What is the NDIS Responsible For?
The NDIS is responsible for funding certain disability-related supports for eligible participants. Under the NDIS Act and the rules made under that Act, the services, items, and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS are called NDIS supports. These supports must fit within the NDIS rules and be used in line with the participant’s plan.
Understanding what the NDIS is responsible for is one of the most important aspects of using your plan confidently. NDIS funding isn’t a general payment for anything that may be useful, helpful, or preferred; it’s funding for specific disability-related supports that meet NDIS rules, are connected to your plan, and aren’t the responsibility of another system.
What NDIS Supports Are
NDIS supports are the services, items, and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS. The NDIS Act and rules made under the Act set out what can be funded, and these funded services, items, and equipment are called NDIS supports.
NDIS supports are intended to help participants have the same opportunities in life as people without disability and to work towards their goals. They may help with daily living activities, building independence and skills, buying assistive technology, equipment, home or vehicle modifications, and paying for certain capital costs such as Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) where you are eligible.
NDIS supports can look different for every participant because everyone’s plan is based on your individual disability support needs. This means two participants may have the same diagnosis but different funded supports, depending on your functional capacity, goals, current supports, environment, evidence, and what meets the NDIS funding criteria.
You can read more about the funding criteria in our blog post about Reasonable and Necessary.
What NDIS Supports Are For
NDIS supports are designed to help you with disability-related needs. This may include support to complete daily tasks, build skills, participate in the community, access assistive technology, or use home and living supports where these are reasonable, necessary, and meet the rules for NDIS funding.
The NDIS isn’t responsible for funding every support connected to your life. Other systems, such as health (including mental health), education, housing, employment, transport, and/or justice, remain the responsibility of the services they’re required to provide. The NDIS was designed to work alongside mainstream and community services, not replace them.
You can read more about mainstream and community services in our blog post about Mainstream and Community Supports.
Using NDIS Funding
If you meet the disability requirements, early intervention requirements, or both, you may receive an NDIS plan that includes funding for NDIS supports. That funding can only be used for supports that are NDIS supports, are related to your disability, and are inline with your plan.
The NDIA publishes a list called “Supports that are NDIS supports.”
This list includes 37 categories of goods and services that may be purchased with NDIS funding where they are covered by the relevant category description, connected to your disability needs, and aligned with your plan.
An item doesn’t need to be listed as a specific example to be an NDIS support. The categories are broad so you have some flexibility to choose the exact item or provider that best meets your needs, provided the support is covered by the category description and isn’t on the list of supports that are specifically not NDIS supports.
The NDIS also publishes a list called “Supports that are not NDIS supports.” This list explains what NDIS funding can’t be spent on. It includes 15 categories of goods and services. However, if a support isn’t included on the “not NDIS supports” list, that doesn’t automatically make it an NDIS support. It still needs to meet NDIS funding criteria, relate to your disability, and be in line with your NDIS plan.
Examples of things that are commonly not NDIS supports include general living expenses, standard household items, and supports that are more appropriately provided by mainstream or community services.
Reasonable & Necessary Criteria
Even if a support is considered an NDIS support, it still needs to meet the reasonable and necessary criteria before it can be funded in your plan. Reasonable and necessary supports need to relate to your disability; help you work towards your goals; support you in work, study, or social activities; be value for money; be effective and beneficial; and be an NDIS support or approved replacement support.
Reasonable and necessary supports also need to be considered as part of your whole package of supports. This means the NDIA doesn’t only look at each item or support separately; it also considers whether the plan as a whole is reasonable, necessary, effective, and suitable for your disability support needs.
Replacement Supports
In some specific situations, the NDIS may approve a support that’s not normally an NDIS support. These are called replacement supports. A replacement support is a service, item, or equipment that replaces an existing NDIS support or supports in your plan.
Participants must apply and be approved before using NDIS funding for a replacement support. You shouldn’t assume you can use funding for a replacement support unless the NDIA has approved it in writing.
What the NDIS is Not Responsible For
The NDIS is not responsible for replacing services that should be provided by mainstream or community systems. This includes supports that belong in health (including mental health), early childhood development, school and education, employment, housing, transport, or justice systems.
For example, the NDIS may fund disability-related therapy to maintain or improve functional capacity where it meets the funding criteria. However, treatment for a health condition, hospital care, diagnosis, rehabilitation after surgery, or medical treatment is typically the responsibility of the health system.
Similarly, schools and education providers remain responsible for teaching, learning adjustments, and education-related supports, while employers remain responsible for workplace adjustment, induction, training, and safe work environments. The NDIS may only fund extra disability-related supports that sit outside those mainstream responsibilities (and meet funding criteria).
Getting Help
If you are unsure whether a support can be funded, you can ask your my NDIS contact for help. The NDIS also offers plan implementation meetings to help you:
Understand how to use your plan
What NDIS supports can be purchased
How to find providers
How to make service agreements
How to use the participant portal or app
Answer any other questions you may have
The NDIS is responsible for funding disability-related supports that meet the NDIS funding criteria, are included within the NDIS support list or approved as replacement supports, relate to your disability, and are in line with your plan. It’s not responsible for general living costs, illegal or excluded items, supports that belong to mainstream or community systems, or supports that don’t meet reasonable and necessary criteria.
Understanding the boundaries around NDIS supports can help you use your funding confidently and avoid spending plan funds on supports the NDIS can’t pay for.
Get the Support You Need with Purple Leopard Plan Management
At Purple Leopard, we’re here to help participants to navigate the complexities of the NDIS. Contact us today to learn how we can support you in getting the most out of your NDIS plan!
For more information on your NDIS Access Request visit: ndis.gov.au
Or Call the NDIS
For Participants: 1800 800 110
For Providers: 1300 311 675