Who can access the NDIS?
You need to meet the following requirements:
- have a permanent and significant disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities
- be aged less than 65 when you first access the scheme
- be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen who holds a Protected Special Category Visa
You will have your eligibility for the NDIS determined by the National Disability Insurance Agency. For more information on accessing the NDIS as a new participant, click the link below:
NDIS Plan Review Toolkit
PDCN have developed a comprehensive Review Toolkit for participants of the NDIS and their families to use in preparation for their Annual Review and other internal reviews. The toolkit gives participants an idea of what to expect during the review process and includes helpful tips, tools and links. See external links below for easy access to NDIS Review Forms.
Reasonable and Necessary Supports
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals, objectives and aspirations, and to undertake activities to enable the participant’s social and economic participation. A participant’s reasonable and necessary supports take into account any informal supports already available to the individual—those informal arrangements that are part and parcel of family life or natural connections with friends and community services—as well as other formal supports, such as health and education.
NSW Participant Information
The NDIA provides information for participants in NSW including how to access the NDIS, how it works, understanding your plan, and how to put your plan into action once finalised.
Useful NDIS Information
The NDIS has developed a series of booklets about understanding the NDIS, planning, and using your plan. You can view and download these booklets as PDFs or Word documents at this link.
Pre-Planning for the NDIS
Pre-planning is designed for people with disability together with their families, carers and supporters to think about aspirations for their life, goals to help them reach their aspirations and prepare for an individual plan under the NDIS.
How does pre-planning work?
Pre-planning tools
Self-Managing Budgets
Self-management means you are responsible for paying the invoices related to the supports you have received through your NDIS Plan. You will then be reimbursed for these expenses, with the money deposited into your nominated NDIS bank account. This claiming process is outlined later in this guide. Self-managing your plan may also allow you to directly employ your own staff, or pay someone else to employ them on your behalf.
PDCN offer online workshops specifically designed for NDIS participants who are considering self-managing their NDIS plan, or who are already self-managing and wish to learn more. These free workshops are run by a skilled Peer Facilitator with lived experience of disability, in a safe and inclusive environment.
You can also find out more about self-managing your NDIS plan on the NDIS website.
NDIA Price Guide (NSW, Victoria and Tasmania)
The NDIA Price Guide accompanies the release of a revised participant plan format. The new NDIA plan format aligns funded supports to participant goals and outcomes.
The NDIA Price Guide applies to the delivery of supports to participants whose plans are finalised from 1 August 2015.
Transport Funding
A participant will generally be able to access funding through the NDIS for transport assistance if the participant cannot use public transport without substantial difficulty due to their disability; funding takes into account any relevant taxi subsidy scheme; and it does not cover transport assistance for carers to transport their family member with a disability for everyday commitments.
Still need more information?
The National Disability Insurance Agency
The NDIA is an independent statutory agency whose role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will support a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.
Their website has information, resources and updates about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for people with disability, families and carers and also providers.
There is also a link on the website to the ‘Participant Portal‘, which allows individuals who are approved to view and direct NDIS plans and, where applicable, to make self-managed claims online.
Carers NSW
If you’re a carer and after specific information around your experience you can access resources through Carers NSW.
Disability Loop
Disability Loop provide a wide range of resources about everything to do with disability.
Every Australian Counts
Every Australia Counts were behind the campaign that campaigned for the introduction of the NDIS. They have resources and videos about the NDIS.