The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way of funding services and supports for people with disability. Under the scheme, eligible participants with disability receive their own individual funding and NDIS plan to support them to achieve their specific goals and live their life the way they want.
Previously, service providers received government funding to deliver services and supports, with little choice or flexibility given to people with disability. With their own individual funding, NDIS participants can now choose the services and supports they want and the providers to deliver them.
The NDIS is currently rolling out across Australia in stages. Some areas have already begun to switch over to the new scheme. Other areas will transition over the coming years. The scheme is expected to be fully rolled out across Australia by 2019. In Western Australia, a separate state-run model of the NDIS will run, with some consistencies with the national scheme such as choice and control maintained.
You can access the NDIS depending on your age, residency and disability.
Age: You are under 65 years of age.
Residency: You live in Australia, and are an Australian citizen, or you have paperwork that give you permission to live in Australia permanently.
Disability: Your disability is likely to be with you for life and substantially impacts how you manage everyday activities. This means, you need help from other people or special equipment to do certain things.
To apply for NDIS, you can call 1800 800 110 or go to https://www.ndis.gov.au/applying-access-ndis and follow the prompts to fill in the Access Request form.
The NDIS fund reasonable and necessary supports. Your planner will discuss these with you.
To assess a person’s support needs, the NDIS may consider some aspects of a person’s life, such as:
Supports may include:
