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This fact sheet explains the eligibility requirements for the NDIS. Your eligibility for access to the NDIS will be determined by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
What are the eligibility requirements for the NDIS?
You are eligible for the NDIS if you:
- have a permanent disability that significantly affects your ability to take part in everyday activities or a developmental delay. To meet the NDIS disability rules you need to have an impairment or condition that is likely to be permanent (lifelong) and that stops you from doing everyday things by yourself. This includes conditions which can vary in intensity, such as mental illness.
- Be aged less than 65 when they first enter the NDIS;
- Be an Australian citizen or hold a permanent visa or a Protected Special Category visa; and
- Live in Australia where the NDIS is available.
If you are aged 65 years and over you will not be eligible for the NDIS. In most cases, you will receive support through the Commonwealth aged care system. For further information, refer to the NDIS for people aged 65 years and over fact sheet.
Who will decide if I can access the NDIS?
The NDIA determines eligibility for the NDIS. The NDIA is the national agency responsible for running the NDIS. Most people who receive NSW funded disability supports will go through a simplified eligibility process, based on the supports they currently receive now. Refer to our What you need to know about the NDIS rollout in NSW fact sheet for further information on when you will be eligible to access the NDIS.
I don’t currently receive any disability supports. Could I still be eligible for the NDIS?
If you do not currently receive NSW Government funded specialist disability supports, you will have the opportunity to access the scheme when it starts in your local area, if you are in immediate need of assistance, and do not currently have support. The NDIA will also ensure that there are Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) supports available within the community. These supports are also available to people who may not be eligible for a funded package.
I am currently receiving disability supports in New South Wales. What will happen if I don’t meet the requirements for the NDIS?
No one will be disadvantaged in the move to the NDIS. People who had been receiving NSW funded specialist disability support, but are not eligible for the NDIS, will maintain the same outcomes they received before the NDIS through arrangements including Information Linkage and Capacity building supports.
How do I find out about the disability and early intervention requirements?
You can find information about the disability and early intervention requirements on the NDIA’s website at www.ndis.gov.au
How can I find out if I am eligible for the NDIS?
A guide to the access requirements for the NDIS can be found at www.ndis.gov.au. You can also phone the NDIA directly on 1800 800 110 to ask about eligibility for the NDIS.