. For your own exact rate, use Fair Work's Pay and Conditions Tool, which accounts for your level, pay point and employment type.

The base rates

Most Perth support work is Level 2. Level 3 generally reflects more autonomy or a specialist caseload, such as community support or mental health roles where you are working without immediate supervision.

Casual loading

Casuals get 25 per cent on top of the base rate in place of leave and notice. On Level 2 pay point 1 that is roughly $45.28 an hour before any penalty applies.

This is why advertised casual rates of $35 to $46 an hour look higher than the award minimum. They usually are the award minimum, with loading already in them.

Penalties, which is where the money is

A casual Level 2 worker on a Sunday is at 225 per cent of base. That is the single biggest lever on your earnings and it is why the shifts nobody wants are the shifts worth taking. It is also why providers struggle hardest to fill weekends, which makes weekend availability the fastest way to get consistent work.

The 2026 increase

SCHADS rates rose 4.75 per cent from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the annual wage review. Separately, the Fair Work Commission decided on 11 September 2026 to defer the Schedule E interim increase for home care and disability from 1 October to 1 December 2026, so if you work under Schedule E there is a further change due.

Sleepovers

A sleepover is paid as an allowance for the night, plus your normal rate for any hours you are actually awake and working. We are not publishing a dollar figure for the allowance because we could not confirm a current one, and a wrong number here would cost you money. Check it on Fair Work's calculator or ask the provider to state it in writing before you accept the shift.

Honest note on these figures

The Level 2 pay point 1 rate is well established. The remaining figures are corroborated across several independent payroll sources that agree to the cent, but Fair Work's own site was unreachable when this page was written, so they have not been read from the primary source. Treat them as a reliable guide for working out whether a shift is worth taking, and treat Fair Work's calculator as the authority for anything that matters.

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Common questions

How much do support workers get paid in WA?

Most Perth support work sits at SCHADS Level 2, which starts at $36.22 an hour from 1 July 2026, rising to $39.53 at the top pay point. Level 3 runs roughly $40.49 to $43.42. Casuals get 25 per cent on top of those figures.

What is the casual rate for a support worker?

Casual loading is 25 per cent. On SCHADS Level 2 pay point 1 that works out at about $45.28 an hour before any penalties.

What are the weekend rates for support workers?

Saturday is 150 per cent of the base rate, or 175 per cent for casuals. Sunday is 200 per cent, or 225 per cent casual. Public holidays are 250 per cent, or 275 per cent casual.

Did support worker pay go up in 2026?

Yes. A 4.75 per cent increase applied to SCHADS rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the annual wage review.

Last checked 2026-10-25. We are not your employer and this is not industrial advice. If a provider is paying you below these rates, the Fair Work Ombudsman is the place to take it.