If you or someone you love lives with a disability, you may be eligible for support under the NDIS. This FAQ page will help to answer many of the questions you may have about eligibility, applying, and your options under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Explore our comprehensive NDIS & Disability Services Guide for in-depth insights and support options tailored to your needs.
The NDIS, or National Disability Insurance Scheme, provides funding support to Australians living with a disability. The NDIS is overseen by the National Disability Insurance Agency, or NDIA. You can view their website for more information here.
The NDIS was introduced by the Australian Government to ensure that Australians living with a disability have access to care and support, no matter where they live. The national scheme provides support in the form of funding for care services and other costs related to a disability. This funding, crucially, is provided directly to the individual. This allows Australians living with or caring for someone with a disability to have greater control over their care and more autonomy over their lives and lifestyles.
All Australian residents and citizens between the ages of 7 and 65, living in Australia, and ‘experiencing a disability caused by a permanent impairment’ are potentially eligible for support from the NDIS. Those outside the ages of 7 and 65 may be eligible for support under a different scheme. Find out more and check the eligibility criteria for NDIS support here.
Applying for NDIS support can be done over the phone (call 1800 800 110) or by completing an online Access Request Form and returning it to the NDIS. If you need some extra help applying, you can contact your local area coordinator, early childhood partner, or NDIA office.
The NDIS is not means tested and has no impact on other types of support available, such as the carers allowance or disability support pension.
The NDIS covers all kinds of support, including:
The kinds of support NOT covered by the NDIS include things that are covered by another support or health program or are not related to your disability or support needs. Find out more here.
If you have received an ‘access decision letter’ approving your access to the NDIS, the next step is to create your plan. Everyone’s plan is different. Your plan will be worked out with your input, to create a written agreement that answers questions including:
The NDIS will set up a planning meeting with you, to discuss these questions and help create your plan. There is some excellent information on the NDIS website to help you prepare for your planning meeting and get the most out of it. Visit the site here.
NDIS plan management is optional and refers to a provider supporting you to manage your NDIS funding. These providers are known as plan managers and differ from the NDIA managing the funding in your NDIS plan or choosing to self-manage your NDIS plan. Your plan manager, if you choose to use one, can help you to:
A plan manager’s services can be covered under NDIS funding. If you would like to use a plan manager, you can request this in your planning meeting. Or, if you are already involved with an NDIS plan, you can request changes such as employing a plan manager by calling 1800 800 110.
If your child is over 7 years of age, they may be eligible for support from the NDIS. You can find out more about applying – including checking eligibility criteria and completing the Access Request Form – here.
If your child is under 7 and experiencing a developmental delay, you can learn more about the ‘early childhood approach’ and funding here.
No, the NDIS does not cover dental, as this is covered by other government health services and is not considered to be related to your disability.
The NDIS is funded by both the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, with the Commonwealth providing just over half of the total funding. This approach and funding arrangements are revisited every five years.
The NDIS provides funding to support participants in purchasing a variety of reasonable and necessary supports, to help increase their independence and social and economic participation. The funding you will receive under the NDIS depends on your individual participant budget, but you are free to choose which provider/s deliver your services. Although service providers may have different pricing for their support services, the amount the NDIS will fund is fixed. These fixed prices are outlined in the NDIS price guide here.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is not covered by the NDIS. However, if there is another disability present that could be considered a primary disability, a person with ADHD may be eligible for cover for that primary disability.
The NDIS funds the cost of certain consumables that may be necessary to manage your disability-related needs. Items considered to be ‘reasonable and necessary’, up to the value of $1,500 are covered. The funding for consumables is flexible, which means that you can decide how best to spend your allocated budget. However, you will need to track your expenses throughout the year. The types of things you can buy with your NDIS consumables budget include:
You can find more information on the types of consumables you can buy under the NDIS consumables budget here.
The NDIA aims to break down barriers for people living with a disability and allows them greater control over where they live and with whom. This means NDIS funding extends to a range of housing options and living arrangements, including community housing in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Supported Independent Living (SIL), and more. You can find out more about how the NDIS can help with housing here.
The NDIS code of conduct is national and outlined by the NDIA. You can read it here.
Generally, yes, the NDIS can help with the costs associated with moving house. For more information see their operational guidelines or give them a call on 1800 800 110.
No, prescription glasses are covered by the health system rather than the NDIS.
The NDIS does not typically fund clinical support from a mental health professional. This type of support is usually funded by other health services. However, the NDIS may provide support to assist you with associated costs, including making it to psychiatry/psychology appointments. Find out more here.
Some types of workers delivering services under the NDIS are required to comply with a worker screening check. If you live in New South Wales, this is called the NDIS Worker Check or NDISWC. Find out more about the worker screening check and how to apply here.
NDIS Services Callback Request
See ‘What is the NDIS?’ above.
See ‘How to apply for NDIS support’ above.
See ‘What is the NDIS’ above.
See ‘How to apply for NDIS support’ above.
See ‘What does the NDIS cover?’ above.
See ‘What does the NDIS cover?’ above.
See ‘Does NDIS cover psychiatry?’ above.
See ‘What is NDIS worker screening check?’ above.
NDIS Services Callback Request