What's on the NDIS List of Approved supports?

What supports will the NDIS pay for?

The NDIS will typically fund a requested support if it meets ALL of the following criteria: 

• it is for your impairments that meet the disability or early intervention requirements, or both 
• it will help with your individual goals and aspirations 
• it will help your social and/or economic participation
• it is value for money, which means that: 
• the cost of the support is similar to or cheaper than alternative options that can provide you with the same outcome (NDIS Supports for Participants Rule 3.1(a)); and/or
• purchasing the support is likely to reduce the costs of funding for other supports in the long term (NDIS Supports for Participants Rule 3.1(c)). 
• it is effective and beneficial for you 
• it helps to maintain your informal supports 
• it is an *NDIS support (see below)

For more information see What is Reasonable and Necessary ?

What is an "NDIS Support"

This refers to what can and cannot be funded by the scheme.

The list of approved supports is extremely detailed and largely includes items or services directly linked to managing a disability. 

What is on the NDIS Supports List?

There are 37 categories of goods and services that are ‘NDIS supports’.

NDIS supports are the services, items and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS.

The NDIS has created an 'IN' List of supports. You can access them here:

The NDIS IN List - Supports that will be funded

What is NOT on the NDIS Supports List?

There are 15 categories of goods and services that are not ‘NDIS supports’.

These are services, items, and equipment that can’t be funded by the NDIS.

Note: The NDIS cannot fund sexual services and sex work, alcohol or drugs. 

If a Participant spends their funding on an item that is not on the NDIS Supports List, they could incure a debt if the amount is over $1500. '

The NDIS is currently issuing warnings when this occurs initially.

The NDIS OUT List - Supports that won't be funded

NOTE: If a Participant is identified as spending on items that are NOT on the NDIS Supports list, the NDIS can IMMEDIATELY and without warning change your NDIS plan management to Agency Managed. We have seen this happen multiple times.

What happens if an NDIS participant needs something that is not on the list? 

If a participant needs something to manage their disability that isn't on the list, they can make a request to the NDIA in writing. 

In some specific circumstances, the NDIS can fund supports that are not NDIS supports. 

The NDIA calls these Replacement Supports. 

What are Replacement Supports?

A Replacement Support:

• Is a service, item or equipment you would like to use instead of the NDIS support or supports in your plan.
• Is a support that the NDIS has agreed to fund (in writing).
• Replaces an existing NDIS support or supports in your plan - it is not an extra support
• Represents value for money and there is good evidence to support it.

This example was provided by the NDIS Minister The Hon.Bill Shorten: 

"You might need a pair of specially designed shoes because of your disability. That could cost literally hundreds and hundreds of dollars," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"If you can prove that getting [that] particular shoe off the shelf actually is better than the specially designed one, even though that shoe is not on the list, the agency will take that into account."

See this comprehensive resource on what is on the Replacement List and how to apply.

Some key things to note:

1. Support coordination only able to be spent if it stated in the plan. So participants will no longer be able to use support coordination from their core unless it’s stated in their plan.
    
2. What we knew as the substitution rule is now replacement support determinations. This is where something is on the out list, but you would like to request that you get an exception.
   It can be requested for standard commercially available household items. And for smartwatches, tablets, smartphones or apps used for accessibility or communication purposes.
    
3. Specialised driver training appears to now be available to people with a range of disabilities, but it must be stated in their Plan and it must be delivered by a specialized driving instructor.
    
4. Assistance animals and innovative community participation will also only be allowed to be paid for with NDIS funds by participants who have it stated in their plan.
    
5. One notable item not on the out list is that hairdressing for hair washing is no longer on the OUT list. However, you’re still not allowed to claim a pedicure or manicure or fake nails, etc.
    
6. Electricity generators remain on the out list.
    
7. There appears to be a capacity for NDIS to fund repairs for disability-related damage to property.
    
8. Legal costs are now on the out list, which will be a big blow to self managers who may need a lawyer to check employment contracts, etc.
    
9. ILO arrangements appear to be untenable with rent on the out list. This will create significant extra expenses as Housemates will need to be paid for providing supports in home, and will need to be paid for appropriate overnight shifts. This will also likely shift the power dynamic and balance in housemate-shared homes and is especially disappointing. 
   It’s unknown what happens to all the existing agreements where rent for non-disabled supportive housemates covering "free" overnight passive supports is part of signed contracts.
    
10. Meal delivery platforms are out except where the Food and ingredient components can be separately identified from the meal preparation and delivery costs.
     
11. Gym membership seems to be a little softened with the changing of the wording to saying that you can’t have costs associated with recreational sports and activities, including membership costs, so that might potentially allow for some leeway where a gym membership is not for recreational purposes.
     
12. Dating and relationship services remain on the out list. There is no definition of what a relationship service is.
    This could be a big problem for people with intellectual or other cognitive disabilities who do need extra supports around safety and relationships, for example.
     
13. Conference fees are now on the out list so I guess all of the disability specific conferences that are educational may need to change their names to training events or some such.
     
14. Life coaches and career coaches and gaming therapists and cultural coaches are all on the out list still. So I suspect, if those services are to be claimable, they will need to be listed as community access/support work and charged accordingly.
     
15. After school care, au pairs, vacation care school holiday programmes, etc. are all on the out list.
     
16. Postal services are on the out list, so I don’t know how people are supposed to be able to claim for delivery of their assistive technologies. 

Things that won't be covered are services which are:

1. "not evidence-based" like 'cuddle therapy'
2. not directly linked to someone's disability, such as childcare fees, crystal and wilderness therapy
3. day-to-day living costs such as rent, groceries and bills.

Sources:

• NDIS Guidelines - Will we fund it
• NDIS media release -  1 October 2024
• Section 10 - new legislation changes
• NDIS List (formal)
• NDIS FAQ on recent legislation