How Does the NDIS Work in Australia? 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) directly provides tailored financial support to Australians with disability. The ultimate goal is to help them improve their independence, participation in the community or workplace and overall quality of life. 

Through the NDIS, people with disability have been able to receive the following: 

  • Reasonable and necessary supports 
  • Disability-related health supports (including supports related to diabetes management and wound care) 
  • Supports in employment 

NDIS now supports more than 500,000 Australians which includes 80,000 children with developmental delay. Through NDIS, people with disability have been able to improve their everyday lives and even achieve their long-term goals. 

Am I eligible for NDIS?

Here’s the NDIS eligibility checklist (source: official NDIS website): 

  1. Are you aged between 7 and 65? 
  2. Are you an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Special Category Visa holder? 
  3. Do you live in Australia? 
  4. Do you have a disability caused by a permanent impairment? 
  5. Do you usually need disability-specific supports to complete daily life activities? 

This list of requirements for eligibility helps ensure that the right people are receiving the financial assistance. 

If you meet those requirements, you can start applying to access the NDIS: 

  1. Make a verbal application (call NDIS at 1800 800 110) 
  2. Complete an Access Request Form (visit this page to ensure you’re getting the latest Form) 
  3. Send evidence to prove your eligibility (your age, Australian citizenship, permanent residence, your disability) 

Then, NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) will check your application and see if you missed something. They might ask for additional evidence and information about your disability and other conditions. Your General Practitioner (GP) and other health professionals who care for you (e.g. psychologist, physiotherapist) can provide additional and supporting evidence of your disability. 

If you don’t meet the criteria and requirements, NDIA can review and reassess your application if you have gathered additional evidence and new information about your disability and medical condition. Also, NDIA is making decisions about who can access the NDIS based on the disability’s current impact. The disability might still progress or its impact might further affect the person’s daily activities and functions. In this case, the person can make a new NDIS Access Request if the most recent one was made more than three months ago.