45,000 Australians with disability getting support for the first time under the NDIS

New figures released today, show that more than one quarter of the 160,000 Australians now benefiting from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are receiving support for the first time.

The latest NDIS Quarterly Report for the period 31 December 17 to 31 March 18 shows 162,223 Australians are now benefitting from the NDIS including 151,970 people with an approved plan and 10,253 children who have been referred through the Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) approach.

Of the 162,223 Australians now benefitting from the NDIS, 44,945 had not received State, Territory or Commonwealth support prior to entering the Scheme.

"These figures show that under the NDIS, more and more Australians with disability are receiving better and more effective support and assistance than ever have before," Mr Robert De Luca, National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Chief Executive Officer said today.

Significantly, the number of Australians with an approved NDIS plan has grown by 61,344 people since 30 June 2017 – an increase of 68 per cent in just nine months.

The NDIS market continues to grow with 14,271 service providers now approved to deliver disability supports, an increase of 64 per cent, since 30 June 2017.

The Report also includes new survey results showing the NDIS is already changing people's lives, with:

• 90 per cent of parents or carers of children aged between 0 and six reporting the NDIS has helped with their child's development and access to school services; and
• 72 per cent of participants aged 25 and over reporting the NDIS had helped them with daily living activities.

Mr De Luca said the results showed the good progress being made to deliver the NDIS - which will ultimately support an estimated 460,000 Australians.

"These strong outcomes demonstrate the NDIS is already delivering on its goals to increase Australians with disability's independence and participation in the community," Mr De Luca said.

While 84 per cent of participants surveyed in this quarter rated their planning experience as either good or very good, the NDIA continues to deliver on a number of significant initiatives to improve the NDIS experience for participants and service providers.

"In the last six months the NDIA has prioritised improving the quality of experience for participants, including investing in more face to face planning to ensure people are listened to and better quality plans are the result," Mr De Luca said.

"Early survey results show that these investments are starting to have an impact – with 90 per cent of participants surveyed agreeing, or strongly agreeing, their planner had listened to them and they had enough time to tell their story".

While the national rollout of the NDIS is on track to be rolled out by 2020, the NDIA reiterates its commitment to getting the balance right between participant intake, the quality of plans and the sustainability of the Scheme.

Since the start of the NDIS in 2013 - 78 per cent of the cumulative NDIS bilateral estimates have been met.

"This is a significant achievement given the sheer scale and pace of this major reform," Mr De Luca said.

Not all of the estimated individuals identified as receiving existing State, Territory or Commonwealth services have been able to be brought into the NDIS to date.

Experience is showing that not all of these clients will become participants of the NDIS for a variety of reasons, including difficulties in contacting potential participants and some being found ineligible for the Scheme or no longer requiring support.

"The NDIA will continue to proactively work with the States and Territory governments to bring eligible people into the NDIS in future quarters," Mr De Luca concluded.

The NDIA is also working to bring eligible participants into the Scheme who did not previously receive support.

The NDIS continues to come within budget as it has since it started in 2013.

The Productivity Commission's report on NDIS Costs released in October 2017 confirms that $22 billion remains an appropriate estimate for the cost of the full scheme.

Australians accessing supports for the first time by State and Territory: