The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national government scheme, providing individualised funding to a wide proportion of Australians with disability and their families.
The NDIS is implemented by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Local Area Coordination (LAC) and Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) partners are also helping people understand the NDIS and access supports.
The NDIA decides if you’re eligible for the NDIS and how much funding you’ll receive based on the legislation called the NDIS Act 2013. This determines conditions considered ‘reasonable and necessary’ for funding.
To access the NDIS, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be aged under 65 year upon accessing the scheme for the first time
- Be an Australian citizen, or Permanent Visa and Protected Special Category Visa holder
- Need support from a person due to permanent and significant disability or
- Use special equipment due to a permanent and significant disability or
- Need support now to reduce your future needs
NDIS support funds could include:
- Assistance with planning, decision-making and household tasks
- Aid in building the capacity for living independently and achieve goals
- Help in forming social relationships, financial and tenancy management skills
- Support in community activities like recreation, education, training and employment
The NDIS has been rolling out in stages across the country since July 2016. The NDIS was first trialled in selected regions in 2013 and since then has become available across most of the country. As of March this year there were 277,155 people participating in the NDIS in Australia.
To find out more about the NDIS, check out the NDIS website.