NDIS Eligibility: Who Can Access the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding and support to Australians with a permanent and significant disability. To access the NDIS, you need to meet three core eligibility requirements: age, residency, and disability. This guide explains each requirement in detail and walks you through the application process.
The Three Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the NDIS, you must meet all three of the following requirements at the time of your access request.
Age Requirement
You must be under 65 years of age when you first apply to access the NDIS. If you are already an NDIS participant before you turn 65, you can continue to receive supports under the scheme.
Residency Requirement
You must live in Australia and be one of the following: an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a holder of a Protected Special Category Visa (Protected SCV).
Disability Requirement
You must have a disability that is caused by a permanent impairment (one that is likely to be lifelong) and that significantly affects your ability to take part in everyday activities.
What Does "Permanent and Significant" Mean?
The NDIS uses the term "permanent and significant" to describe the type of disability that qualifies for access. Here is what each part means:
Permanent
Your impairment is likely to be lifelong. It may not have a known treatment or cure, or available treatments are unlikely to remedy the condition. This does not mean your condition cannot improve with support — it means the underlying impairment is expected to be ongoing.
Significant
Your impairment substantially reduces your ability to participate effectively in one or more of the following areas, known as functional capacity:
- Mobility — moving around your home and community.
- Communication — expressing yourself and understanding others.
- Social interaction — building and maintaining relationships.
- Learning — acquiring new skills and knowledge.
- Self-care — looking after your personal hygiene, health and wellbeing.
- Self-management — managing your own life, finances and decision-making.
Early intervention: You may also meet the disability requirement if early intervention supports now would reduce your future support needs. This applies even if your impairment is not yet considered "significant" — the key is that early support is likely to be beneficial.
The Access Request Process
Applying to access the NDIS is called making an "access request." Here is what the process looks like step by step.
Contact the NDIA
Call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 or visit your nearest NDIS office or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) partner. You can also start an access request through the myNDIS participant portal online.
Complete the Access Request Form
You (or someone on your behalf) will need to complete an Access Request Form. This asks for personal details, information about your disability, and how it affects your daily life.
Provide supporting evidence
You will need evidence from a treating health professional confirming your diagnosis, how your disability affects your functional capacity, and that the impairment is likely to be permanent.
Submit your request
Submit the completed form and supporting evidence to the NDIA. You can do this in person, by post, by email, or through the participant portal.
Wait for a decision
The NDIA will review your request and may contact you for additional information. They aim to make a decision within 21 days of receiving a completed request with all supporting evidence.
What Evidence Do You Need?
Your access request needs to be supported by evidence from health professionals. The stronger and more detailed the evidence, the smoother the process. You should aim to include as many of the following as possible.
Tip: Ask your treating professional to specifically describe how your disability affects your functional capacity in the six areas listed above. The NDIA makes decisions based on functional impact, not diagnosis alone.
What Happens After You Apply
Once the NDIA receives your completed access request and all supporting evidence, the following process begins:
- The NDIA aims to make an access decision within 21 days of receiving a complete request.
- If they need more information, they will contact you — the 21-day clock restarts once you provide it.
- You will receive a letter confirming whether your access request has been approved or declined.
- If approved, you become an NDIS participant and will be contacted to schedule a planning meeting.
- At the planning meeting, you will discuss your goals, current supports, and what funding you need.
- After the meeting, the NDIA will create your personalised NDIS plan, usually within a few weeks.
- You can start using your funded supports as soon as your plan is active in the system.
Early Childhood Approach (Ages 0-9)
The NDIS has a specific pathway for children under 9 years of age called the Early Childhood Approach. This is designed to provide timely support during the critical early years of development.
Under this approach:
- Children under 9 are connected with an Early Childhood Partner in their local area.
- The Early Childhood Partner can provide short-term early intervention supports without a formal NDIS plan.
- If a child needs longer-term support, the Early Childhood Partner will help with an access request to the NDIS.
- Children under 6 with certain conditions (such as permanent hearing or vision loss, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or autism) may have a streamlined pathway to access.
- The focus is on building the child's skills and the family's capacity to support the child's development.
- Early intervention under this approach does not require the child's disability to be "significant" — it only needs to be likely that early support will be beneficial.
Psychosocial Disability Eligibility
A psychosocial disability is a disability that arises from a mental health condition. People with psychosocial disability can be eligible for the NDIS, but the pathway can be more complex because mental health conditions often fluctuate.
To be eligible, you need to show that:
- Your mental health condition (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, PTSD, or another condition) results in a permanent impairment.
- The impairment significantly reduces your functional capacity in one or more areas of daily life, even with treatment and medication.
- You need support from others to carry out everyday activities.
The key distinction is that the NDIA assesses the impact of the disability on your daily life, not the diagnosis itself. A person with a mental health condition that is well-managed with treatment and does not significantly affect functional capacity may not meet the threshold — while someone with the same diagnosis but more significant functional impact would.
Important: "Permanent" does not mean your mental health condition will never improve. It means the impairment is likely to be lifelong, even if symptoms fluctuate. Evidence from your psychiatrist or psychologist describing your functional capacity during periods of both stability and crisis is particularly helpful.
What If Your Access Request Is Declined?
If the NDIA decides that you do not meet the access criteria, you have the right to challenge this decision. There are two stages of review:
1. Internal Review by the NDIA
You can request an internal review within 3 months of receiving the decision. A different NDIA staff member (who was not involved in the original decision) will review your case. You can submit additional evidence at this stage, and it is often worth doing so — many declined requests are overturned on internal review when stronger evidence of functional impact is provided.
2. External Review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
If the internal review upholds the original decision and you still disagree, you can apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for an external, independent review. The AAT process is free to apply for, and you can have legal representation or an advocate support you through the process.
Tip: Free disability advocacy services can help you at any stage of the review process. They can assist you in gathering evidence, writing submissions, and attending hearings. Do not give up if your initial request is declined — many participants are successful on review.
Am I Eligible? Checklist
Use this quick checklist to get an idea of whether you might meet the NDIS eligibility criteria. If you can tick most or all of these, it is worth making an access request.
This checklist is a guide only. The NDIA makes the final decision based on the evidence you provide. Even if you are unsure, we encourage you to contact the NDIA or a Local Area Coordinator to discuss your situation.
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