What the NDIS Will & Won't Fund

Q: What does the NDIS cover?

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports that are related to a person’s disability and help them work towards their goals. This can include daily personal care, therapy, assistive technology, transport and more. All supports purchased must directly relate to your NDIS-funded disability. From October 2024, the NDIS introduced official support lists to make it clearer what can and can’t be funded. These include: The new list of supports outlines: What you can spend your NDIS funding on (what IS an NDIS support) What you are not allowed to spend your NDIS funds on (what is NOT an NDIS support). In specific circumstances, participants can request a replacement support for items that are generally not considered NDIS supports. Exceptions apply. The NDIS does not fund everyday expenses or supports that are likely to be the responsibility of mainstream or community services. For details see What will the NDIS pay for?

Q: What doesn’t the NDIS cover?

The NDIS won’t fund anything that isn’t considered a reasonable and necessary support. This includes: Everyday living costs that everyone has to pay, like rent, groceries or utility bills Items that aren’t related to your disability Supports already funded by another service, like Medicare, public health or education Anything illegal, unsafe or that’s not considered value for money. From October 2024, the NDIS introduced a list to make it clearer what can’t be paid for with NDIS funding. Only supports on the approved list (or agreed as a replacement support) can be funded through your NDIS Plan.

Q: Do I need to share my NDIS Plan and funding information with providers?

You can choose who you share the details of your plan with, including if you would like to share your plan with anyone other than your providers, for example with a family member. You or your nominee have the option to share parts of your plan with providers who have an active service agreement with you. You can provide consent through the myplace portal.

Q: What is a service agreemment in the NDIS and when do I need one?

A service agreement is a simple, written document that explains your responsibilities and the responsibilities of an NDIS service provider. They allow you to tell the provider what you need and agree on how services will be delivered. This can include when or how often the service will be provided. We recommend having a separate service agreement with each person or business that provides you with services. See our article on the importance of a service agreement .

Q: Can I employ a family member as a support worker?

Generally not. The NDIS will only pay direct family members to provide supports in exceptional circumstances. For example, if you are in a remote area with no services available to you. If you have questions about this or would like to seek approval for a special circumstance, we recommend that you contact your LAC or NDIS Planner to discuss.

Q: Can I use a support worker who has an ABN but is not registered with any agency?

The important thing to understand is that how your plan is managed can affect the providers you can use and how you can claim. If you choose plan management or self-management, you can use registered or non-registered providers. Read our previous article for more information on Registered and unregistered providers .

Q: Can I use two service providers for the same service type?

Yes you can! For example, if you have been allocated 30 hours of individual support you could split the allocation between multiple providers.

Q: What happens if I purchase a support that’s not listed as an NDIS support?

If you buy something that isn’t on the NDIS supports list and isn’t approved as a replacement support, the NDIS won’t cover it. You can’t use your NDIS funds retrospectively to pay for it, even if you think it helps with your disability. Only listed NDIS supports or pre‑approved replacement supports, can be paid for with your NDIS funding. Buying something outside those lists could mean you have to pay for it yourself.

Q: If I take a support worker on holidays with me, will the NDIS pay for flights, accommodation etc?

No. The NDIS will not cover their personal travel costs including flights, transport, accommodation or meals. If it’s necessary for you or your child to have a support worker to travel safely or participate in a holiday, the NDIS may cover the support workers support hours, travel time and kilometres when delivering support. Before booking, agree on expectations. Discuss how many hours the worker will deliver each day, what they’ll help with, and who is paying for what. A written agreement can help make things clearer. See Ask a plan manager: Holidays and the NDIS for more information .

The NDIS has developed a lists of supports that you can spend your NDIS funding on… and what you can’t.

What the new list of supports includes.

The new list of supports outlines:

What you can spend your NDIS funding on (what IS an NDIS support)
What you are not allowed to spend your NDIS funds on (what is NOT an NDIS support).

There will be a ‘transition period’ for the first year of the new NDIS Supports lists to ensure participants aren’t penalised for simple mistakes.

The NDIS will only fund supports related to the impairments that led to your acceptance onto the scheme. For more information, see our dedicated page on the NDIS changes.

NDIS support funding criteria.

A support can only be funded by the NDIS if it is related to your disability and meets all of the NDIS funding criteria:

Helps with your individual goals and aspirations
Helps your social and/or economic participation
Is value for money, which means that:
- The cost of the support is similar to or cheaper than alternative options that can provide you with the same outcome and/or
- Purchasing the support is likely to reduce the costs of funding for other supports in the long term
Is effective and beneficial for you
It helps to maintain your informal supports
It is the responsibility of the NDIS to fund

If you’re wondering, “what will the NDIS fund?” you’re in the right place! Please note that this list is a guide only – for the full lists, see the NDIS website.

Daily personal activities.

Supports that provide supervision or assistance with personal daily living tasks to help you live as independently as possible in your own home and participate in the community.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Development of daily care and life skills.

Supports that provide training and development activities for participants or carers to increase ability to live as independently as possible (including as part of psychosocial recovery supports).

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Household tasks.

Supports that provide assistance with essential household tasks you are not able to do yourself because of disability.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Supports to help you participate in work and the community.

The NDIS may help you to get out and about in the community, learn new skills, get a job or help you at work. Some of these supports are funded by Core – Assistance with Social and Community Participation, while others are funded by Capacity Building supports.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Therapeutic and allied health supports.

These supports can help you learn new skills, improve or maintain functional capacity in areas such as language and communication, personal care and mobility, become more independent or improve interpersonal interactions and community living. Therapies and allied health supports are funded from your Capacity Building budget.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Assistive technology (AT).

Assistive technology covers devices or equipment that help you do everyday activities you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do, like eat, drink and move safely. It also covers more complex customised technology. Low cost AT under $1,500 can be flexibly purchased from your Core – Consumables budget. Complex and more expensive AT is funded by your Capital supports budget.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Early intervention supports for early childhood.

Evidence-based early childhood intervention supports for children 0-9 years (including children aged 0-6 with developmental delay) and their families to achieve better long-term outcomes for the child.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Personal mobility equipment.

The provision of personal mobility equipment that supports or replaces a person’s capacity to move indoors and outdoors and to transfer from one place to another.

NDIS supports that may be funded.

Not funded by the NDIS.

Home and vehicle modifications.

Obtaining funding for home and vehicle modifications can be complicated. An assessment by a qualified professional is usually required. Home or vehicle modifications require a quote and must be stated in your NDIS Plan in order for you to use your NDIS funding to purchase them.

Home – NDIS supports that may be funded.

Home – Not funded by the NDIS.

Vehicle – NDIS supports that may be funded.

Vehicle – Not funded by the NDIS.

Other NDIS supports.

Supports to help you manage your NDIS Plan, including support coordination and plan management
Specialist Disability Accommodation and Supported Independent Living
Specialised driver training (if specifically identified in your NDIS plan)
Assistance animals (if specifically identified in your NDIS plan)
Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions and supports
Specialist positive behaviour support (if specifically identified in your NDIS plan)
Community nursing care for people with high care needs (not including high intensity daily personal activities), requiring a high level of clinical skill
Customised prosthetics
Disability related health supports (if specifically identified in your NDIS plan)
High intensity daily personal activities
Vision equipment and specialised hearing services.

This information is provided by Leap In! and is for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. Before claiming, it is important to consult the NDIS rules which are available on the NDIS website.

Replacement supports.

In specific circumstances, participants can request a replacement support for items that are generally considered not NDIS supports. There are two types of supports where this applies.

Standard commercially available household items
There must be clear evidence that the need for the item relates specifically to the impairment that meets the disability or early intervention requirements. This item must increase whole task independence and reduce or eliminate the need for a support worker or disability specific assistive technology.
Smart watches, tablets, smartphones or an app used for accessibility or communication purposes.
This covers participants who require the use of a smart watch, tablet or smartphone required to meet communication and accessibility needs. For example, a person with complex communication needs who uses a tablet as an alternative communication device, which is their only way to communicate and so cannot be shared, where this is the most appropriate solution for their needs.

For further information on replacement supports visit the NDIS website.

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Other items that are not NDIS supports.

Rent or mortgage payments
Standard household and garden items, appliances, tools and products
Pools, pool heating and maintenance, spa baths, saunas, steam rooms
Water, gas, and electricity bills, council rates, land taxes and levies
Water filters, purifiers, or aerators
Travel insurance, life insurance, income protection insurance, home and contents insurance, car insurance and excess insurance for novated vehicles
Health insurance, ambulance membership, gap payments for Medicare funded services and private health insurance claims
School, TAFE or university fees
Internet devices (such as modems and routers), landline phones, mobile phones (including smart phones), mobile phone accessories, tablets, and sim cards
Internet, landline and mobile phone plans and data
Cruises, holiday packages, holiday accommodation and airfares, including interstate and overseas travel, passports, visa, activities and meals included in travel

Animals (other than NDIS funded assistance animals) including includes pets and companion animals
Diagnostic assessments and screening services
Prescription and non-prescription medicines, sunscreens, weight loss products, vitamins
Treatment, including for drug and alcohol dependency, gambling, and other addictions or disorders
Supports related to mental health that are clinical in nature, including acute, ambulatory or continuing care or rehabilitation
Rent, rental bonds, home and property deposits, mortgage repayments
Standard home security and maintenance costs
Sexual services
Alcohol
Drugs that contravene a Commonwealth, State or Territory law
Cigarettes, vapes and smoking paraphernalia, legal cannabis and stop smoking devices