The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian Government program that funds supports for eligible people with permanent and significant disability. As at March 2026, 774,456 Australians have NDIS plans (NDIA Q3 2025-26 Quarterly Report). To be eligible you must be under 65, be an Australian citizen or eligible resident, and have a permanent disability that substantially affects daily life. Call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 to start the process or find a Local Area Coordinator in your area.
What Is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme, known as the NDIS, is an Australian Government program. It provides funding to eligible people with disability so they can purchase supports, build independence, and work toward their goals. It is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency, the NDIA.
The NDIS is not a welfare payment. Each participant receives an individualised plan tailored to their specific disability-related needs and goals. Rather than receiving standard services determined by a government department, participants choose their own providers and decide how their funding is used, within the framework the NDIA approves.
The NDIS covers supports that are reasonable and necessary for a person’s disability. General living costs, mainstream services like Medicare or public education, and items unrelated to disability are not funded.
The NDIS in Numbers
The NDIS has grown substantially since its national rollout and is now one of the largest disability support systems in the world. The most recent data comes from the NDIA’s Q3 2025-26 Quarterly Report, covering the period to March 2026.
774,456 participants with approved plans as at March 2026 (NDIA Q3 2025-26)
67% of new entrants in 2025-26 are children under 15 (NDIA Q3 2025-26)
$38B total scheme expenses for the nine months to March 2026 (NDIA Q3 2025-26)
11.3% annual expense growth rate to March 2026, down from 11.8% the prior year (NDIA)
Of the roughly 59,000 participants who entered the scheme in 2025-26, 67% were under 15. Children continue to make up the largest share of new entrants, reflecting the scheme’s investment in early intervention. Plan inflation, which measures how quickly individual plan budgets grow, fell from 11% to 5.9% over the year. This indicates the NDIA is applying firmer controls on budget growth at reassessment.
The government’s National Cabinet target is to reduce annual cost growth to 8% by 1 July 2026. As at March 2026, annual growth was 11.3%, down from earlier projections but still above the target, which has driven the reforms underway.
Who Is Eligible for the NDIS?
NDIS eligibility has three components: age, residence, and disability. You must meet all three to be approved as a participant.
Age Requirement
You must be under 65 years of age on the day you submit your complete application to the NDIA. If you are 65 or older, aged care services rather than the NDIS are the relevant pathway. People who are already NDIS participants when they turn 65 can continue receiving NDIS support, though they may transition to aged care services if they choose.
Residence Requirement
You must be an Australian citizen, hold a permanent residence visa, or hold a Protected Special Category visa (available to some New Zealand citizens). You must also live in Australia, meaning Australia is your home and you spend most of your time here.
Disability Requirement
Your disability must be caused by an impairment likely to be permanent, and it must substantially impact your ability to complete daily activities. This covers physical, intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, and psychosocial disabilities. The NDIA assesses whether the impact on your daily life is significant enough to require NDIS supports for the long term.
Early Intervention Requirement
You may also be eligible if you meet the early intervention requirement, even if your disability is not lifelong. This applies when early access to NDIS supports is likely to reduce your future support needs or improve your functioning. Early intervention is particularly relevant for children with developmental conditions and for people who have recently acquired a disability through injury or illness.
If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria, contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110. You can also speak with a Local Area Coordinator in your area. There is no limit on the number of times you can apply if your circumstances change and you have new evidence to support your application.
The Early Childhood Approach
Children under 9 with developmental delay or disability can access support through the NDIS Early Childhood Approach. Their families do not need to go through the standard eligibility process. This approach connects families with Early Childhood Partners, who are community organisations funded by the NDIA to provide information, support, and connections to appropriate services.
For children under 6 with developmental delay, the Early Childhood Approach may provide support without a formal NDIS plan. For children under 9 with disability, an NDIS plan may be developed if the child meets the eligibility criteria. The focus is on providing support at the earliest possible stage, when intervention is most likely to improve long-term outcomes.
Tenax Supports’ Support Coordination can help families connect with external allied health providers, including occupational therapy, speech pathology, and behaviour support, as they navigate this early intervention pathway.
How to Apply for the NDIS
Contact the NDIA or an NDIS partner. Call 1800 800 110 or visit ndis.gov.au to find your nearest Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or Early Childhood Partner. Your NDIS partner will be your first point of contact throughout the application process. They can explain the eligibility criteria, what evidence you need, and how the process works.
Gather evidence from your treating health professional. You need documentation from your treating health professional, usually a GP, specialist, or allied health clinician, about your disability, how it affects your daily life, and why the impairment is likely to be permanent. An occupational therapy Functional Capacity Assessment is often the most useful document for demonstrating how your disability affects daily functioning.
Complete your Access Request Form. Your NDIS partner can help you complete the Access Request Form. This form documents your personal details, disability information, and the evidence supporting your application. Your partner can submit the form on your behalf or help you submit it online, by phone, or by mail.
Submit your application. The NDIA must receive your complete application including all supporting evidence before it can be assessed. Incomplete applications will be returned. Once the NDIA has everything it needs, the 21-day decision clock starts.
Receive the NDIA’s decision. The NDIA should notify you of its decision within 21 days of receiving your complete application. If approved, you become an NDIS participant and the planning process begins. If not approved, the NDIA will explain why and you can request an internal review or apply again if your circumstances change.
Attend your planning meeting. Once approved, your NDIS partner will facilitate a planning conversation to develop your first plan. This discusses your goals, daily life, disability-related needs, and the supports that would be reasonable and necessary for you. The NDIA must approve your first plan within 56 days of you becoming a participant.
The Four NDIS Support Budgets
Every NDIS plan is structured around up to four support budgets. Not every plan includes all four; your plan is based on your individual assessed needs. Understanding the budgets helps you use your plan effectively.
1. Core Supports
The most flexible budget. Funds day-to-day assistance including personal care, household tasks, community participation, transport, and consumables. Spending is generally flexible across the core support categories.
2. Capacity Building Supports
Funds supports that build your skills and independence over time. Includes support coordination, therapies, employment support, life skills, and learning new ways to manage daily activities. Less flexible : spending is usually specified by category.
3. Capital Supports
Funds higher-cost items including assistive technology, home and vehicle modifications, and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Generally stated : can only be spent as described in the plan. Quotes are usually required before this funding is released.
4. Recurring Supports
Covers periodic or one-off items that recur over the life of a plan. Less commonly used but covers items such as replacement equipment or infrequent but predictable support needs.
NDIS Support Categories Explained
Within each support budget, there are 21 support categories covering different types of assistance. Some of the most commonly funded categories include:
Assistance with Daily Life: Personal care, meal preparation, household tasks, overnight or sleepover support. The largest support category for participants with high daily support needs.
Assistance with Social and Community Participation: Supports to access community activities, sports, arts, social events, and community programs. Budget adjustments for this category take effect from 1 October 2026.
Consumables: Low-cost disability-related items used regularly, such as continence aids, wound care products, and low-cost assistive technology.
Assistive Technology: Higher-cost equipment such as wheelchairs, communication devices, and sensory aids. Requires quotes before the NDIA releases funding.
Home Modifications: Permanent modifications to a home to improve accessibility and safety, such as ramps, bathroom modifications, and handrails.
Support Coordination: Funding for a support coordinator to help you understand and use your plan.
Improved Living Arrangements: Covers Supported Independent Living (SIL) support workers in your home. For a full guide to SIL, see our Supported Independent Living guide.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA): Funding for the physical housing itself for participants with very high support needs. Separate from SIL, which funds the support workers.
Therapeutic Supports: Occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology, and behaviour support. Some of the most commonly accessed capacity building supports across all age groups.
NDIS Plan Management Types
When your plan is developed, you choose how your NDIS funding is managed. There are three options, and you can change your plan management type at your next plan review.
Type
How it works
Best for
NDIA-Managed (Agency-Managed)
The NDIA pays providers directly from your plan. You can only use registered NDIS providers.
Participants who want simplicity and government oversight but are comfortable with the restriction to registered providers only.
Plan-Managed
A registered plan manager handles the financial administration of your plan and pays providers on your behalf. You can use both registered and unregistered providers.
Participants who want flexibility to use a wider range of providers without managing the financial administration themselves.
Self-Managed
You manage your own funding, pay providers directly, and keep records for the NDIA. You can use any provider, registered or not, and have the most flexibility.
Participants with capacity and time to manage their own finances who want maximum provider choice and control.
Many participants use a combination of management types across different support budgets. For example, a participant might self-manage their core supports while having their capital supports agency-managed.
Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination
Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination are funded capacity building supports that help participants understand and use their NDIS plans effectively. They are particularly valuable for people who are new to the NDIS, have complex support needs, or are navigating difficult life circumstances alongside their disability.
Support Coordination
A Support Coordinator helps you understand your plan, find and connect with suitable providers, coordinate services across different areas of your life, and prepare for plan reviews. They do not manage your day-to-day care : instead, they help you build the capability to manage your own supports over time. Support Coordination is funded through the Capacity Building support budget and must be included in your plan by the NDIA.
Specialist Support Coordination
Specialist Support Coordination provides a higher level of support for participants whose circumstances are complex, high-risk, or difficult to stabilise. This might include housing instability, mental health concerns, justice or child protection involvement, hospital discharge, or situations where multiple government systems are active at once. Specialist Support Coordinators help reduce complexity, improve communication between services, and support safer outcomes.
Tenax Supports provides Support Coordination for NDIS participants, including those with complex or high-risk circumstances. We help participants understand their plans, connect with appropriate services, and navigate complex situations with patience and care.
Plan Reviews and Changes
Your NDIS plan is not permanent. It is reviewed periodically, and you can also request changes if your circumstances change significantly.
Scheduled Plan Reviews
The NDIA schedules plan reviews based on your situation. At a review, your plan is reassessed to determine whether your current supports are still meeting your needs and whether your goals or circumstances have changed. You can submit a Home and Living supporting evidence form within 100 days of your plan end date to request specific changes.
Unscheduled Plan Reassessments
Under changes introduced in 2026, unscheduled plan reassessments are only available in specific circumstances. The first covers significant and ongoing changes to support needs due to changes in functional capacity. The second covers an unanticipated, significant change in living, education, work, or informal support arrangements. Only you, your plan nominee, or your guardian can request an unscheduled reassessment.
Internal Reviews and Appeals
You can request an internal review of any NDIA decision about your plan or eligibility. If still unsatisfied, you can appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). Time limits apply to review requests, so act promptly if you disagree with a decision.
A Support Coordinator can help you prepare for a plan review, gather evidence for change requests, and advocate for your needs through the review process.
What Is Changing About the NDIS in 2026
The NDIS is undergoing its most significant reforms since its national rollout. These changes are being implemented in stages. Here is a plain-English breakdown of what is happening and when.
1 July 2026: SIL and platform provider mandatory registration: All Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers and NDIS digital platform providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Providers delivering SIL before this date have until 1 October 2026 to apply for registration. See our full SIL guide for what this means for participants.
1 October 2026: Support budget changes: Participant budgets for Social, Economic and Community Participation and Improved Daily Living Skills are reduced as plans are created or reassessed from 1 October 2026, or renewed from 1 February 2027. The impact differs for each participant, and other parts of plans, such as help with personal care, home and vehicle modifications and specialist disability accommodation, are not affected. See the NDIA's Changes to support budgets from 1 October page.
July 2026: Inclusive Communities Fund consultation: Consultation on the design of the Inclusive Communities Fund ran from July to 31 August 2026, as set out in the Government's Securing the NDIS timeline.
1 January 2028: New eligibility framework for prospective participants: New NDIS eligibility boundaries based on functional assessments rather than diagnosis lists will apply to people applying to the NDIS from this date. A Technical Advisory Group is developing the assessment framework in consultation with the disability community. Current participants will be reassessed over a transition period, not immediately.
14 May 2026: NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill introduced to Parliament: This Bill legislates the broader reform framework. It was referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry on 14 May 2026. The legislation covers functional capacity eligibility, tighter plan reassessment rules, expanded mandatory registration, new civil penalties for providers, and stronger information gathering powers for the NDIA.
What Is Protected
The government has confirmed that core care and daily living supports are protected from these changes. If you rely on the NDIS for personal care, help with daily living tasks, disability accommodation, or transport, your funding for these supports is expected to remain stable. The adjustments target social and community participation and capacity building budgets, not essential care.
What Participants Should Do Now
If your plan includes social and community participation supports, speak with your Support Coordinator about what the October 2026 adjustments mean for your specific plan.
If your current SIL provider is unregistered, check their registration status and timeline through the NDIS Commission Provider Register.
If you have a plan review coming up, submit your supporting evidence early and document any changes in your support needs.
Stay informed through the official NDIS website (ndis.gov.au) and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (health.gov.au/securingtheNDIS).
Need Help Understanding Your NDIS Plan or Navigating the 2026 Changes?
Tenax Supports provides Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination for NDIS participants. We help you understand your plan, connect with the right services, and navigate complex situations.
Tenax Supports is a Victoria-based registered NDIS provider. We provide a range of NDIS-funded supports for participants across Victoria.
Support Coordination: Helping participants understand their NDIS plans, connect with suitable providers — including external allied health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, and speech pathologists — and build confidence to manage supports over time, including for complex or high-risk circumstances.
Supported Independent Living: Support for participants to live as independently as possible in their own home, with assistance matched to individual needs.
Tenax Supports operates in line with the NDIS Practice Standards and the NDIS Code of Conduct, and is committed to providing safe, high-quality supports for every participant.
For current information on Tenax Supports’ NDIS registration and the services for which registration applies, search the NDIS Commission Provider Register at ndiscommission.gov.au.
Frequently Asked Questions About the NDIS in Australia
What is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian Government program providing individualised funding to eligible people with permanent and significant disability. It is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). As at March 2026, 774,456 Australians have approved NDIS plans. Each participant receives a plan tailored to their disability-related needs and goals, with funding to purchase chosen supports from approved providers.
Who is eligible for the NDIS?
To be eligible you must be under 65, an Australian citizen or eligible resident, and live in Australia. You must also have a permanent disability that substantially affects your ability to complete daily activities. You may also be eligible under early intervention requirements if early support is likely to reduce your future needs. Contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110 to discuss whether you may qualify.
How do I apply for the NDIS?
Contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110 or find a Local Area Coordinator in your area. Gather evidence from your treating health professional about your disability. Complete an Access Request Form with your NDIS partner. Submit the form with your evidence. The NDIA should give you a decision within 21 days of receiving a complete application. If approved, a planning meeting follows to develop your first plan.
What can NDIS funding be spent on?
NDIS funding can be spent on registered NDIS supports that are related to your disability, reasonable and necessary, and included in your plan. This includes personal care, therapies, assistive technology, home modifications, community participation, support coordination, and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Funding cannot be used for general living costs, items funded by other government systems, or supports unrelated to your disability.
What are the four NDIS support budgets?
Every NDIS plan has up to four support budgets. Core Supports fund day-to-day assistance and are the most flexible. Capacity Building Supports fund skill-building activities including therapies and support coordination. Capital Supports fund high-cost items such as assistive technology and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Recurring Supports cover periodic items. Not all plans include all four budgets; your plan reflects your individual needs.
What is changing about the NDIS in 2026?
Key 2026 changes: mandatory SIL provider registration (1 July 2026), support budget changes for community participation and daily living skills (1 October 2026), and the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill (14 May 2026). A new functional assessment eligibility framework for new applicants is expected from 1 January 2028. Core care and daily living supports for existing participants are protected from these changes.
What does a Support Coordinator do in the NDIS?
A Support Coordinator helps you understand and use your NDIS plan. They help find suitable providers, coordinate multiple services, prepare for plan reviews, and resolve service gaps or barriers. Specialist Support Coordination provides a higher level of support for participants with complex circumstances such as housing instability, mental health concerns, or involvement with multiple systems. Both must be included in your plan by the NDIA to be funded.
