Minimum wage increase will relieve pressure on critical aged care, disability and health workers

Health, aged care and disability workers will receive vital cost-of-living relief from the Fair Work Commission’s decision to lift minimum award wages by 4.75 per cent.

The Health Services Union (HSU) has welcomed the announcement, which will mean increases for Award-reliant workers of around $64 a week for a full-time disability support worker, $59 a week for a full-time aged care worker and $52 a week for a full-time pathology collector.

The wage increases will come into place from July 1 2026.

HSU National Secretary Lloyd Williams said the Commission’s ruling was an important step in the right direction.

“This decision will make a real difference in the lives of our award-reliant members,” he said.

“Women working in low-paid and part-time jobs make up the majority of those members.

“Surging inflation has been especially felt by health, aged care and disability workers who don’t have the option to work from home and cut down on fuel costs.

“Most award-reliant workers have experienced wage cuts in real terms over recent years. On that basis, their pay is lower than before the post-pandemic spike in inflation in mid-July 2021.

“The Commission has made an important step forward in making a decision that means award-reliant workers are not worse off in real terms than they were a year ago.

“Award-reliant workers in health, aged care and disability are some of the most important workers in the economy, yet have felt the brunt of cost-of-living pressure.

“This decision will ease some of that pain, which is caused by global factors like war in the Middle East fuelling inflation.”

The HSU represents more than 110,000 workers across health, aged care, disability and community services.

Contact: Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / matt@hortonadvisory.com.au