What you can claim.
Uniforms and laundry
If your employer requires a compulsory uniform with a logo, you can claim the cost of buying and repairing it, plus a reasonable amount for laundering it. Protective items like non-slip shoes count too. Plain black pants or everyday runners don't, even if you only wear them to work. Keep receipts and a simple record of how often you wash work gear.
Travel between clients on the same day
If you see multiple clients in a day, the driving between them is generally deductible — often the biggest claim a support worker has. You can use the ATO's set rate per kilometre or keep a logbook; either way, record trips as you go with dates and distances. The drive from home to your first client is usually private, though.
NDIS screening and police check renewals
The rule surprises people: the initial check you paid to get the job isn't deductible, because you weren't earning income from the role yet. But renewing your NDIS worker screening or police check while you're working in the sector generally is. Keep the receipt — check renewals are among the most commonly missed claims in care work.
First aid, CPR and manual handling courses
Short courses that keep you current in your existing role — first aid and CPR refreshers, manual handling, medication assistance, dementia or behaviour support training — are generally deductible if you pay yourself and aren't reimbursed. The qualification that got you into the industry, like an initial Cert III, usually isn't. Keep invoices and note how each course relates to your duties.
Phone and data for rosters and shifts
If you use your own phone to check rosters, accept shifts, call coordinators or log client notes, you can claim the work-related share of your plan. Track a typical month — how many calls and how much data were for work — and apply that percentage. Keep a few bills and your usage record in case the ATO asks how you worked it out.
PPE, gloves and hygiene supplies
Gloves, masks, hand sanitiser, aprons and other protective gear you buy yourself for client work are deductible, as long as your employer doesn't supply or reimburse them. It adds up faster than you'd think across a year of shifts. Keep receipts — a photo of each docket in a folder on your phone is enough.
Union and professional association fees
Fees you pay to a union such as the HSU or UWU, or to a professional association connected to your care work, are deductible in the year you pay them. These often appear on your income statement or a year-end receipt from the union, which makes them one of the easiest claims to substantiate — just keep that statement.
Work bags, equipment and small items
Items you buy for the job — a work bag, a diary for shift notes, a watch with a second hand for medication rounds, stationery — are claimable to the extent you use them for work. Cheaper items can usually be claimed in full straight away; more expensive equipment is claimed over its working life. Receipts are essential either way.
What you generally can't claim
The trip from home to the facility or your first client is commuting, and commuting isn't deductible — even with early starts or unsociable hours. Everyday clothes and plain runners aren't claimable without protective features or a logo, and neither are flu or other vaccinations, even when your employer requires them. Claiming these is a common trigger for ATO questions.
What to have ready.
- Income statement from each employer or agency (usually pre-filled from myGov)
- Receipts for uniforms, non-slip shoes, PPE and any gear you bought yourself
- A record of between-client trips — dates, kilometres and where you drove (logbook or diary)
- Phone bills plus a note of your work-use percentage
- Invoices for first aid, manual handling or other course fees
- Receipts for NDIS worker screening or police check renewals, and union fee statements
Start your tax return.
Answer simple questions online — tick “Ask my accountant” on anything you’re unsure about. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you. Nothing is charged until your final fee is confirmed.
Start for $99Common questions.
Can I claim the drive from home to my first client of the day?
Usually not — that leg is treated as commuting, the same as anyone driving to work. What you can generally claim is driving between clients or workplaces during your shift. If you're a genuinely itinerant worker with no fixed base, different rules can apply, but that's worth checking with an accountant rather than assuming.
Is my NDIS worker screening check tax deductible?
If you paid for the initial check to get your first role in the sector, no — the ATO treats that as a cost of getting the job, not doing it. Renewals you pay for while already working in disability support or aged care are generally deductible. Keep the receipt, and note the date you paid it.
Can I claim my Certificate III in Individual Support?
Generally not if it's the qualification that got you into the industry — self-education costs need a close connection to income you're already earning. Once you're working, though, further study that builds on your current role (a Cert IV, specialised dementia or behaviour training) is often claimable. If your situation sits in the grey zone, pick 'Ask my accountant' and let us look at it.
How does MYIDTAX work for shift workers like me?
You answer simple questions online — about four minutes, from $99, nothing charged upfront. Not sure whether something's claimable? Choose 'Ask my accountant' and move on. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you with any follow-ups. Your final fee is confirmed by email before we send a secure Stripe invoice, and we lodge with the ATO once you're happy.
This guide is general information only and doesn’t consider your personal circumstances — it isn’t tax advice. Eligibility rules, rates and thresholds change; your accountant confirms what applies to you before anything is lodged. Keep receipts for everything you claim.