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The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary support and equipment that a person with disability needs. The funding supports you to pursue your goals and aspirations; increase your independence; increase your social and economic participation and to develop your capacity to take part in the community.

NDIS funding doesn’t cover general everyday living expenses that people without disability would be required to pay, such as train travel, rent, groceries, mobile phone or movie tickets.

NDIS is individualised, based on goals and outcomes. Your plan is developed following a planning meeting and can be reviewed as your goals change.

No. The value of your assets are not taken into account when determining eligibility. NDIS funding does not impact income support such as the Disability Support Pension or Carer Allowance.

In order to be considered reasonable and necessary, a support must,

• be related to your disability
• represent value for money
• be likely to be effective and beneficial
• take into account any informal supports given to you by your family, friends, support crew (including support workers, support networks and the community)

They can’t include any day-to-day living costs that aren’t related to your disability support needs.

What types of supports are funded?

Your NDIS plan will be individual and specific to you and your life.

The types of supports that the NDIS may fund include:

• daily personal activities
• transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
• workplace help to allow you to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market
• therapeutic supports including behaviour support
• help with household tasks to allow you to maintain your home environment
• help by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training
• home modification design and construction
• mobility equipment
• vehicle modifications.

Planning meetings can either be conducted by a NDIA Planner or through a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). A LAC can be a NDIS staff member or they can be a team member of a not-for-profit organisation who is acting on behalf of the NDIA.

What will my meeting be like?

You can request a face-to-face meeting planning meeting when the NDIS planner calls you.

When someone from the NDIS calls you, ask them what the purpose of the phone call is: ask whether it’s to check your eligibility or whether it’s for your NDIA Planning meeting.

See our Plan Meeting Checklist here for more information on what you can request.

You can ask a family member, close friend, your partner or a person who supports you (someone you know and can trust)

You can request a review of your plan with the NDIA (this must be made within three months of receiving your plan).

You can make the request by

• Calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110
• Writing to the CEO of the NDIA at GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601
• Emailing to a request to enquiries@ndis.gov.au
• Visiting an NDIS office or
• Completing the application for review of a decision form on the NDIS myplace participant portal.

Your review will be conducted by an NDIA staff member who was not involved in the original decision-making,. They will reconsider the original plan’s facts, law and policy aspects and determine if it was accurate. They are also able to consider any new information available.

Any unspent funds are returned to the NDIA.

Generally not. The NDIS will only pay direct family members to provide supports in exceptional circumstances. For example, if you are in a remote area with no services available to you.

Are you wondering if you can get some help with day-to-day tasks around the house? Maybe you need some respite care while your family or carer is away? Or perhaps it’s time to look into aged care homes. There are many services that can help you maintain a good quality of life as you get older.