There are many reasons why a person might choose to leave the NDIS:

  • You don’t want to be a participant anymore and choose to leave
  • You move permanently into residential aged care
  • You start to get help at home from the aged care services
  • You’re no longer eligible.

Participants also leave the NDIS when they die. Learn more about what to do when someone dies.

What if you don’t want to be an NDIS participant anymore?

You can choose to leave the NDIS at any time, if you no longer want to be a participant.

This might be because you met your goals or have developed your skills and independence, and don’t need the NDIS anymore.

What do you need to consider?

If you choose to leave, just remember:

  • Your plan ends on the day you let us know in writing that you wish to leave. 
  • You can’t use your NDIS funding once you let us know you wish to leave. 
  • You’ll no longer be an NDIS participant.

If you want to become a participant again, you’ll need to reapply. If you reapply, there’s no guarantee you’ll become a participant again as you'll need to meet all the eligibility requirements.

Remember, to be eligible for the NDIS, you must be younger than 65 on the day you apply. If you’re turning 65 soon and want to apply again after you leave, contact us so we can help you apply on time.

Let us know if you want to leave

If you want to leave, you or your authorised representative must let us know in writing. Verbal requests are not accepted. The easiest way to let us know is by completing the:

Once completed, there are a few ways you can return the form to us:

  • Email the form to [email protected]
  • Mail the form to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601
  • In person, by visiting an Early Childhood Partner, Local Area Coordinator or NDIS office in your area.

What if you start getting supports from aged care services

You must leave the NDIS if you move into a residential aged care service permanently for the first time after you turn 65, or if you start getting home care services permanently for the first time after you turn 65.

When we say aged care services, we mean services funded by the Department of Health’s Aged Care system. This includes residential aged care and home care services.  

The supports you get in residential aged care can be different from NDIS supports outside aged care facilities.

Find out more about residential aged care services on the Department of Health website.

Are you still eligible for the NDIS?

You’re no longer eligible for the NDIS if:

  • You don’t live in Australia anymore
  • You are no longer an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or hold a special category visa that is protected, or
  • You no longer meet the disability or early intervention requirements.

If a person has entered, via early intervention requirements, their eligibility may be checked at each plan change.

This is a normal part of an NDIS journey. If we need more information, we’ll let you know.

Participants with a developmental delay must leave the NDIS when they turn six, unless they have evidence of a permanent impairment that meets the disability or early intervention requirements.

Before their child turns six, we’ll contact their family or authorised representative and explain what information we need to decide if their child is still eligible and what they will need to do if they leave the NDIS.

Children transitioning from the NDIS

For some children younger than 7 years of age, we may determine that early intervention supports have improved a child’s capacity and independence, therefore decreasing their need for ongoing NDIS supports.

This may mean some children have achieved their goals and no longer need NDIS support.

If this happens, the early childhood partner will work with the child and their family to support them to connect with mainstream and community supports.

Some children may require ongoing support and, if this happens, the early childhood partner will work with us to determine if the child meets the disability requirements.