The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the new way of providing support for Australians with a disability. The NDIS also provides support for families and carers.
The NDIS is for Australians under the age of 65 with a permanent and significant disability. The scheme provides reasonable and necessary supports needed to live an ordinary life.
The NDIS supports people with disability. It helps them build skills and capability so they can participate in the community and employment.
The NDIS takes a lifetime approach. It invests early in people with a disability to improve their outcomes later in life. This gives people peace of mind. They know they’ll get the support they need if their child or loved one is born with or acquires a permanent and significant disability.
How does it help?
The NDIS provides people with a disability, their families and carers with help in different ways.
Access mainstream services and supports
These are the services available to all Australians. People like doctors and teachers provide them through systems like:
- Health
- Education
- Public housing
- Justice
- Aged care
Access community services and supports
These are activities and services available to everyone in a community. They might include:
- sports clubs
- community groups
- libraries
- charities
Maintain informal support arrangements
This is help people get from their family and friends. It is support people don’t pay for and is generally part of most people’s lives.
Receive reasonable and necessary funded supports
The NDIS can pay for supports that are reasonable and necessary. This means they are:
- related to a person’s disability
- needed to help live an ordinary life
- necessary for achieving their goals
For more information visit www.ndis.gov.au