The information on this page is regularly updated.
You can phone the NDIS Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 and select option 5 if your situation has changed due to COVID-19.
Information on this page is current as at 1 September 2021.
Temporary arrangements for meal preparation and delivery
On 10 September 2021, the NDIA introduced temporary flexibility to help certain participants in lockdown areas access meal preparation and delivery support, to reduce their risk of exposure to COVID-19.
This is available to participants who:
- currently use some of their existing Core supports funding to pay a support worker to help them prepare their meals or help with shopping; and
- live in an area with ‘stay at home’ public health orders in place – check your local, state or territory government website for the latest advice or see the NDIS COVID Addendum.
This is a different way for participants to use their current Core supports budget. We will not be adding additional funding to participant plans.
The cost of the food itself is not covered by the NDIS.
Learn more about claiming and eligibility for this support on the Your health and safety page.
Enabling COVID-19 vaccination for participants
Since May this year, supported independent living providers have been eligible to directly claim up to $150 to cover costs of supporting NDIS participants to receive the vaccine.
To ensure more NDIS participants are supported to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, we’re expanding the participant vaccination enablement payment to more providers.
From 1 September 2021, providers and support coordinators in the following registrations groups can claim up to $150 for each participant they enable to become fully vaccinated:
- High Intensity Daily Personal Activities
- Assistance in Coordinating or Managing Life Stages, Transitions and Supports
- Daily Personal Activities
- Participation in Community, Social and Civic Activities
- Assistance with Daily Life Tasks in a Group or Shared Living Arrangement – effective 26 May 2021.
The $150 is not claimed from participant NDIS funds. Providers can claim the $150 payment by invoicing the NDIA.
This can help participants choosing to have their COVID-19 vaccination at their GP or other offsite location such as a vaccination hub.
Participants can talk with a GP and other health professionals to discuss the risks and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination. Final consent is the participant’s decision.
The $150 payment allows providers to organise the best approach for participants being vaccinated offsite. This may include:
- administration to arrange vaccination appointments including seeking participant consent
- transport both ways in a COVID-safe manner
- appropriate staff to accompany participants to and from the appointments including remaining with them during the waiting time after the vaccination.
Eligible providers can also claim the actual costs of delivering this support from participant plans, such as transport and support workers, in agreement with the participant.
This should not affect plan funds. If a participant is concerned that their plan funds are too low to get vaccination support, they can contact us, phone 1800 800 110.
More information about how providers can claim for this support.
COVID-19 vaccination
All Australians are encouraged to have the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is voluntary and free.
All NDIS participants aged 16 and over, their carers and support workers are eligible for vaccination. From 25 August 2021 , participants aged 12 to 15 are also eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
You can call Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787 to find out more, talk to your GP or visit the Department of Health website:
- vaccine information for people with a disability
- vaccine information for disability service providers
- vaccine information for disability workers
- vaccine rollout and high priority groups
- learn about COVID-19 vaccines
- vaccination information in Easy Read , Auslan and other languages .
Read the COVID-19 vaccination alerts for disability service providers from the Department of Health.
Booking
Book in for your vaccination today. To book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment:
- use the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Checker on the Department of Health website
- contact the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080
- find your nearest participating pharmacy COVID-19 vaccinations
- talk to your GP and book in for your vaccination today.
Support
We want to ensure that all eligible NDIS participants are supported to overcome any barriers they may face and to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine if they choose, to protect the safety of participants, carers, families and the wider community.
You may also be eligible for additional support to attend an offsite booking for a COVID -19 vaccination. If you need support to attend an offsite COVID-19 vaccination appointment, we encourage you to talk to your support worker or support coordinator.
State and territory COVID-19 vaccination resources
State and Territory information and resources to assist with vaccination books is available through the links below:
NSW
ACT
Queensland
Victoria
Tasmania
South Australia
NT
Western Australia
Personal protective equipment (PPE) for support workers
From 28 June 2021 providers Australia-wide can claim up to $27 per participant, per worker, per day for support worker personal protective equipment (PPE) from certain participant plans when delivering assistance with daily life.
Providers can only claim for costs that were actually incurred and must have the agreement of the participant.
Providers in NSW can also claim for PPE for NDIS support workers from 26 June 2021, by submitting a direct claim to the NDIA.
Visit the For providers – coronavirus (COVID-19) page for eligibility details and conditions of claiming.
PPE for participants
Participants who receive an average of at least 1 hour a day of face-to-face Assistance with Daily Life supports can access up to $50 per week from their budget for PPE for their use when their support worker is supporting them.
If you have a reasonable and necessary need for PPE items like face masks, face shields and gloves when your disability support worker is supporting you, you can use your Core supports budget to purchase these items.
Find out more about claiming PPE.
COVID temporary support measures
The NDIA has extended the following support measures to help providers and participants safely deliver and receive supports.
- temporary flexibility to help certain participants in lockdown access their meal preparation and delivery support – until 1 December 2021
- access to low-cost assistive technology - ongoing
- one-off deep cleaning for support worker related COVID-19 diagnosis – ongoing
- cleaning services and additional self-isolation and COVID-19 diagnosis supports in supported independent living (SIL) – ongoing
- national clinical first response service for SIL providers - until 31 December 2021
- personal protective equipment (PPE) for certain participants with a reasonable and necessary need - ongoing
The NDIA will continue current arrangements and advise any future changes.
Disability Gateway helpline
The Disability Gateway helpline is for people with disability, their families and carers who need help because of COVID-19.
The helpline is free, private and fact-checked.
You can contact the Disability Gateway in the following ways:
- Phone (free call): 1800 643 787
- If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can also call the National Relay Service on 133 677.
The Disability Gateway is available Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm (AEST). It is not available on national public holidays.
Find out more on the Disability Gateway website .