The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a way of providing disability support and care to people in Australia and is delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The NDIS provides people with disability the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process for their personalised care, allowing them to drive and make many of the important decisions about how they want to live their life and who they would like to deliver their support. Allowing people with disability the choice of who cares for them and more control over the life and decisions about what happens in their life.

Why do we need it?  The NDIS supports people by building skills and capability so they can participate in the community and employment.Funding is applied directly to the person with the disability, allowing them the flexibility to choose the services they need. This replaces the old system of funding being directly applied to the service providers.

The NDIS is now centrally managed by the Federal Government and funded by the current safety net. Providing national uniformity and a greater commitment to life-long support for Australians with disability. Being operated federally means that each individual state and territory will no longer manage their disability support services themselves, helping to avoid under funding and inefficiencies. Working to provide greater choice to people living with a disability.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent agency that has been set up by the Australian Government to deliver and run the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Do I need t pay for NDIS? No, the NDIS is an insurance scheme funded through tax contributions, like Medicare. The NDIS does not require means testing for eligible Participants and does not influence the Disability Support Pension payments you might receive. The NDIS is designed to complement the current health and education services in Australia.

A Participant/Client is a person living with disability in Australia who is eligible and has been accepted into the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme by the NDIA.

Local Area Coordination services are an important part of the NDIS, as they will work with Participants on the ground to help enter and make the most of the NDIS – while supporting individuals to build strong, inclusive relationships in their communities.

A Local Area Coordinator may be the person you meet with during your first planning meeting, and then perhaps afterwards. LAC’s have been tasked with gathering data and information from people in their planning meetings, and will pass this information onto the NDIA so that can convert this into a Participant plan. It is important to note that the LAC’s do not work for the NDIA, however they have taken on a planning role for developing Participants plans to assist the NDIA with the NDIS rollout.

As an NDIS Participant, you (or your Nominee) will need to understand your plan, its budgets and how you can find and connect with supports and services in your community to achieve the goals in your plan.

Your Support Coordinator can provide initial assistance with linking Participants with the right providers, assistance in sourcing providers, coordinating a range of supports, resolving points of crisis, providing parental training and developing Participant resilience in their own network and community.
A Support Coordinator is someone who could be funded separately in your NDIS plan to help you do this. Your Support Coordinator will need to be a person or provider who is registered by the NDIA to provide this service.

Once your plan is active you can access your plan on the Participant Portal, an online tool available through the myGov website that keeps all your documents together in the one place. You will receive Participant Portal access instructions once your plan is ready and your plan management will be discussed in detail during your Planning Meeting.

As part of the NDIS framework you decide how you want to manage your plan and if you need support.
For example:
• You may choose to manage it yourself (also known as Self-Managed) – this is where the NDIS provides you with the funding to pay directly to the people and organisations that support you.

• You may wish to nominate someone to help you manage your plan – this is a trusted person (also known as a Plan Nominee) that will make payments on your behalf to the people and organisations that support you.

• You can use the services of a registered Plan Management provider such as United Disability – United Disability will then make payments on your behalf to the people and organisations that support you. Plan Management is funded as part of your plan and will not take away any funding allocated to you as a person with disability.

• You can ask the NDIS to manage all or part of your plan on your behalf.

To get more information about your Plan Management, contact your NDIS representative or your Support Coordinator and they will provide more information to help you make these choices.

The NDIS offers a range of support to people with disability.
These can include:
• Informal supports – these are supports for the care and help you get from your family and friends.
• Community support – these are activities and services you can get from people or groups in your local community.
• Mainstream supports – these are support and services you get from your doctor or school.
• Reasonable and necessary funded supports – where necessary, these are the supports and services the NDIS can fund. Funded supports may be one off support or a funded support package. Examples of funded supports include Assistive Technology, Auslan and Housing

Depending on your situation there are a range of people who can help you implement your plan and support you to start receiving supports. You can start your plan on your own if you are self-managed or with the support of a Local Area Coordinator, Support Coordinator or Nominee.
The NDIA provides a Getting Started Checklist to help you start accessing your community, mainstream and funded supports and get the most out of your NDIS plan.

Areas that the checklist includes:
• Reading and understanding your plan;
• Registering for myGov and link to NDIS Participant Portal myplace; and
• Connecting with the person who will start your plan.

Once your plan is approved and you receive your funding, all previous funding for your disability supports will be stopped effective immediately. Therefore, to ensure your existing services continue as per normal, it’s important to let your provider know that your plan has been approved as soon as you receive it.

Yes, you can bring support to your Planning Meeting.
It may be a friend, family member or Carer. If you don’t have anyone to support you during this meeting you can seek the assistance of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or a Support Coordinator from a registered partner.

Upon request, United Disability Care have Support Coordinators that can attend your NDIS Planning Meeting with you. Please ensure that you contact United Disability Care on 1300 454 850 as soon as you have your Planning Meeting date, this will provide us time to make a Support Coordinator available.

At the end of your Planning Meeting with the NDIS Planner, they will talk to you about your next steps. They will then contact you when your First Plan is finalised and discuss how to put it into action. This contact will happen within several days of you receiving your plan.

For Participants who have a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to support them to implement their plan:
A Local Area Coordinator from an NDIS partner organisation will be in contact with you to further discuss your plan, help you access supports and discuss your long terms goals under the NDIS.

For Participants who receive help from a Support Coordinator to implement their plan:
Your plan will include funding for a Support Coordinator to help you implement your plan. Once your plan is approved, this person will contact you to discuss your plan, help you access supports and discuss your longer-term goals under the NDIS.

For Participants who are Self-Managing:
You will be contacted by the NDIA once your plan is approved and they will talk to you or your Nominee about the opportunities and responsibilities of self-managing your plan.
It is important to think about how your First Plan is working for you – what is good and what is not. This will help you prepare for your Plan Review at the end of 12 months.

If you think that the NDIA has made a decision about you, or your plan that is incorrect, you can apply for internal review of a decision.  If your circumstances or needs change you can also ask for your plan to be reviewed and potentially changed. Contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110 for further information.
Speak with your Support Coordinator first as they may be able to answer your questions.

Before you start your Plan Review, it can be helpful for you to explore options to get involved in your local community through activities such as sporting clubs, local theatres, special interest groups and community gardening. 

 The below steps should be considered when reviewing your NDIS plan:
• Think about your life now. What supports are currently helping you and which ones are not.
• Identify your strengths, interests, opportunities and challenges.
• Consider your current informal, community and main stream supports.
• Think about your future goals. What do you want to achieve?

Write the above points down in anticipation of your review as this may help with your preparation.
As a Participant of the NDIS you have the option to have a support during your Plan Review. Support may be a friend, family member or carer. If you don’t have anyone to support you during your review you can seek the assistance of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or a Support Coordinator from a registered partner. United Disability have Support Coordinators and are happy to help.

Assistive Technology can vary. As an approved NDIS Participant you may be eligible to receive funding for some of the below items:
• Mobility crane
• Talking watch
• Long handles or adapted grip equipment
• Shower stool, bath chair or non-slip bathmat
• Over the toilet frame
• Bed rail
• Wheelchair
• Hearing aid
• + many more

Assistive Technology does not include items for treatment or rehabilitation, ramps or pathways, motor vehicles or something that does not include a device (i.e. medicine or training).

Housing is an important issue for the NDIA. Affordable, stable housing is needed to support people with disability in achieving their goals. The NDIS will provide ongoing support for daily living but has not been designed to take responsibility for the housing needs of Participants, unless the Participant has very high needs and requires special accommodation to enable them to receive the supports they need.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) refers to this as Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Participants who are assessed as needing SDA as part of their reasonable and necessary supports will receive funding to cover the costs of SDA.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is housing that enables people with very high needs to receive the supports they need. SDA will provide funding towards the cost of the physical environment for eligible NDIS Participants to live and receive their daily supports. 

If you feel a support or service provider is not helping you as much as they could, you can change providers. You don’t need to wait until your plan review. Visit the NDIS website www.ndis.gov.au and see ‘choosing a provider’ for more information. You can choose to swap to United Disability Care at any time, we would be honoured to have you. If at anytime you would have any issues, please contact us first so we can resolve them for them.

If you are already on an NDIS plan when you turn 65 years of age, you can either choose to remain on the NDIS under Continuity of Support rules, or you can transition to the Aged Care System.
If you are already be over the age of 65 years,  you will transition to the Aged Care System.

No. The NDIS a more synchronised federal scheme that will replace other sources of disability funding previously made by individual states and territories in Australia.  Previous Government funding has transitioned over to the NDIS scheme. 

Visit the National Disability Insurance Scheme website – www.ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110.

For people with hearing and speech loss TTY: 1800 555 677
Speak and Listen: 1800 555 727
For people who need assistance with English: TIS: 131 450

*Disclosure: The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to change without prior notice.