What is the NDIS?

Lidia Korchemnaia
11 нояб. 2025 г.
3 мин. чтения

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides support to Australians living with a permanent and significant disability. The NDIS offers funding for supports and services that help people build independence, participate in the community, and improve their quality of life.

There are around 4.3 million Australians who have a disability, and over the next few years, the NDIS will support approximately 500,000 people with disability. For many, it is the first time they receive the support they need.

The NDIS provides funding that can help people:

Spend more time with family and friends
Increase independence
Learn new skills
Access work or volunteering opportunities
Enjoy greater participation in everyday life

In addition to funding, the NDIS also helps people connect with local supports and services. This may include:

Doctors and health services
Community and cultural groups
Sporting clubs
Support groups
Libraries and schools
State and territory government services

The NDIS currently supports more than 500,000 participants, including around 80,000 children with developmental delay, ensuring they receive early supports that create the best outcomes throughout their lives.

Am I Eligible?

You may be able to apply for the NDIS if you:

Are aged between 9 and 65 (children under 9 are supported through early childhood partners)
Live in Australia
Are an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Special Category Visa holder
Have a permanent disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities
Need ongoing disability-specific supports or early intervention to reduce future support needs

These questions are only a guide. The final eligibility decision is made by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

How Do I Apply?

If you think you may be eligible, you can:

Contact your local NDIS office or NDIS partner for help to apply or connect with local supports
Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 to get support with your application

If there is no partner in your area, the National Contact Centre can guide you through the process.

What Happens After I’m Approved?

If you receive an access decision confirming your eligibility, the next step is to create your NDIS Plan.

Your plan is developed together with you and is based on:

Your daily needs
Your goals and aspirations
The supports that will help you live the life you want

Every plan is unique.

After your plan is approved, you can begin using your funding, with support from coordinators who can help you connect with services and manage your plan.

Plans are reviewed regularly to make sure your supports continue to meet your needs and goals.

Additional Information

You can find more details in:

The Participant Service Charter
NDIS booklets and factsheets (available in accessible formats)

The NDIS is also improving its systems and processes to make access and support easier for participants and families.

The NDIS is funded jointly by the Australian Federal Government and the State and Territory Governments.So it’s a shared national responsibility.

Here is how it works in simple terms:

The Australian Federal Government pays the majority of the funding.
Each State and Territory Government contributes a smaller portion, based on agreements between governments.
The money is used to support NDIS participants directly (not service providers or organisations).

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) then manages and allocates this funding to participants through their NDIS plans.

So:Federal Government + State/Territory Governments → fund the NDIS → NDIA → participant plans and supports

Importantly:

Participants themselves do not pay for the supports they receive.
It is not a welfare payment.
It is individual funding based on personal needs and goals.

The NDIS has not announced bankruptcy.There has been no statement from the Australian Government, NDIA, or Treasury saying the NDIS is bankrupt, closing, or being shut down.

However — and this is where the confusion usually comes from — the NDIS has been discussed a lot in the media because of funding growth concerns. The scheme has been growing faster than expected, which means the government needs to manage spending carefully to keep it sustainable long term.

What has been announced (not bankruptcy):

The Federal Government has committed that the NDIS will continue.
They introduced reforms to make the scheme more sustainable.
There is now a growth cap of about 8% per year, recommended in the NDIS Review (December 2023).
These changes aim to control costs, not close the scheme.