Fuel prices are up. Household budgets are stretched. And for the support workers who provide critical transport for our clients, we know that pressure is being felt.
Here's what we've seen, what we've decided, and why.
The problem we needed to solve
Transport is not a ‘nice-to-have’ for many of the people that Hireup supports. Transport means access to medical appointments, connection with the community and living independently.
When fuel costs rise, the risk is that shifts requiring client transport become less viable for our support workers to take on, and that has the potential to create a real gap in support for the people who depend on that transport.
We didn’t want that to happen.
What we’re doing
For shifts from Monday 13 April, Hireup will increase the transport allowance for on-shift client transport by 5c per kilometre - the equivalent of up to 50c per litre (based on average fuel consumption of 10L per 100km). The new transport allowance will be $1.04 per km.
This increase for Hireup support workers is in place until 5th July 2026.
We're choosing to self-fund this increase, which means there is currently no impact to what clients pay. However, we will need to continue to review this regularly and will update you if anything changes.
There is nothing support workers or clients need to do. All transport kilometres approved from 13 April 2026 will automatically be paid at the new rate.
For support workers, it’s important to note that this update may not be immediately reflected in your booking estimate until later in the pay cycle. But rest assured, they will be processed with your next pay.
Why we’re choosing to make this increase
One of our values is being a business for good, and that means stepping up to find a solution when there's a gap, not waiting for someone else to fill it.
NDIS pricing does not yet reflect the current cost of fuel. We understand that pricing frameworks take time to respond to economic changes, and we continue to work collaboratively with the government and the NDIS on the long-term sustainability of the sector.
But we're listening to our community, and we felt we needed to act now.
We’ll be reviewing this change regularly as the economic picture develops and will keep you informed if there are any updates.
What this means for our community (you!)
For support workers:
We understand the rising cost of fuel is having a real impact, and for those of you doing shifts that involve client transport with your own vehicle, we know that pressure is real. Transport is critical for continuity of support, going to appointments and social connection, and we don't want the cost of fuel to get in the way of you providing it.
For clients:
We understand transport is an essential part of the support you receive. Staying connected to your community is important. We want to make sure that continues.
We'll continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with other providers to advocate for additional government support. We'll keep you updated if anything changes.
Thank you for being part of the Hireup community.
Peter Willis
Hireup CEO