The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can feel like a maze of forms, acronyms and rules – especially when you’re trying to sort out support for yourself or someone you love. This guide walks you through the whole journey in plain English: working out if you qualify, getting set up, understanding your funding, and finding the right provider once your plan is approved.
CareAbout isn’t a disability provider and we’re not part of the government. We’re an independent service that helps Australians cut through the confusion and connect with carefully screened registered NDIS providers right across the country, and it’s completely free for you to use.
What Is NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian Government scheme that funds support for people with a permanent and significant disability. Rather than a one-size-fits-all service, it gives each participant an individual budget and the freedom to choose how, when and from whom they receive support – what the scheme calls “choice and control.”
It’s run by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), with local partners on the ground to help people apply and plan. The scheme supports hundreds of thousands of Australians, and the funding you receive is based on your support needs – not your income or assets. The NDIS isn’t means-tested.
How Do I Qualify for the NDIS?
You may qualify for the NDIS if you’re under 65 when you apply, you’re an Australian citizen, permanent resident or hold a Protected Special Category Visa, you live in Australia, and you have a permanent and significant disability that substantially affects your everyday activities – or you meet the early intervention requirements.
To become a participant, you need to meet all of the following requirements set out in the NDIS Act:
1. Age: You must be under 65 at the time you apply. This is a firm cut-off – if you apply even a little after your 65th birthday, you won’t be able to join, regardless of how significant your disability is.
2. Residency: You must live in Australia and be an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, or the holder of a Protected Special Category Visa.
3. Disability: You need to have a disability caused by an impairment – intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical or psychosocial – that is, or is likely to be, permanent, and that substantially reduces your ability to do everyday activities like communicating, moving around, socialising, learning or self-care.
4. Or Early Intervention: There’s more than one way in. You may also be eligible under the early intervention pathway if getting support now would reduce how much support you’ll need in the future. This pathway is common for children and for people with progressive conditions.
Important: Having a particular diagnosis does not automatically qualify you. The NDIA looks at the functional impact – how your condition actually affects your daily life, not the label on it. That’s why strong, specific evidence from your treating professionals matters so much. If you’d like to check before you apply, the NDIS has a free online Access Checklist (simply visit here for a full overview of Eligibility Requirements), or you can call the NDIA on 1800 800 110.
How to Get Set Up With the NDIS
- Check your eligibility: Use the NDIS Access Checklist or call 1800 800 110 to confirm you meet the age, residency and disability requirements before you apply.
- Gather your evidence: Collect reports from your GP, specialists and allied health professionals describing your disability, that it’s permanent, and how it affects your daily life. Detailed, functional evidence leads to fewer delays.
- Make an access request: Apply by phoning the NDIA, or by completing an Access Request Form and submitting it with your supporting evidence by email, mail or at a local office. A family member or friend can do this with your consent.
- Wait for the decision: Once your full application and evidence are in, the NDIA aims to decide within 21 days. You’ll receive a letter either way, and an impairment notice if you’re approved.
- Plan your supports: If you’re in, you’ll have a planning meeting to talk through your goals and needs and build your first NDIS plan, which sets out your funding.
- Choose providers and start: With a plan in hand, you decide who delivers your supports. This is where CareAbout can connect you with trusted registered providers – at no cost to you.
Please note: If you’re not approved – A “no” isn’t always the end. You can ask for an internal review within three months, supply stronger functional evidence, or, if your circumstances change and you’re still under 65, you’ll need to apply again. Many decisions are overturned once better evidence is provided.
Connect With A Registered NDIS Provider
What Does the NDIS Fund?
The NDIS funds supports that are considered reasonable and necessary – directly related to your disability, good value, and likely to help you pursue your goals. Funding is grouped into budgets so it’s clear what each pool of money is for.
