The Government has significantly changed how NDIS participants can spend their funding.
On 1 October 2024, 3 lists were released by the NDIA that impact how NDIS funding is planned and spent. The lists cover:
- What is an NDIS funded support
- What is not an NDIS funded support
- Replacement supports (other supports that you may be able to get as an alternative to supports that are not funded by the NDIS).
The NDIS support lists came into effect on 3 October 2024. It’s important to note that many of the supports on the NDIS support list are not new, but the goal of clearly listing what is and is not funded by the NDIS aims to eliminate any confusion or grey area.
This article summarises these lists and how this may affect you or an NDIS participant you care for.
The NDIS Amendment Bill 2024
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No 1) Bill 2024 was passed in August 2024. This Bill provides a framework for the Government’s reform of the NDIS. In other words, the Bill guides changes to the NDIS regarding access, plans, budgeting, quality, and safety.
The Bill addresses some of the recommendations from the NDIS Review.
Changes to NDIS funding and what it means for you
One of the first major changes to follow the Bill is a new definition of NDIS supports.
As a result, NDIS participants can only spend their funds on NDIS supports outlined in the NDIS support lists. Under the new legislation, these lists impact how you may access, plan or have your funds needs assessed. The Department of Social Services received over 6,000 survey responses and over 900 community responses on a draft version of these support lists, so they are an important issue for people with disability, carers and workers.
It’s important to note that a lot of people may not be affected in the way they use their NDIS funds.
If you are impacted by what is on the support lists, there will be a 12-month transitional period (ending in October 2025) to ensure individuals are not penalised for simple mistakes.
These lists contain major important changes, so discussion of how some of the more blurry or obscure support definitions will work is ongoing. There are review measures in place and you can always contact the NDIA to get assistance.
What is an NDIS-funded support?
There are 37 categories of services, items and equipment on the list of NDIS supports.
You can find out exactly which items and services these categories include by downloading the NDIS supports guide.
The categories are:
- Accommodation assistance or tenancy assistance
- Assistance animals
- Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions and supports (such as help moving home or going to appointments)
- Assistance to access and maintain employment or higher education (including self-employment)
- Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement (for example, a support worker who can show you how to cook). This includes short-term and respite accommodation
- Assistance with travel or transport arrangements
- Assistive equipment for recreation
- Assistive products for household tasks (including food, drink, gardening and laundry products)
- Assistive products for personal care and safety (such as bathroom products, adaptive clothing)
- Communication and information equipment (such as a communication board)
- Community nursing care
- Customised prosthetics (such as orthotics)
- Daily personal activities
- Development of daily care and life skills
- Disability-related health supports
- Intervention supports for early childhood
- Exercise physiology and personal well-being activities
- Group and centre-based activities
- Hearing equipment
- High intensity daily personal activities
- Home modification design and construction
- Household tasks (such as cooking or cleaning)
- Innovative community participation (for people who have many needs)
- Interpreting and translation help
- Management of funding for supports (someone to look after NDIS money for you)
- Assistance with participation in community, social and civic activities
- Personal mobility equipment
- Specialist positive behaviour support
- Specialist disability accommodation
- Specialised driver training
- Specialised hearing services
- Specialised supported employment
- Support coordination
- Therapeutic supports
- Vehicle modifications
- Vision equipment.
What is not an NDIS-funded support?
The Government has also released a list of supports it does not fund. The items and services not funded are:
- Accommodation and household related (rent, stamp duty, etc.)
- Finance and payments related (gap payments for Medicare-funded services, penalties)
- Food and groceries
- Lifestyle related things (for example, nicotine replacement items, sport membership costs, tickets for entertainment, internet services)
- Clothing and beauty related services
- Travel and transport (such as car registration, holidays, petrol)
- Pet-related costs (other than assistance animals)
- Surrogacy and fertility treatments
- Alternative and complementary therapies
- Wellness therapies (life coaches, hypnotherapy and others)
- Energy healing practices (such as reiki)
- Health-related costs, such as diagnosis of health conditions and recovery-oriented services, ambulance, emergency costs and others
- Pharmaceuticals and treatments for mental health
- Travel for parents visiting children in out of home care, family therapy and other family support
- Childcare fees, teaching aids and others
- Fees for after school care, school uniforms and others
- Higher education fees
- Employment programs including Disability
- Employment Services and Workforce Australia, workplace modifications
- Direct costs of tenancy compliance (such as exit cleaning, pest control), housing for people with disability other than participants eligible for specialist disability accommodation
- Accessible public transport fares, concessions for public transport
- Support for people in custody and other corrective services costs
- Anything falling into the Aged Care Act 1997 (basic daily care and others)
- Anything illegal
- Income support payments and rent subsidy
- Sex work.
Please refer to the NDIS’ guide on what it does not fund for full details.
What you need to know about replacement lists
In some circumstances, the NDIS will fund supports which are not on the list. These are called ‘replacement supports’. A replacement support would substitute an existing support in your plan, rather than providing an additional item or service. The item needs to provide you with the same outcome as something in your NDIS plan and cost the same or less.
A replacement support may be a household item, or technology you may need for accessibility (specifically, a smart watch, tablet, smart phone or app).
To get a replacement support item, you should apply and get approval from the NDIA.
What does this mean for clients and independent support workers on the Mable platform?
Many of the supports outlined in the NDIS support lists can be provided through the Mable platform, as long as there are support workers available in your area with the correct qualifications and experience.
It’s important to note that the type of support you receive or provide on Mable will need to adhere to our terms of use and policies.
The following common support types can still be accessed through the Mable platform:
- Social support
- Domestic support including house cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, gardening and assistance with errands
- Transport
- Personal care
- Nursing services
- Speech therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
If you are unsure about how changes to the NDIS support lists affect you, get in touch with the NDIA on 1800 800 110, email at enquiries@ndis.gov.au or ask your questions via their webchat.
This article is general in nature and details Mable’s thoughts and opinions. It is not intended to be advice and should not be relied on. Third party links are for reference only and Mable is not responsible for any use of these links or the related content.
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