NDIS public holiday rates for 2026–27 allow providers to charge up to $163.46 per hour for standard support worker help, such as personal care or community access, in most of Australia. That is about 2.2 times the weekday daytime rate of $73.58. The same public holiday rate applies on Good Friday, Easter Monday and every other public holiday in your state or territory.
This guide explains NDIS public holiday rates in plain language: the price limits, how Good Friday and Easter are charged, which supports have no public holiday loading, and how to plan your budget.
What are the NDIS public holiday rates for 2026–27?
The national NDIS public holiday rate for 2026–27 is $163.46 per hour for standard Assistance with Self-Care Activities (support item 01_012_0107_1_1). It is $228.84 per hour in remote areas and $245.19 per hour in very remote areas. These are price limits set in the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026–27.
| Support type | National | Remote | Very remote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard support worker (self-care, 01_012_0107_1_1) | $163.46 | $228.84 | $245.19 |
| High intensity support worker | $176.84 | $247.58 | $265.26 |
What is a price limit?
A price limit is the most a provider can charge your plan, not a set fee. Providers can charge less. The limits apply when your plan is NDIA-managed or plan-managed. Self-managed participants can agree on a different price with their provider.
How much have NDIS public holiday rates gone up?
The standard national public holiday rate rose from $156.03 per hour in 2025–26 to $163.46 per hour in 2026–27. That is an increase of $7.43 an hour, or about 4.8%. If a quote or website still shows $156.03, it is using last year's NDIS price guide.
How do NDIS public holiday rates compare with weekday and weekend rates?
The public holiday rate is the highest NDIS support worker rate. In 2026–27 it is $59.92 an hour more than the Saturday rate and $29.96 more than the Sunday rate. Here is how standard support worker rates change by day and time.
| Time of support | Standard | High intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday daytime (6am–8pm) | $73.58 | $79.60 |
| Weekday evening (8pm–midnight) | $81.07 | $87.70 |
| Weekday night (midnight–6am) | $82.57 | $89.32 |
| Saturday | $103.54 | $112.01 |
| Sunday | $133.50 | $144.42 |
| Public holiday | $163.46 | $176.84 |
For a full list of every support item, see our NDIS price guide rates and our guide to NDIS hourly rates for support workers.
Is Good Friday a public holiday for the NDIS?
Yes. Good Friday is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory, so NDIS Good Friday rates are the same as the public holiday rate: up to $163.46 per hour for standard support worker help in 2026–27.
The NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026–27 names Good Friday and Easter Monday as public holidays, along with any other day declared a public holiday in the state or territory where the support is delivered. A public holiday support is one that starts at or after midnight the night before the public holiday and ends at or before midnight on the public holiday.
What if a shift starts the night before Good Friday?
Under the 2026–27 schedule, when one worker delivers a support that crosses into a different day or time, the higher price limit applies to the whole support. For example, if a support worker works from 11pm Thursday to 7am Good Friday, all eight hours can be charged at the public holiday rate. Night-time sleepovers have their own rules.
What are the NDIS Easter public holiday rates for 2027?
NDIS Easter public holiday rates in 2027 will be the same $163.46 per hour, because Easter falls inside the 2026–27 pricing year. Good Friday is 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday is 29 March 2027. Easter Saturday (27 March) and Easter Sunday (28 March) depend on your state.
| State or territory | Good Friday (26 Mar) | Easter Saturday (27 Mar) | Easter Sunday (28 Mar) | Easter Monday (29 Mar) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ACT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VIC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| QLD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WA | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| TAS | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Always check the official 2027 public holiday list from the Fair Work Ombudsman before you book supports.
NDIS Easter Saturday rates
If Easter Saturday is not a public holiday in your state, it is charged at the Saturday rate of up to $103.54 per hour. Where it is a public holiday, such as in NSW and the ACT, the public holiday rate of $163.46 applies.
NDIS Easter Monday rates
Easter Monday is a public holiday everywhere in Australia. NDIS Easter Monday rates are the same as other public holidays: up to $163.46 per hour nationally for standard support worker help.
What are the NDIS public holiday rates in NSW?
In NSW, the NDIS public holiday rate is the national rate of up to $163.46 per hour, unless the support is delivered in a remote or very remote area. NSW has four Easter public holidays: Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. This makes the Easter long weekend more costly for NSW participants than in some other states.
If you receive NDIS personal care in Sydney, ask your provider which public holiday dates they apply and when their public holiday rates start.
How much does a public holiday shift cost from your NDIS plan?
A public holiday shift costs about 2.2 times a weekday shift. At 2026–27 national price limits, a four-hour standard support worker shift costs up to $653.84 on a public holiday, compared with $294.32 on a weekday.
| Shift | Weekday daytime | Saturday | Public holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | $147.16 | $207.08 | $326.92 |
| 4 hours | $294.32 | $414.16 | $653.84 |
| 8 hours | $588.64 | $828.32 | $1,307.68 |
| 4 hours a day over the NSW Easter long weekend (4 days) | — | — | $2,615.36 |
These examples use the maximum price limits. Your real cost may be lower if your provider charges less. It may be higher if your service agreement includes provider travel.
Planning support over Easter?
Talk to Affective Care about public holiday support so your rostered care continues and your plan budget is not caught short.
Which NDIS supports have no public holiday rate?
Not every NDIS support has a public holiday loading. Only supports priced by day and time, such as support worker help, attract a higher public holiday price limit. Some common supports have one hourly price limit every day of the year.
- Support coordination: charged at the same hourly rate any day. Coordination of Supports is capped at $100.14 per hour and Specialist Support Coordination at $190.54 per hour. Learn more about our support coordination services.
- Therapy supports: psychology, occupational therapy, speech pathology and physiotherapy have one hourly price limit, with no public holiday loading. For example, psychology is capped at $252.99 per hour on any day.
- House cleaning: the NDIS cleaning rate is the same every day, including public holidays.
Do NDIS community access supports have public holiday rates?
Yes. One-to-one help to access community, social and recreational activities is priced by day and time, like personal care. On a public holiday, standard community access support (04_102_0125_6_1) is capped at $163.46 per hour nationally, the same as personal care. See our social and community support service for more.
How much do NDIS support workers get paid on public holidays?
Most NDIS support workers are employed under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award. Under this award, permanent employees who work on a public holiday are paid 250% of their ordinary hourly rate. Casual employees have their own public holiday rate, which includes their casual loading.
The NDIS price limit is not the worker's wage. It also covers the provider's costs, such as supervision, training, insurance, leave and administration. Check the SCHADS Award pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman for current worker pay rates.
What happens if you cancel a public holiday support?
If you cancel at short notice, or you are not home when your support worker arrives, the provider may be able to claim up to 100% of the agreed fee. This includes public holiday shifts, charged at the public holiday rate.
Providers can only charge a short notice cancellation fee if it is written into your service agreement. Depending on the support, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025–26 treat a cancellation as short notice if you give less than 2 clear business days' or less than 7 days' notice. Check how much notice your provider needs before Easter and other long weekends.
How do you plan your budget for NDIS public holiday rates?
Plan ahead for public holidays, because a few high-cost days can use more of your Core Supports budget than you expect. Follow these steps.
- List the public holidays in your plan period. Include Easter, Christmas, Boxing Day, Anzac Day and your state holidays.
- Work out the hours you need. Decide which supports must continue on those days and for how long.
- Use the right rate. Multiply your hours by $163.46, or by the remote or very remote rate if that applies.
- Add any agreed travel. Include travel costs written into your service agreement.
- Check against your budget. Compare the total with your Core Supports funding and adjust your other supports if needed.
A plan manager can help you track spending and pay invoices. Learn more about our NDIS plan management service.
Where can you find the official NDIS public holiday rates?
The official NDIS public holiday rates are in the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026–27, effective 24 September 2026 and published on the NDIS pricing arrangements page. The schedule lists every support item number with its national, remote and very remote price limits by day and time.
For every other 2026–27 support rate, read our full NDIS price guide. To understand where public holiday supports fit in your plan, see our guide to NDIS Assistance with Daily Life.
This article is general information only. NDIS prices can change during the year. Check the current NDIS Pricing Schedule and speak with your plan manager, local area coordinator or support coordinator about your plan.
Questions about NDIS public holiday rates?
Contact Affective Care to check public holiday availability in your area and talk about the support you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NDIS public holiday rate per hour?
For 2026–27, the NDIS public holiday rate is up to $163.46 per hour for standard support worker help, such as personal care, in most of Australia. High intensity support is capped at $176.84 per hour. Remote and very remote areas have higher limits of $228.84 and $245.19 per hour.
Is Good Friday a public holiday for NDIS supports?
Yes. Good Friday is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory. NDIS supports delivered between midnight at the start of Good Friday and midnight at the end of it can be charged at the public holiday rate, which is up to $163.46 per hour for standard support in 2026–27.
What is the difference between the NDIS public holiday rate and the Saturday rate?
In 2026–27, the national NDIS Saturday rate for standard support worker help is $103.54 per hour, and the public holiday rate is $163.46 per hour. That is a difference of $59.92 an hour. The Sunday rate sits in between at $133.50 per hour.
Does support coordination cost more on a public holiday?
No. Support coordination has one hourly price limit that applies every day. In 2026–27, Coordination of Supports is capped at $100.14 per hour and Specialist Support Coordination at $190.54 per hour, whether the work happens on a weekday, weekend or public holiday.
Are NDIS Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday public holidays?
It depends on your state. In 2027, Easter Saturday is a public holiday in NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Easter Sunday is a public holiday everywhere except Tasmania. Where they are not public holidays, normal Saturday or Sunday rates apply.
Do NDIS support workers get paid more on public holidays?
Yes. Under the SCHADS Award, permanent employees who work on a public holiday are paid 250% of their ordinary hourly rate. Casual employees have a separate public holiday rate that includes their casual loading. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guides for current rates.
