The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. The NDIS is now available to all eligible Australians, no matter where they live.
The NDIS is designed to help people with disability to get the support they need to work toward their goals. The main component of the NDIS is individualised packages of support to eligible people with disability.
According to NDIS.gov.au there are around 4.3 million Australians who have a disability. Within the next five years the NDIS will provide an estimated 500,000 Australians who have permanent and significant disability with funding for supports and services. For many people, it will be the first time they receive the disability support they need.
What does NDIS mean?
- National: The NDIS is being introduced progressively across all states and territories in Australia.
- Disability: The NDIS provides support to eligible people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive, and psychosocial disability. Early intervention supports can also be provided for eligible people with disability or children with developmental delay.
- Insurance: The NDIS gives all Australians peace of mind if they, their child or loved one is born with or acquires a permanent and significant disability, they will get the support they need.
- Scheme: The NDIS is not a welfare system. The NDIS is designed to help people get the support they need so their skills and independence improve over time.
The types of supports that the NDIS may fund for participants include:
- daily personal activities
- transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
- workplace help to allow a participant to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market
- therapeutic supports including behaviour support
- help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment
- help to a participant by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training
- home modification design and construction
- mobility equipment, and
- vehicle modifications.
Watch The “How the NDIS works?”
If you enter the NDIS, you will go through a planning process with a NDIS representative, to develop your individual NDIS plan and determine the funding you will receive.
