Key points:
- Assistance with daily life is an NDIS Core support.
- This category funds supports to help you to live as independently as possible at home and in the community.
- You may be able to use Assistance with daily life to fund daily personal activities connected to your disability needs.
Every person living with disability has different needs and requires different supports. Navigating the various types of supports and how you can fund them can be challenging although the NDIS has helped to clarify this with its new list of NDIS supports.
Here, we’re going to look at the daily activities you can fund from your Assistance with daily life budget. Assistance with daily life sits under the Core supports category and is just one type of home and living supports that the NDIS can fund.
Before we get started, if you’d like a little refresher on the four main budget categories: Core, Capital, Capacity Building and Recurring supports, then check out NDIS Plan budget categories explained.
What is NDIS Assistance with Daily Life?
Assistance with daily life covers any reasonable and necessary supports for daily personal activities connected to your disability needs. These supports are provided to help you to live as independently as possible at home and in the community. This may include in your own home, living on your own or in a shared living arrangement such as supported independent living.
How can the NDIS assist with daily life?
When it comes to daily activities, NDIS supports can help you manage routine tasks and chores that you cannot do because of your disability, like getting out of bed, showering, eating and getting around.
Your Assistance with daily life budget can be used for support workers to assist with or supervise tasks. Or you can use this funding for support workers to do tasks for you if you are unable to do them yourself.
Assistance with Daily Life examples.
Specific examples of NDIS supports you might be able to use Assistance with daily life funding for include:
- Help with getting ready for your day (such as showering, dressing etc.)
- Assistance with eating and drinking
- Maintaining personal hygiene, including showering, bathing, hair washing and drying, fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning
- Support to help you get out and about in the community including driving you to places or accompanying you on public transport
- Help to do household chores such as cleaning or linen service if you are unable to manage your own laundry
- Getting help around the yard such as basic yard work lawn mowing or gardening
- Someone to assist with food preparation and meals, or the costs associated with meal delivery
- Assistance getting to appointments.
What’s not covered?
The NDIS does not fund day-to-day living costs that everyone has to pay for. The NDIS will not fund:
- The cost of food or ready made meals (including delivered meals – the NDIS will only cover the cost of preparation and delivery
- Groceries including all food, beverage, cleaning, household and health products
- Personal items not related to your disability such as toiletries and cosmetics
- Costs associated with recreational sports and activities
- Manicures, pedicures, false nail application or removal of any kind, nail painting and removal
- Rent, board or mortgage payments
- Tickets for events, concerts, movies etc.
Individualised Living Options.
NDIS Individualised Living Options (ILO) is another one of the different types of home and living supports that the NDIS can fund. ILO may be able to help you design a living situation that meets your needs in a home of your choice.
ILO is for people over 18 who need help at home for at least six hours a day. If you don’t meet the criteria for ILO, then you may be eligible for Assistance with daily life funding instead.
Will Assistance with Daily Life funding be included in my plan?
The need for Assistance with daily life funding is assessed by the NDIS on a case-by-case basis. It will be included if it is considered a ‘reasonable and necessary’ support that meets your needs and will help you to achieve your goals.
That is just one more reason why it’s so important to be prepared for your NDIS Plan meeting!
We can help you.
Talk to us about the best way to prepare for your NDIS Plan or Plan reassessment – we can make sure you have the very best chance of getting the help you need.
Call us on 1300 05 78 78 to have your questions answered or book your free NDIS pre-planning session or sign up to Leap in! plan management today.
Initially published 15 February 2019, updated 1 October 2020, 11 April 2022 and 9 January 2025.
Further reading
Individualised living options (ILO): Support to live your way.
Understanding NDIS home and living supports.
What is a combination NDIS Plan and how can it work for you?