Supports in employment
The NDIS can fund supports in employment for participants who need extra help to pursue their employment goals.
Generally, these supports are greater than what may be reasonably provided by an employer or with the support of Disability Employment Services (DES) .
Pricing for supports in employment
The funding in participant plans for supports in employment allows participants greater choice and control about where and how they work and who provides their support on-the-job. It also creates new opportunities for providers to help participants choose different types of work and to assist them into their choice of occupation.
Participants can use their plan funding for frequent and ongoing on-the-job employment supports.
They can use the assistance in any workplace they choose, including government and non-government organisations, supported employment services (previously known as an Australian Disability Enterprise or ADEs), social enterprises, micro-businesses, or in self-employment or a family run business.
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits list a single unit price for each different time of the day or day of the week that services are delivered.
This means providers will claim all supports against the appropriate support items. For support delivered in a group work setting, the appropriate item cost will be divided equally by the number of people in the group in accordance with the rules for claiming group-based supports.
Download the NDIS pricing arrangements and support catalogue.
Supports in employment handbook
Download the supports in employment handbook for more information.
- Supports in employment provider handbook (DOCX 89KB)
- Supports in employment provider handbook (PDF 496KB)
This handbook should be used with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits for guidance on what is claimable.
Guiding principles for supported employment
In 2022, the Australian Government and all state and territory disability ministers agreed on a set of guiding principles for the future of supported employment for people with disability with high employment support needs.
To ensure the guiding principles are enacted, a supported employment plan was agreed by the Commonwealth and all state and territory ministers in November 2023.
The plan focuses on allowing people informed choice and control about their employment, by creating genuine opportunities to work in a wide range of settings, be it a supported employment service, a social enterprise, in open employment or in their own business.
NDIA supported employment survey
NDIA is working with the Department of Social Services (DSS) on the initiatives outlined in the Commonwealth, state and territory supported employment plan.
In 2024, NDIA invited registered supported employment services to participate in a survey. The survey was designed to collect key data to:
- develop a baseline for measuring how the sector is responding to the reform environment
- identify what providers need to prepare for the changes to supported employment
- identify how providers are planning to increase work opportunities for participants
- assist DSS, NDIA and peak bodies to support the sector with reform.
Data collected through the survey will provide a baseline understanding of how the sector is currently operating, improvements the sector has, or is planning to introduce and the assistance needed by providers to respond to the Guiding Principles.
Download the survey report for more information:
Review timeframe: 12 months.