The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The NDIS  is one of the most significant social reforms in Australia’s recent history, and its origins are deeply tied to decades of activism and advocacy from people with disabilities and their families.

For years, support for Australians with disabilities was fragmented and inconsistent. The old system was a patchwork of state-based programs and charity-run services; what kind of help you received depended largely on where you lived and how hard you could fight for it. Many people fell through the cracks. By the late 2000s, it was clear to just about everyone that something had to change.

The tipping point came with the 2011 Productivity Commission report, which delivered a scathing assessment of the existing system and recommended a complete overhaul. The report called for a new national scheme that would provide lifetime support based on individual needs, not just diagnosis or postcode. The idea caught on quickly, gaining rare bipartisan political support and strong backing from the broader community.

The NDIS was rolled out in 2013, starting with trial sites before gradually expanding nationwide. At its heart, the scheme aims to give people with disability more choice and control over the supports and services they access. Instead of funding going to service providers, it goes directly to individuals through tailored plans. This allows participants to decide how, when, and where they use their funding—whether that’s on therapies, equipment, personal care, or community activities.

NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports

Today, the NDIS is designed to cover reasonable and necessary supports for people with permanent and significant disabilities, helping them participate more fully in everyday life. It’s meant to be flexible, empowering, and—most importantly—a move away from a one-size-fits-all approach. While the scheme is still evolving and not without its challenges, it represents a fundamental shift towards recognising the rights and autonomy of people with disabilities in Australia.

Targeted assessments must be conducted, that quantify the degree of functional impairment. Typically, the NDIS reports we write at BNC are long and comprehensive, since they demonstrate, in detail, the specific needs of the child or adult with autism Spectrum Disorder

NDIS aims to help people with disabilities to achieve their goals, such as increased independence, community involvement, behavioural and emotional regulation, education, health, and wellbeing. The NDIS has a life-time approach, in that it values the importance of early intervention for disabilities, to maximise peoples’ outcomes later in life.

NDIS brings peace of mind to Australians with loved ones who are born with, or acquire, a significant chronic disability. NDIS helps people get support when they most need it.

Eligibility for NDIS Funding

To become a NDIS participant and receive support, a person must:

• Have a permanent disability that significantly affects their ability to take part in everyday activities;
• Be aged less than 65 when they first enter the NDIS;
• Be an Australian citizen, hold a permanent visa, or a Protected Special Category visa; and
• Live in a part of Australia where the NDIS is available (the NDIS has been introduced gradually around Australia since the 1st of July 2016)

The NDIA is an independent commonwealth agency responsible for implementing the NDIS.

Updated on:  08/02/2025 By: Dr. Jacques Duff – BA Psych; Grad Dip Psych; PhD; MAPS; MECNS; MAAAPB; MISNR; FANSA
Reviewed on: 20/02/2025 by: Bernard Ferriere - BA; Grad Dip App Psych; Dip Clinical Hypnosis; FCCP; MAPS; MASH; Clinical Psychologist