Am I eligible for the NDIS?

There are a lot of things that are considered when deciding who is eligible for support from the NDIS.

You may be eligible to receive an individual support plan if:

• you are under 65 years of age
• you are an Australia citizen, a permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen who is a Protected Special Category Visa holder
• you have a permanent or significant disability that requires help from others, equipment, or assistive technology to do day-to-day things
• you are a child aged 0-6 years with a developmental delay where you or your parent have a disability that is likely to be permanent and early supports would reduce the amount of support you might need in the future

Eligibility and Evidence

If you apply for NDIS support you will need to provide information about your disability. This will help determine if you are eligible for funding as well as what kinds of support you will need.

What information will I need to provide?

You will need to explain what your disability is, how long it will last, and how it affects your everyday life.

You may also have to provide evidence from people who can confirm your disability. People like your regular doctor (GP), as well as other medical professionals qualified to provide an opinion, such as a physiotherapist, neurologist, speech pathologist, or perhaps an occupational therapist. This evidence can take time to gather, so it is important that you speak to people who have known you for at least 6 months, and have seen you recently so their evidence is not queried.

We’ve written a blog on why getting your diagnosis right is so important.

The types of disability evidence required are provided on the NDIS website to help you.

In early 2021 the NDIA will start to use independent assessors to provide evidence so you won’t have to gather this information.

What if I’m not eligible?

In some cases the NDIA may decide your disability is not eligible for support via the NDIS. Instead, other service organisations may be well equipped to provide the supports you need. You can still get help through NDIA’s Local Area Coordinators (LACs) and Early Childhood Early Intervention Partners (ECEIs) to find and connect with these providers.

Much of this support is geared towards helping you to live more independently. Grant funding helps community and other support organisations deliver activities and services you can participate in.

Find out what is provided by these programs.

Want to know more?

For more information on eligibility, see the NDIS access checklist.

If you are not currently receiving disability services you will need to contact the NDIS directly to complete an access request form. You do not need a referral. Visit ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110.