What NDIS supports are
The NDIS Act and the rules made under the NDIS Act tell us what services, items and equipment can be funded by the NDIS.
These services, items and equipment are called NDIS supports.
What NDIS supports are for
NDIS supports help you have the same things in life as people without disability, and help you work towards your goals.
They can help you to:
- complete daily living activities
- build independence and skills
- buy assistive technologies, equipment and home or vehicle modifications
- pay for capital costs, like specialist disability accommodation.
What NDIS supports are like
There are 2 lists that explain what are and are not NDIS supports.
The lists show what items are NDIS supports and what items are not NDIS supports.
They help you understand what can and can’t be paid for with NDIS funding so you can use your NDIS funds in the right way.
Supports that are NDIS supports
This list includes the items and services that you can purchase with your NDIS funding.
Download the Supports that are NDIS supports:
- Supports that are NDIS supports - PDF 388.92 KB
- Supports that are NDIS supports - DOCX 297.88 KB
- Supports that are NDIS supports in easy read - PDF 5.13 MB
If you meet the disability or early intervention requirements, or both, you’ll receive a plan that includes funding for NDIS supports.
You can only use the funding in your plan for items that are:
- NDIS supports
- related to your disability
- in-line with your plan.
There are 37 categories of goods and services in this list.
For a support to be an NDIS support, it must be included as one of these categories and be covered by the overarching description. It does not need to be listed as a specific example.
It must also not appear on the supports that are not NDIS supports list.
The categories are general, so you have flexibility to choose the exact item or provider you want to use your funding for.
Tip: If an item you want isn’t on this list
In some situations, we can fund supports that aren’t NDIS supports. We call these replacement supports.
You need to apply and be approved to use your NDIS funding for a replacement support.
Supports that are not NDIS supports
When we create NDIS plans we don’t include funding for things that aren’t NDIS supports.
NDIS funding can’t be spent on anything that is not an NDIS support.
Download the Supports that are not NDIS supports:
- Supports that are not NDIS supports - PDF 375.47 KB
- Supports that are not NDIS supports - DOCX 291.09 KB
- Supports that are not NDIS supports in easy read - PDF 3.82 MB
This list tells you what you can’t spend NDIS funding on. This includes things that:
- relate to your day-to-day living costs
- are illegal
- should be funded by another government system or community service
- are sexual services, sex work, alcohol or drugs.
There are 15 categories of goods and services on the supports that are not NDIS supports list.
If a support is not included in one of these categories, it doesn’t mean it is an NDIS support.
If you use NDIS funding to buy things that aren’t NDIS supports and are not in line with your NDIS plan, we might ask you to pay this money back to the NDIS.
Tip: Need help to use your NDIS funding confidently?
You can ask your my NDIS contact for a plan implementation meeting.
At your plan implementation meeting we can explain anything that’s unclear about using your plan or your NDIS supports.
Our guidelines
Mainstream and community supports
- Mainstream and community supports overview guideline - PDF 168.02 KB
- Mainstream and community supports overview guideline - DOCX 72.56 KB
Social and recreational supports
- Social and recreational supports guideline - PDF 187.54 KB
- Social and recreational supports guideline - DOCX 67.99 KB
Behaviour support
- Behaviour support guideline - PDF 291.6 KB
- Behaviour support guideline - DOCX 152 KB
Video
Learn about how the NDIS works with your existing supports in this video.