Frequently Asked Questions
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To be eligible for the NDIS, you must:
Be aged between 7 and 65 years old.
Have a permanent or significant disability.
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There are three levels of Support Coordination:
Support Connection
Support Coordination
Specialist Support Coordination.
Support coordination is a 'capacity building support' to help you build confidence and help you make the most of your NDIS plan.
This support is designed to:
Help you understand and use your plan to achieve your goals.
Connect you with NDIS providers, community services, and other supports.
Build your confidence and skills to manage your supports.
Psychosocial support helps you to improve your daily functioning.
The NDIS funds ongoing psychosocial support to help you improve how you function in daily life.
This support is designed to:
Build your skills and confidence.
Help you become more independent with everyday tasks.
Connect you with your community.
Support your participation in social and work activities.
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The NDIS funds supports if they meet all the following criteria:
They are related to your disability or early intervention needs.
They help you achieve your goals and aspirations.
They improve your social or economic participation.
They are good value for money (cost-effective or reduce long-term costs).
They are effective and beneficial for you.
They help maintain informal support, like family and friends.
They qualify as NDIS-approved supports.
For more details, refer to the Reasonable and Necessary Supports section in the NDIS guidelines.
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There are 4 different 'support types' and 21 support categories.
Core support categories:
Assistance with Daily Life: Assistance with day to day life to help you live independently in your own home. This can also be provided in a different set of environments.
Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation: Assistance or supervision to help you engage in social, community, recreational, or work-related activities, delivered in various settings such as community spaces or activity centers.
Consumables: Funding to buy everyday items needed due to your disability, such as continence supplies, low-cost assistive technology, and Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) products.
Transport: Funding to cover the cost of a provider transporting you to an activity. This category specifically covers transport provided by a service provider. For everyday transport needs, like taxis or public transport, the Transport Recurring category is typically used instead.
Home and Living:
Supported Independent Living (SIL) helps you live in your own home with support for daily tasks like personal care and cooking. This option is for individuals with higher support needs who require assistance at home regularly.
Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) is available for individuals who need temporary housing while preparing to move into their long-term home. This funding typically lasts up to 90 days.
Individualised Living Options (ILO) give you the freedom to choose your home and design supports that suit you best, with assistance for daily tasks and skill development.
Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) provides funding for younger individuals in aged care facilities to cover additional daily care or accommodation costs due to their support needs.
YPIRAC-Cross Billing: Funding to help cover certain fees and charges if you are a younger person living in a residential aged care facility (YPIRAC). The NDIS works with the Department of Health and Aged Care to assist with these costs.
Capacity Building Support categories:
Behaviour Support: Supports to help behaviour support management.
Choice and Control: Help you manage your plan funding using a registered plan manager.
Finding and Keeping a Job: Help you to find and keep a job such as employment related supports, training and assessments.
Health and Wellbeing: Supports aimed at helping manage the impact of your disability on your overall health and well-being.
Improved Daily Living Skills: Supports like assessments, training, or therapy to help you develop skills, independence, and community participation, offered individually or in groups.
Improved Living Arrangements: Supports to help you find and maintain suitable housing, including assistance with renting or locating a place to live.
Increased Social & Community Participation: Supports to help you learn skills for greater independence in engaging with the community.
Lifelong Learning: Supports to help you transition from school to further education, such as university or TAFE, including training, advice, and assistance.
Relationships: Supports to help you build social skills and connect with others in the community.
Support Coordination and Recovery Coaching: Funding for support coordinators and psychosocial recovery coaches to help you understand your plan, connect with services, and build confidence. Psychosocial recovery coaching focuses on people with psychosocial disabilities.
Assistive Technology: Assistive technology helps with daily tasks and supports you at home, in the community, and at work. This category covers mid- to high-cost items, while low-cost items under $1,500 fall under Consumables in the Core supports budget.
Assistive Technology – Maintenance, Repair & Rental: Supports for repairing, maintaining, or renting assistive technology, including short-term rentals and trials.
Home Modifications: Supports to modify your home’s structure or layout for safe and comfortable access.
Specialist Disability Accommodation: Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a home designed for people with high support needs or severe disabilities.
Transport Recurring: Transport support is paid regularly to your bank account for everyday transport needs. You can use it for the transport option that works best for you, like public transport or taxis, without needing to make a claim.
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You can request for service (RFS) by contacting the National Contact Centre at 1800 800 110, available from 8 am to 8 pm. NDIS website.
You will need to provide Support Coordination details, such as the company name, ABN, and/or NDIS registration number.
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Yes, you can change Support Coordinators at any time during your plan period. However, you will need to cease services with your current Support Coordinator first (allowing for the notice period outlined in your Service Agreement; For example, your SC may require 2 weeks’ notice before ceasing services). Once that is done, you can start working with your new Support Coordinator. If you are Plan Managed, notify your Plan Manager that you have ceased services with your existing Support Coordinator and provide them with the details of your new Support Coordinator.
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Some of the supports that can be funded include:
Assistance with helping you to find accomodation or tenancy assistance.
Supporting you before your hospital discharge to ensure your supports are in place for when you get home.
Assistance with finding open employment or helping you to find a suitable course.
Assistance with daily tasks in shared or group living settings, including help with daily activities on a temporary or ongoing basis, support for short-term stays or respite, and support for those in residential aged care. This also includes transport assistance.
Transport support for participants who need help getting to community activities, school, or education. This includes taxi costs, provider travel, and travel training to build confidence in using public transport.
Support for assistive equipment used in sports or recreation. This includes modifying personal or sports equipment, providing training and adjustments, and covering maintenance or spare parts for the equipment.
Support for assistive products used in personal care and safety. This includes items for hygiene, dressing, managing incontinence, modified clothing, adaptive furniture, and products for safety and positioning. It also covers training, adjustments, and maintenance of these products.
Support with daily personal tasks to help you live independently, both at home and in the community. This includes assistance with eating, dressing, toileting, hygiene, and mobility.
Helping you with shopping, meal preparation and managing finances.
What the NDIS will not fund:
Support covered by the health system or other government/community services.
Illegal activities or items.
Daily living costs unrelated to disability needs (for example: rent, mortgage repayments, utility bills).
Not evidenced based therapies such as Crystal, Yoga, Hair, Sound, Aromatherapy.