Plain-English guide
New to the NDIS? Start here
The NDIS is not complicated so much as badly explained. This page covers what it is, whether you qualify, how to apply and how to actually use a plan — without acronyms we do not define.
The basics
What the NDIS actually is
The National Disability Insurance Scheme funds supports that help people with permanent, significant disability do the ordinary things other people do — live independently, work, study, take part in their community.
It is not a welfare payment and it is not means tested. It funds supports, which means services, equipment and skill-building — not cash for living costs.
The test the NDIA applies to any support is whether it is “reasonable and necessary”: related to your disability, good value, likely to help, and not something the health, education or housing systems should be providing instead.
The four steps
Check eligibility
Age, residency and disability requirements.
Make an access request
Call 1800 800 110 with evidence from your treating professionals.
Planning meeting
Talk through your goals, daily life and what support you need.
Receive your plan
Then choose providers and start using your funding.
Your plan
The three budgets, explained
Almost every question about “can I spend my funding on this?” comes down to knowing which budget you are looking at.
Core Supports
Everyday assistance. The most flexible budget — you can usually move funding between its categories.
- Assistance with daily life
- Social & community participation
- Consumables
- Transport
Capacity Building
Building skills and independence. Funding is locked to each category — you cannot move it around.
- Improved daily living (therapy)
- Support coordination
- Finding & keeping a job
- Improved health & wellbeing
Capital Supports
Things rather than hours. Usually requires a quote and an assessment from an allied health professional.
- Assistive technology
- Home modifications
- Specialist disability accommodation
Getting the most from a planning meeting
Five things worth doing beforehand
Describe your worst week, not your best
Funding is based on need. People instinctively downplay how hard things get. Be accurate about the bad days.
Write your goals as outcomes
“I want to catch the train to work on my own” is fundable. “I want to be happier” is hard to act on.
Bring current evidence
Reports from your GP, OT, physio, psychologist or speech pathologist. Recent and specific beats old and general.
Count the informal support
Say what family and friends currently do. If that support is stretched or may not continue, say that too.
Bring someone with you
A family member, friend or advocate. Two sets of ears and a written record help.
Ask what happens next
Get timeframes, and ask who to contact if the plan does not arrive when promised.
Managing your funding
Three ways a plan can be managed
| NDIA-managed | Plan-managed | Self-managed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who pays providers | The NDIA | Your plan manager | You |
| Can use unregistered providers | No | Yes | Yes |
| Admin for you | None | Very little | Significant |
| Flexibility | Lowest | Good | Highest |
| Extra cost to you | None | None — funded on top of your budgets | None |
You can mix these — for example, self-manage part of your Core budget while a plan manager handles the rest. Soda Care works with all three.
Common questions
Generally you need to be under 65 when you first apply, an Australian citizen or hold a permanent or Protected Special Category visa, and have a permanent and significant disability that affects your everyday activities. Children under 6 with developmental delay can access early childhood supports. Eligibility is decided by the NDIA, not by providers.
Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and make a verbal access request, or submit an Access Request Form. You will need evidence from your treating professionals about your disability and its impact. Your GP is usually the right starting point.
Core Supports for everyday assistance, consumables, transport and social participation. Capacity Building for building skills and independence, including therapy and support coordination. Capital Supports for equipment, assistive technology and home modifications. Core is generally flexible across its categories; Capacity Building and Capital are not.
NDIA-managed: the NDIA pays providers directly, and you must use NDIS-registered providers. Plan-managed: a plan manager pays your invoices and you can use registered or unregistered providers — this is funded on top of your other budgets at no cost to you. Self-managed: you receive the funds and pay providers yourself, with the most flexibility and the most administration.
Only if your plan is NDIA-managed. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can choose either. Registration means a provider has been independently audited against the NDIS Practice Standards; some supports, such as SIL and behaviour support, require it regardless.
Day-to-day living costs everyone has (rent, groceries, utilities), supports unrelated to your disability, anything covered by the health or education systems, and anything unsafe or illegal. If you are unsure whether something is fundable, ask before you spend.
Plans typically run one to three years, and now often longer where circumstances are stable. Before it ends you will have a plan reassessment. Keep notes and evidence through the year — it makes that conversation far easier.
You can request an internal review within three months of the decision. If you are still unhappy, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal. A free, independent advocate can help — find one through the Disability Advocacy Finder at askizzy.org.au/disability-advocacy-finder.
Independent help
Useful contacts that are not us
You should not have to rely on a provider for information about your own rights. These services are free and independent.
NDIS
General enquiries, access requests and plan questions.
1800 800 110
ndis.gov.au
NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission
Complaints about any NDIS provider, including us.
1800 035 544
ndiscommission.gov.au
Disability Advocacy Finder
Free independent advocates near you.
askizzy.org.au
Victorian Disability Worker Commission
Concerns about the conduct of a disability worker in Victoria.
1800 497 132
National Disability Abuse & Neglect Hotline
Report abuse or neglect of a person with disability.
1800 880 052
Translating & Interpreting Service
Free interpreting for NDIS conversations.
131 450
Please note: this page is general information to help you get oriented, not advice about your circumstances. NDIS rules and price limits change — always check current details with the NDIA or an independent advocate before making a decision.
Got a plan and not sure where to start?
Send it through. We will read it and explain what you have to work with — whether or not you end up using us.