NDIS 24/25 Price Guide: Complete Rates and Fees

The NDIS 24/25 Price Guide brings significant rate adjustments that directly impact both participants and service providers across Australia. These changes affect everything from support worker hourly rates to transport allowances and specialised therapy services.

At Nursed, we’ve analysed the complete pricing structure to help you understand exactly what these updates mean for your support budget. This comprehensive breakdown covers all rate categories, regional variations, and practical budgeting strategies.

How NDIS Pricing Works in Practice

The NDIS pricing framework operates through three distinct mechanisms that determine what you pay for supports. Price-controlled items have fixed maximum rates that providers cannot exceed, while price-guided items allow negotiation between participants and providers within recommended ranges. Quote-based supports require individual pricing proposals for complex items like home modifications or assistive technology.

Three Pricing Categories Shape Your Costs

Price-controlled supports include most daily assistance and therapy services with non-negotiable maximum rates. Providers must charge at or below these limits, which protects participants from excessive fees. Price-guided supports offer flexibility-participants can negotiate rates within NDIA recommendations, potentially saving significant amounts through strategic provider selection.

Quote-based items cover specialised equipment and major modifications where costs vary dramatically based on individual needs. The NDIA assesses these quotes individually, considering value for money and participant outcomes.

Regional Variations Create Cost Differences

Location dramatically affects your support costs across Australia’s eight pricing regions. Remote areas command premium rates with price limits 40% higher in Remote areas and 50% higher in Very Remote areas, reflecting workforce challenges and service delivery costs. The NDIA’s 2024-25 pricing review analysed over 10.5 million therapy transactions to establish these regional variations.

Support workers in remote Queensland receive $67.77 per hour compared to $56.48 in metropolitan Melbourne for identical services. Psychology services now maintain a national rate of $232.99 per hour, eliminating previous state-based differences that disadvantaged participants in Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Tasmania by $11.23 per hour.

Core Supports Drive Most Plan Expenses

Core supports include assistance with daily living, transport, and consumables. These supports use the Disability Support Worker Cost Model (updated annually to reflect wage increases and superannuation changes). The Fair Work Commission’s 3.5% minimum wage increase flows directly into support worker rates from July 2025, alongside the superannuation guarantee rising to 12%.

Capacity building supports like therapy services operate under different pricing structures with 10-minute billing increments replacing previous hourly blocks. This change provides better flexibility for shorter interventions and more precise billing.

These pricing mechanisms directly impact how you structure your support arrangements and choose providers for optimal value.

What Are the Exact Rate Changes for 24/25

Support Worker Rates Rise with National Wage Decisions

Support worker rates increase directly with the Fair Work Commission’s 3.5% minimum wage decision and superannuation that rises to 12%. Standard support workers now earn $56.48 per hour in metropolitan areas, while specialised disability workers command $62.13 per hour. Remote areas see dramatic increases with standard workers who receive $67.77 per hour and specialised workers who earn $74.56 per hour. These rates apply from July 1, 2025, with providers who must update payroll systems immediately.

The NDIA’s Disability Support Worker Cost Model accounts for all employment costs (wages, superannuation, workers compensation, and leave entitlements). Weekend rates add 25% to base rates, while overnight supports attract 35% premium rates. Public holiday rates jump to 150% of standard hourly rates, which makes strategic cost management essential.

Travel Allowances Face New Restrictions

Transport allowances remain unchanged at $0.85 per kilometre for participant travel, but therapy provider travel claims now face a 50% cap of the relevant hourly rate. This means physiotherapists can only claim $91.99 per hour for travel time instead of the full $183.99 service rate. Psychology travel claims cap at $116.49 per hour, which creates financial pressure on providers who offer home-based services.

The NDIA eliminated higher price rates for physiotherapy and psychology in several states and standardised rates nationally. This change particularly impacts providers in Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Tasmania who previously received premium rates to address workforce shortages.

Therapy Services Experience Major Changes

Psychology services now operate under a national rate of $232.99 per hour with 10-minute blocks that replace hourly increments. Physiotherapy rates standardise at $183.99 per hour across all regions, while dietetics and podiatry services face $5-10 hourly reductions. The NDIA removed the previous flat rate of $193.99 for most therapy services and created more differentiated structures.

Plan management setup fees disappear completely and force small providers to restructure their business models. Support coordination sees mixed changes with Level 1 rates that increase in NSW, VIC, QLD, and ACT, while Levels 2 and 3 remain frozen. The Independent Pricing Committee’s comprehensive therapy review continues, with major reforms expected over the next three years based on workforce qualifications and participant outcomes.

These rate changes directly affect how you calculate support costs and select providers for your specific needs.

How to Calculate Real NDIS Support Costs

Calculate Your Exact Hourly Costs

Start with your base support worker rate of $56.48 per hour in metropolitan areas, then add rates that dramatically change your final costs. Weekend supports cost $70.60 per hour with the 25% rate increase, while overnight supports reach $76.25 per hour with 35% premiums. Public holidays spike to $141.20 per hour at 150% of standard rates. A typical weekend day program for eight hours costs $564.80 instead of the weekday rate of $451.84, which creates a $112.96 difference that impacts monthly budgets significantly.

Regional participants face even steeper calculations with remote area rates that become higher on weekends and public holidays. The NDIA’s regional system means identical support in remote Queensland costs 20% more than metropolitan Melbourne, while Very Remote areas add 50% to all rates. Calculate your weekly support costs when you multiply base rates by actual hours needed, then add percentages for accurate budget plans.

Factor in Hidden Costs That Add Up Fast

Transport costs accumulate quickly, especially for participants who require multiple daily trips. A support worker who travels 40 kilometres daily for home visits adds $34 per day or $170 weekly to your plan expenses. Therapy travel claims now cap at 50% of hourly rates, which means physiotherapists charge $91.99 per hour for travel instead of full service rates, but this still impacts your budget allocation significantly.

Setup fees disappear for plan management, but consider that psychology services at $232.99 per hour with 10-minute blocks allow more precise cost control. A 30-minute session costs $116.49 instead of full hourly rates, while 50-minute sessions cost $194.16. Calculate therapy needs in 10-minute increments to optimise plan use and avoid payment for unused time blocks that previously forced participants into rigid hourly structures.

Maximise Plan Value Through Strategic Provider Selection

Price-guided supports offer negotiation opportunities that save substantial amounts over your plan period. Providers can charge below maximum rates, so compare quotes from multiple providers for identical services. A 10% reduction on weekly support costs of $1,500 saves $150 weekly or $7,800 annually. Regional variations mean that you can shop across zones when providers offer services in multiple areas.

Track your expenses monthly with the 10-minute increments for therapy services to identify patterns and adjust support frequency. Front-load higher-cost supports early in your plan year when budgets are full, then scale back to essential supports later. This strategy prevents budget exhaustion before plan renewal and maintains consistent support access throughout the year.

Final Thoughts

The NDIS 24/25 Price Guide transforms support costs across Australia with support worker rates that increase 3.5% and superannuation that reaches 12%. Psychology services standardise at $232.99 nationally while physiotherapy caps at $183.99, creating mixed outcomes for different regions. Remote area participants face the steepest increases with premiums that reach 50% above metropolitan rates.

Participants gain from eliminated setup fees for plan management and flexible 10-minute therapy blocks, but providers face restricted travel claims. The price changes create clear winners and losers, with Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Tasmania participants who lose $11.23 per hour for psychology services (previously receiving premium rates to address workforce shortages). Service providers must adapt quickly to new structures and reduced travel allowances.

Smart participants will leverage price-guided supports through provider negotiations and optimise therapy schedules with 10-minute increments. At Nursed, we help participants navigate these price complexities while maintaining quality support that enhances independence and community participation. The Independent Pricing Committee’s ongoing review signals more changes ahead, making informed decisions more important than ever.