National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way of funding services and supports for people with disability. Under the scheme, eligible participants with disability receive their own individual funding and NDIS plan to support them to achieve their specific goals and live their life the way they want.

Previously, service providers received government funding to deliver services and supports, with little choice or flexibility given to people with disability. With their own individual funding, NDIS participants can now choose the services and supports they want and the providers to deliver them.

The NDIS is currently rolling out across Australia in stages. Some areas have already begun to switch over to the new scheme. Other areas will transition over the coming years. The scheme is expected to be fully rolled out across Australia by 2019. In Western Australia, a separate state-run model of the NDIS will run, with some consistencies with the national scheme such as choice and control maintained.

Have Your Own Question?

Your eligibility for the NDIS will be assessed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the government body responsible for administering the NDIS.

You may be eligible if you:

If you are aged 65 years and over, you will not be eligible for the NDIS. In most cases, however, you may be eligible to receive funding support through the Commonwealth aged care system. See how JB Care can help you with aged care services.

If you are already receiving disability services and supports from a provider, the NDIA will have your details and will call you to discuss your NDIS plan and funding. You may go through a simplified eligibility process, based on the supports and services you currently receive.

If you are not currently receiving any disability supports, you will need to contact the NDIA in your area and complete an NDIS eligibility assessment. This will include assessing the impact of your disability on your functional capacity to communicate, interact socially, learn, move safely around your home and your community and manage your personal care and affairs (banking, bill paying etc).

If you are eligible for the NDIS, you will be invited to develop your personal plan by the NDIA. This meeting will assess the supports and services you need based on your goals and what you want to achieve in the future.

Your individual NDIS plan will be created outlining your goals, the supports and services you need to achieve these goals, and the funding you will receive. The NDIS can pay for supports that are reasonable and necessary for you. This means they are related to your disability and are required for you to live an ordinary life and achieve your goals.

Once you have your NDIS Plan, you will be able to choose the service provider or providers who will deliver your supports and services. The NDIA will be able to provide you with a list of registered services providers in your local area.

Once your NDIS Plan is created, you will need to decide how you want to manage your providers and payments. You have four options:

When your plan is approved you will be able to access it through the NDIS Participant Portal, called Myplace. You’ll receive portal access instructions once your plan is ready. If you choose to self-manage your funding, you can also process your payments through the portal.

The NDIA will review your NDIS Plan with you every 12 months to make sure you are getting the supports and services you need. Before your review, it is a good idea to think about what you have already achieved and anything new you wish to do or achieve in the future.

If you feel an arrangement with a service provider is not working as well as it could, you are able to change service providers at any stage – you do not need to wait until you review your plan.

When you are ready to access services and supports, you will be able to choose which service providers you want to work with you. The NDIA will be able to help you with this, or you can do your own research.

If you are already accessing supports from a service provider, such as JB Care, you can continue to work with this provider, as long as they are a registered NDIS provider.

After you have chosen a service provider, you and the provider will need to agree to and sign a service agreement.