NDIS Supports

From the 3rd of October, participants will only be able to use their NDIS funds for items listed as approved supports. NDIS have also provided a list of supports that are NOT NDIS supports and cannot be claimed. In some circumstances participants may be able to request a substitution from the replacement support list.

Supports that are NDIS Supports (Easy Read version)

There are 37 categories of goods and services that are ‘NDIS Supports’. NDIS Supports are the services, items and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS.

Accommodation assistance or tenancy assistance

Supports that build capacity, guide, prompt, or assist a participant to do activities for finding or keeping appropriate accommodation.

This includes:

supports that help a participant apply for a rental tenancy or to take part in tenancy obligations in line with their tenancy agreement
medium term accommodation where a participant cannot move into long term accommodation due to that accommodation or other supports not being ready and current accommodation is not suitable.

Assistance animals

Support provided by an eligible assistance animal.

This includes:

assessment, matching and provision of an eligible assistance animal
dietary needs
grooming
veterinary services including flea and worm treatments, medication, and vaccinations
yearly reviews to maintain accreditation.

Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions and supports

Supports provided on a short-term basis that provide assistance to manage life transitions.

This includes:

transition from or to new educational settings or employment settings
transition to new living arrangements
support before and immediately following hospital discharge where there has been a change to a disability participant’s support needs prior to hospitalisation
transition out of a mental health setting
transition out of a custodial setting.

Assistance to access and maintain employment or higher education

Supports that build a participant’s capacity to successfully prepare for, find or keep employment in the open labour market (including self-employment and micro-enterprise) or the supported labour market.

This includes:

employment preparation complementary to that delivered while at school and when leaving school
assistance for a participant to transition to employment
further education and training.

Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement

Supports that provide assistance with or supervision of daily living tasks to participants in a shared living environment.

This includes:

supports provided on a temporary or ongoing basis
supports for short term accommodation and respite
supports provided to participants living in residential aged care facilities.

Assistance with travel or transport arrangements

Supports that provide transport assistance to participants that cannot travel or use public transport independently.

This includes:

transport for the purposes of participants undertaking community-based activities
transport for the purposes of participants attending school or other educational facilities
provider travel costs
costs associated with the use of taxis or private transport
in-kind specialist school support
travel training to build a participant’s confidence and skills to use public transport safely and independently.

Assistive equipment for recreation

The provision of assistive products used in sports or other recreational activities.

This includes:

personal recreation equipment modification and sporting equipment modification
services to assess and prescribe, deliver, adjust and train a participant in successful use of an assistive product
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product.

Assistive products for household tasks

The provision of assistive products that support a participant to carry out domestic and everyday actions and tasks within a participant’s home.

This includes:

assistive products for the preparation of food and drink
assistive products to facilitate house cleaning, gardening or laundry
additional costs to upgrade or modify standard household items to household items that include accessibility features that address a participant’s support needs
services to assess and prescribe, deliver, adjust and train a participant in the successful use of an assistive product
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product.

Assistive products for personal care and safety

Provision of assistive products for self-care activities and participation in self-care.

This includes:

modified foods including for the purposes of percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) feeding
products to facilitate washing and drying the participant’s body, caring for the participant’s body and body parts, dressing and protecting the participant’s body
modified or adaptive clothing
modified or adaptive products to manage menstruation including applicators and period underwear
products to manage incontinence
furniture and other products that are adapted or specifically made to be placed in or added to a participant’s home (including indoor and outdoor areas) to help with movement, positioning and other safety needs, including entry and exit of the environment
services to assess and prescribe, deliver, adjust and train a participant in the successful use of an assistive product
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product
visual and tactile alerting systems.

Communication and information equipment

The provision of assistive products to support communication and information management.

This includes:

products that help a participant to receive, send, produce and/or process information in different forms
products that facilitate a participant communicating by language, signs and symbols, receiving and producing messages, having conversations and using communication devices and techniques
services to assess and prescribe, deliver, adjust and train a participant in the successful use of an assistive product
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product.

Community nursing care

Supports that provide disability-related nursing care for participants with high care needs (not including high intensity daily personal activities), requiring a high level of clinical skill.

This includes:

catheter care
skin integrity checks
tracheostomy care
medication management
intramuscular injections
training of support workers to respond to a participant’s complex needs.

Customised prosthetics (includes Orthotics)

Assistive products externally applied to replace, wholly or in part an absent or deficient body segment which assists participant control and functioning of their neuromuscular skeletal systems.This includes:

design, manufacture and fit of customised functional prosthetics and orthotics
assessment and specification (prescription) of a product by a professionally qualified prosthetist, orthotist, pedorthotist, podiatrist, or occupational therapist trained in provision of that product
osseo-integrated, external products
services to train a participant in successful use of an assistive product
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product.

Daily personal activities

Supports that provide supervision or assistance with personal daily living tasks to help a participant to live as independently as possible in their own home and in the community.

This includes:

assistance with eating and drinking, dressing and toileting
maintaining personal hygiene, including showering, bathing, hair washing and drying, fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning
moving and positioning
in-kind personal care in school.

Development of daily care and life skills

Supports that provide training and development activities for participants or carers to increase ability to live as independently as possible (including as part of psychosocial recovery supports).

This includes increasing the participant’s ability to independently undertake the following activities:

shopping
meal preparation
managing finances
managing a participant’s own personal care
travel and use public transport
engage in social activities
improve relationship and social skills.

Disability-related health supports

Health supports that relate to the functional impact of a participant’s disability.

This includes:

supports, services and assistive products to manage dysphagia, diabetes, continence, wound and pressure care, respiration, nutrition, podiatry and foot care, and seizures
supports for people with complex communication access needs or behaviours when accessing health or mental health services, including hospitals and
in-patient facilities
specialist allied health services and supports that facilitate enhanced functioning and community re-integration of people with recently acquired severe conditions including newly acquired spinal cord and severe acquired brain injury
training support workers, family and friends to perform roles where appropriate.

Early intervention supports for early childhood

Supports that are evidence-based early childhood intervention supports for children 0-9 years (including children aged 0-6 with developmental delay) and their families to achieve better long-term outcomes for the child.

This includes:

therapy provided by allied health professionals including speech pathologists and occupational therapists
a key worker for a child’s family.

Exercise physiology and personal well-being activities

Supports that maintain or increase physical mobility or well-being through personal training or exercise physiology to address the functional impact of the participant’s disability.

This includes:

accessing services from an appropriately qualified professional
assessment and development of a personalised exercise program which aims to increase or maintain a participant’s functional capacity
maintenance of muscle strength, range of motion, balance and mobility.

Group and centre based activities

Supports for participants to access and participate in community, social, cultural and recreational activities that are provided in a group setting, either in the community or in a centre.

Hearing equipment

The provision of hearing equipment directly related to a participant’s permanent hearing impairment that is not provided through the Hearing Services Program for the participant.

High intensity daily personal activities

Supports that assist a participant with complex needs to undertake high intensity daily personal activities.

These supports must be provided by a worker with additional qualifications and experience relevant to the participant’s complex or psychosocial needs.

This includes:

a suitably qualified worker undertaking the activities
a suitably qualified worker supervising the participant or another person in the participant’s support network undertaking the activities.

Home modification design and construction

Supports that design, change or modify a participant’s home to help the participant live as independently as possible and to live safely at home.

This includes:

installing equipment or changing a building’s structure, fixture or fittings
internal and external building modifications to remedy damage arising exclusively from disability-related behaviours or use of NDIS funded assistive technology or equipment
regulatory certification requirements for works.

Household tasks

Supports that provide assistance with essential household tasks that a participant is not able to do themselves because of their disability.

This includes:

meal preparation and delivery
house or yard maintenance
cleaning and laundry.

Innovative community participation

Supports that are tailored for individual participants with extraordinary support needs to assist them to participate in the community. Extraordinary support needs arise due to a participant’s specific situational and personal circumstances.

Interpreting and translation

Supports that assist a participant with independent communication in personal, social, cultural or community activities where translation and interpretation is needed as a result of their disability.

Management of funding for supports

Supports provided by a registered plan management provider to manage the funding of supports under a participant’s plan.

Participation in community, social and civic activities

Supports that assist a participant to take part in community, social, cultural and civic activities.

This includes:

supporting participants during relevant activities
working with participants to develop their ability to partake in these activities.

Personal mobility equipment

The provision of personal mobility equipment that supports or replaces a participant’s capacity to move indoors and outdoors and to transfer from one place to another.

This includes:

assistive products for walking
wheelchairs and motorised mobility devices
transfer devices and hoists
services to train a participant in successful use of equipment provided
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to equipment provided.

Specialist positive behaviour support

Supports that are provided by professionals with specialist skills in positive behaviour support.

This includes:

assessment, development and delivery of a comprehensive plan that aims to reduce and manage behaviours of concern
training and ongoing monitoring of staff in implementation of a behaviour support plan
training and capacity building for a participant’s informal supports in the use of positive behaviour support
development and delivery of interim or transitional plans.

Specialist disability accommodation (SDA)

The provision of specialist disability accommodation which is accommodation for a participant who requires specialist housing solutions, including to assist with the delivery of supports that cater for the person’s extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.

Specialised driver training

Supports that provide driver training with a specialised vehicle driving instructor. Supports that provide training on the use of adapted equipment or vehicle modifications.

Specialised hearing services

Specialist audiological services provided by an allied health professional for participants with complex needs.

This includes:

assessing hearing impairment
prescription of audiological aids and equipment.

Specialised supported employment

Supports that provide a participant with assistance to prepare for, find and retain a job in the participant’s employment setting of choice.

Support coordination

Supports that assist participants to connect with informal community and funded supports (including as part of psychosocial recovery supports).

This includes:

building a participant’s capacity to connect with supports
assisting participants to understand and utilise their plan
connecting with providers and mainstream services
addressing barriers and reducing complexity in the support environment.

Therapeutic supports

Supports that provide evidence-based therapy to help participants improve or maintain their functional capacity in areas such as language and communication, personal care, mobility and movement, interpersonal interactions, functioning (including psychosocial functioning) and community living.

This includes an assessment by health professionals for support planning and review as required.

Vehicle modifications

The provision of assistive products that can be added to vehicles or modifications made to vehicles that help a participant to operate, enter, exit or ride in the vehicle safely.

This includes:

passenger and wheelchair hoists
modified controls
modified restraints and modified car seats
certification costs for registration and additional vehicle insurance premium costs as a direct result of the modification
services to assess and prescribe, deliver, adjust and train a participant in successful use of an assistive product or modification
maintenance, spare parts and consumable items specific to an assistive product or modification.

This support does not include the purchase of a vehicle.

Vision equipment

The provision of products for navigation, orientation, braille, magnifiers and note taking equipment.

Supports that are not NDIS Supports (Easy Read Version)

There are 15 categories of goods and services that not ‘NDIS Supports’. There are services, items, and equipment that can’t be funded by the NDIS. Note: Under the laws of the NDIS, NDIS cannot fund sexual services and sex work, alcohol or drugs.

Day-to-day living costs

Accommodation and household related

Rent, rental bonds, home and property deposits, stamp duty, mortgage repayments, and strata fees.
Purchase of land, or house and land packages.
Standard home security and maintenance costs, fencing, gates and building repairs.
Pools, pool heating and maintenance, spa baths, saunas, steam rooms.
Standard home repairs, home improvements, standard renovations and maintenance.
Water, gas, and electricity bills, council rates, land taxes and levies.
Water filters, purifiers, or aerators.
Electricity generators, solar panels, home batteries for power storage, hot water and gas systems.
Standard household (including garden) items, appliances, tools and products. For example, a dishwasher, fridge, washing machine, non-modified kitchen utensils and crockery, food processors, electric toothbrushes, floor rugs, beanbags, standard mattresses, and bedding.
Standard furniture, fixtures or fittings. For example, lounges, beds, fire alarms, blinds.

Finance and payments related

Donations, tithes, gifts, and political contributions.
Fines, penalties, and court-ordered amounts.
Travel insurance, life insurance, income protection insurance, home and contents insurance, car insurance and excess insurance for novated vehicles.
Health insurance, ambulance membership, gap payments for Medicare funded services and private health insurance claims.
Superannuation for the participants or a member of self-managed superannuation fund (within the meaning of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993) of which the participant is a member.
Fringe benefits for staff or contractors.
Education and tuition fees including fees for school, vocational education and training and higher education.
Legal costs.
Child support fees and debt repayments.
Gift cards.
Business development costs and business skills development costs including company registration, book-keeping, accounting services or software.
Debts, liabilities, loan repayments, buy now pay later payments, and taxes.

Food and groceries

Groceries including all food, beverage, cleaning, household and health products.
Fast food services, takeaway food and food delivery platforms (excluding meal delivery platforms where the food and ingredient component can be separately identified from the meal preparation and delivery component).

Lifestyle related

Cigarettes, vapes and smoking paraphernalia, legal cannabis.
Smoking cessation devices such a nicotine replacement items.
Gambling.
Internet devices (such as modems and routers), land line phones, mobile phones (including smart phones), mobile phone accessories, tablets, and sim cards.
Internet, landline and mobile phone plans and data.
Standard computers, standard computer accessories, consoles and games, and subscriptions for streaming services.
Standard (non-modified and not adaptive) recreational equipment and tools, including toys, balls and racquets.
Costs associated with recreational sports and activities. This includes membership costs, venue hire fees, uniforms and footwear.
Costs associated with elite or professional sports and activities, including equipment or modifications to equipment and related travel costs.
Dating or relationship services including virtual reality, match makers or Apps.
Costs associated with weddings, honeymoons, funerals, and other social, business, private, public, formal or informal events.
Musical instruments, music production, social media production.
Tickets to theme parks, tourism and entertainment operators.
Tickets to music, theatre, cinema, sporting events, and conference fees or entrance fees.
Accommodation to attend or participate in work, study, music, theatre, cinema, sporting events or conferences. This includes any other social, business, private, public formal or informal event.
Standard indoor or outdoor play equipment.
General health, fitness, social or recreational activity costs or services.
Membership and entry to a recreational club and standard gym equipment.
Non-prescription medicines, sunscreens, weight loss products, vitamins, sport or athletic supplements, and homeopathic medicines.

Clothing and beauty related services

Jewellery, watches (including smart watches).
Makeup, cosmetic treatments, cosmetics and cosmetic accessories.
Standard (non-modified and non-adaptive) clothing and footwear.
Hair treatments, cutting, dying, styling, extensions, threading, weaving, hair replacements and transplants, wigs.
Manicures, pedicures, false nail application or removal of any kind, nail painting and removal, nail decorations, nail piercings, hand or foot massage or treatments.
Body art including body piercings, tattoo services, and henna.

Travel and transport related

Cruises, holiday packages, holiday accommodation and airfares, including interstate and overseas travel, passports, visa, activities and meals included in travel.
Vehicles. This includes motor vehicles, motorbikes, watercraft, all-terrain vehicles, standard bikes and scooters and other recreational vehicles.
Vehicles, devices, modifications or products that are not legal for use in the relevant State or Territory.
Mechanical repairs (except for NDIS funded vehicle modifications), automotive tools.
Vehicle registration.
Personal mobility devices including e-scooters, electric bikes and skateboards.
Transport for children as part of their reasonable care and support provided by families or carers.
Petrol, diesel and gas.

Pet related

Animals (other than NDIS funded assistance animals). This includes pets and companion animals.
Pet food for animals other than NDIS funded assistance animals.
Veterinarian costs, pet boarding, pet grooming for animals that are not NDIS funded assistance animals. For example, this includes for pets and companion animals.
Pet insurance.
Taxidermy and pet cremations, burials or funerals.

Reproductive health and family related

Surrogacy and fertility treatments.

Not evidence-based

Alternative and complementary therapies

Crystal therapy.
Tarot card reading, psychics, mediums and clairvoyants.
Cuddle therapy.
Reflexology.
Aromatherapy.
Sound therapy.
Yoga therapy.
Wilderness therapy.
Animal therapy. For example, puppy therapy, goat therapy.
Hair therapy.
Alternative or complementary medicine.

Wellness and coaching related

Massage that is not provided by an allied health professional for disability related purposes.
Sports or athletic supplements.
Life coaches, wellness coaches, career coaches, cultural coaches.
Hypnotherapy.
Neurofeedback.
Gaming therapy.
Mastermind coaching including Apps and software.
Somatic therapy.
Kinesiology.

Energy and healing practices related

Reiki (including intuitive reiki).
Scalar lounge.
Frequency healing and energy balanced massage.
Deep energy clearing.
Spinal flow technique.
Shamanic healing.

Related to health

The diagnosis, early intervention and clinical treatment of health and dental health conditions, including ongoing or chronic health conditions.
Diagnostic assessments and screening services.
Time-limited, recovery-oriented services and therapies:
where the predominant purpose is treatment directly related to the person’s health status, or
provided after a recent medical or surgical event, with the aim of improving the person’s functional status, including post-acute rehabilitation or post-acute care.

Pharmaceuticals (including prescription medicines and non-prescription medicines), biological medicines, vaccines, sunscreens, weight loss products, vitamins, sport and athletic supplements, and homeopathic medicines.
Equipment or assistive products prescribed or issued as a result of clinical care, treatment or management from a medical practitioner and then delivered in the clinical setting, unrelated to the person’s disability. For example, a knee brace issued following an acute knee ligament injury after sport or gardening accident.
Surgical services or procedures or procedures related to aids and equipment.
Acute, subacute, emergency and outpatient clinical services delivered through public or private hospitals.
Prescription spectacles or contact lens.
Nursing services (where related to treatment of a health event).
Ambulance services.
Health transport services.
Hospital in the home services.
Sleep consultant services.
Health retreats.
New-born follow-up provided in the health system, including child and maternal health services.
Hearing services or supports provided by the Hearing Services Program surgical services for hearing.
Sub-acute, palliative care including in-patient and out-patient services delivered in the person’s home or clinical setting. Noting that disability-related supports as part of an NDIS participant’s plan may continue to be provided at the same time as palliative care services.

Related to mental health

Pharmaceuticals (including prescription medicines and non-prescription medicines).
Treatment, including for drug and alcohol dependency, gambling, and other addictions or disorders.
Acute, subacute, emergency and outpatient clinical services delivered through public and private hospital mental health services.
Supports related to mental health that are clinical in nature, including acute, ambulatory or continuing care or rehabilitation.
Residential care where the primary purpose is for inpatient or outpatient treatment or clinical rehabilitation.

Travel or accommodation for parents visiting their children that are in out-of-home care (OOHC).
Guardianship services for children and adults.
General family therapy.
Parenting programs.
Babysitting or nannying services, au pairs.
Marriage and relationship counselling.
Child protection services required by families who have entered, or are at risk of entering, the relevant State or Territory statutory child protection system.
General parenting programs, counselling or other supports for families, which are provided to families at risk of child protection intervention and to the broader community, including making them accessible and appropriate for families with disability.
Out-of-home care or support to carers of children in out-of-home care where these supports are not additional to the needs of children of similar age in similar out-of-home care arrangements.

Related to early childhood development

Early childhood supports or therapies to support the general child development needs of a child.
Childcare fees (including any fees associated with specialist or segregated childcare service models), long day care, family day care and informal care arrangements. This includes the costs associated with the reasonable adjustment that childcare services are required to make to accommodate a child with developmental delay or disability.
Teaching aids or supports related to educational attainment.
Building modifications for early childhood educational and care settings.
Meeting the early childhood education and care needs of a child.

Related to school education

Fees and payments for outside school hours care. This includes before school, after school, student free days, vacation care and school holiday programs.
Education and tuition fees across all education settings.
Standard school uniforms, shoes, lunchboxes, drink bottles or other school equipment.
Personalised learning or supports for students that primarily relate to their educational attainment.
Aids and equipment for educational purposes. For example, modified computer hardware, education software, braille textbooks.
Assistive products which are fixed or non-transportable in schools that enable a student access to education. For example, hoists and specially adapted furniture.
Reasonable adjustment to education campuses, including capital works. For example, ramps, lifts, hearing loops.
Services from a person employed at the participant’s school or the relevant authority or Department of State for a State or Territory agency with responsibility for school education.
Textbooks and teaching aids (including alternative formats).
Tutors and scribes.
Educational supports associated with home schooling.
School refusal programs.
School camp, incursion and excursion fees.
Transport between school activities including excursions and sporting carnivals.
Work experience generally provided as part of a school program.

Education and tuition fees across all higher education and vocational education training (VET) settings.
Any supports (including assistive technology) for students that primarily relate to their education and training.
Building modifications to higher education and VET settings.
Services from a person employed for educational purposes by the participant’s higher education or VET provider.
Personalised learning or supports for students that primarily relate to their educational attainment.
Assistive products which are fixed or non-transportable in higher education or VET settings that enable a student or trainee to access education or training. For example, hoists and specially adapted furniture.
Textbooks and teaching aids, including in alternative formats such as braille or Easy English.
Education and training to facilitate transition to employment generally provided in higher education and VET settings.

Related to employment

Government funded employment programs including Disability Employment Services and Workforce Australia.
Work-specific aids and equipment required to perform a job, including modified hardware and software.
Reasonable adjustments (including assistive products and workplace modifications) to access a workplace.
Employer responsibilities including recruitment processes, work arrangements, transport for work activities.
Employer compliance with employment laws, including those dealing with discrimination on the basis of disability Employment programs, including both disability-targeted and open employment services, to provide advice and support to job seekers with disability who are largely independent once placed in employment to find and retain a job.
Employment programs to encourage and assist employers to have recruitment policies and practices to hire and be inclusive of people with disability in the workplace. For example, support, training and resources, funding assistance to help employers make reasonable adjustments, and incentives for hiring people with disability, such as wage subsidies.

Direct costs of compliance with a person’s tenancy agreement, including bond, pest control, exit cleaning, general damage repairs.
Housing for people with disability other than participants eligible for specialist disability accommodation.
Design and subsequent changes or modifications to State and Territory owned residential facilities (including aged care facilities, transitional and boarding accommodation and rehabilitation facilities) public buildings and boarding schools to make buildings accessible for people with disability to a reasonable adjustment standard.
Design and subsequent changes or modifications to specialist disability accommodation.
Reasonable adjustments to social housing to make buildings accessible for people with disability.
Providing new publicly funded housing stock that meet accessibility standards and guidelines that apply in the location in which the housing is located.
Homelessness-specific services including homelessness outreach and emergency accommodation.
The improvement of community infrastructure including improving accessibility of the built and natural environment.
Postal services.
Housing subsidies. For example, rental bonds, mortgage relief and assistance with buying a home.
Crisis housing.
Mobile homes, caravans, campervans and tents.

Related to transport

Accessible public transport.
Public transport fares.
Concessions to facilitate use of public transport.
Airline lounge memberships and access fees.
Transport costs for any animals that are not NDIS funded assistance animals.
Transport infrastructure, including road and footpath infrastructure.
Community transport services.
Modifications to public transport and taxis.

Related to justice

Supports in secure mental health facilities that are clinical in nature.
Supervision and monitoring to prevent or observe offending behaviour or to monitor adherence to justice system-imposed conditions.
The day-to-day care and support needs of a person in custody (including in a secure mental health facility), which includes supervision, personal care and general supports.
Pre-sentence psychological and psychiatric reports.
Secure accommodation facilities where the purpose of this accommodation is to safeguard the community or prevent reoffending, including secure mental health facilities.

Related to aged care

Any of the following within the meaning of the Aged Care Act 1997:

basic daily care fees
refundable accommodation options
extra service fees.
Any of the following services provided by a residential aged care service:
daily assistance with tasks such as cleaning, cooking, laundry
personal care supports including bathing, dressing, going to the toilet
access to health practitioner services, clinical care and therapies
social and emotional support services and entertainment
Note: supports for a participant that entered residential aged care before the age of 65 may not be included if there is an agreement in place between the Agency and the Department of Health and Aged Care that those supports should be funded by the Agency.

Unlawful goods and services

A support the provision of which would be contrary to:
a law of the Commonwealth
a law of the State or Territory in which the support would be provided.

Assistive products, vehicle modifications or home modifications that do not comply with Commonwealth, State or Territory laws, the National Construction Code or mandated Australian standards for the location or purpose the participant will require them.
Supports involving restrictive practices that are prohibited in the participant’s State or Territory of residence.
Consumable products that are against the law.
Firearms and weapons.
Seclusion rooms.

Income replacement

Income support payments.
Rent subsidy.
Income supplementation.