Understanding what the NDIS may fund can make it easier to choose supports that align with your everyday needs, independence and personal goals.
The NDIS recognises 37 categories of goods and services as “NDIS supports”. These range from assistance with daily activities and transport through to community participation, employment support, exercise and well-being, assistive equipment and specialist services.
Not every participant will need or receive funding for every type of support. The supports available to you will depend on your individual circumstances, disability-related needs, goals and NDIS plan.
Below, we explain different types of NDIS supports and how they can help with everyday life.
What Are NDIS Supports?
NDIS supports are services, items, and equipment that the NDIS can fund.
They cover a broad range of areas, including personal activities, daily living, transport, community participation, employment, exercise and well-being, accommodation, assistive equipment and specialist supports.
For many participants, supports are about more than simply receiving assistance. They can also provide opportunities to develop skills, participate in the community, build confidence and become more independent.
If you’re trying to understand the everyday part of an NDIS plan specifically, our guide to NDIS Core Supports explains this area in more detail.
Assistance With Daily Activities
Everyday activities can require different levels of assistance depending on a person’s needs.
The NDIS recognises Daily Personal Activities as supports that provide supervision or assistance with personal daily living tasks, helping a participant live as independently as possible at home and in the community.
These may include assistance with activities such as eating and drinking, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, and moving and positioning.
Mind & Body Support provides personalised Assistance with Daily Life across Melbourne, tailored to each person’s routines, abilities and goals.
Support may involve practical assistance, guidance, prompting, or working alongside a participant as they build confidence completing everyday activities.
Developing Daily Living and Life Skills
Some NDIS supports are specifically designed to help participants develop their ability to do more for themselves.
The NDIS describes Development of Daily Care and Life Skills as training and development activities that increase a participant’s ability to live as independently as possible.
This can include developing skills around:
- Shopping
- Meal preparation
- Managing finances
- Personal care
- Travel and using public transport
- Social activities
- Relationships and social skills
These types of activities can also form part of broader capacity building and independence support where appropriate to the participant’s individual goals.
The focus isn’t necessarily on having someone do everything for you. Support can instead involve practising skills, developing routines and gradually becoming more confident doing things independently.
NDIS Transport Support
Getting where you need to go can play an important role in independence and community participation.
The NDIS recognises Assistance with Travel or Transport Arrangements for participants who cannot travel or use public transport independently.
This category can include transport for community activities and education, certain private transport arrangements, and travel training to build confidence and skills using public transport.
Mind & Body Support provides Disability Transport Support in Melbourne for children, young people and adults.
Depending on the support arrangement, this may include assistance travelling to:
- Work
- School or TAFE
- Appointments
- Community activities
- Social activities
- Sport and fitness
- Shopping
- Volunteering
- Other everyday destinations
Support can also focus on developing greater travel independence, including learning familiar routes and becoming more confident using public transport.
Community, Social and Recreational Participation
Community participation looks different for everyone.
The NDIS recognises Participation in Community, Social and Civic Activities, which covers supports that help participants take part in community, social, cultural and civic activities.
Community participation might involve:
- Shopping and everyday errands
- Joining a community group
- Going to the gym
- Participating in sport
- Visiting cafés or restaurants
- Exploring hobbies
- Attending events
- Meeting friends
- Volunteering
- Trying new activities
Mind & Body Support’s Community Access Support is personalised around each participant’s interests, goals, routines and level of independence rather than following a set program of activities.
Community access can also provide opportunities to practise everyday skills such as planning an outing, shopping, communicating with others, making choices and navigating familiar places.
Group and Centre Based Activities
The NDIS separately recognises Group and Centre Based Activities.
These supports help participants access and participate in community, social, cultural, and recreational activities provided in a group setting, either in the community or at a centre.
Group activities can provide opportunities to explore interests, participate in recreation and connect with other people.
For children and young people, Mind & Body Support also provides school holiday programs and community excursions designed around engaging activities and community experiences.
Exercise and Personal Well-being
Exercise-related supports may also be available through the NDIS in particular circumstances.
The NDIS recognises Exercise Physiology and Personal Well-being Activities as supports that maintain or increase physical mobility or well-being through personal training or exercise physiology where this addresses the functional impact of a participant’s disability.
This may include assessing and developing a personalised exercise program and activities designed to maintain functional capacity, muscle strength, range of motion, balance, and mobility.
Mind & Body Support provides Disability Personal Training focused on making exercise more accessible and building confidence around physical activity.
Importantly, NDIS-funded exercise-related support must relate to the functional impact of a participant’s disability rather than general fitness.
Employment and Education Supports
Employment, education and developing greater independence after school can also form part of a participant’s goals.
The NDIS recognises Assistance to Access and Maintain Employment or Higher Education, which can include employment preparation, assistance transitioning to employment and further education or training.
For young people preparing for life after school, Mind & Body Support provides School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES).
Support can focus on practical areas such as job readiness, workplace skills, resumes, volunteering, communication, budgeting and independent travel.
Household Tasks
The NDIS also recognises Household Tasks as a support category.
These supports assist with essential household tasks a participant cannot complete themselves because of their disability.
The NDIS identifies examples such as meal preparation and delivery, house or yard maintenance, cleaning, and laundry.
Household Tasks are distinct from supports designed to develop a participant’s daily living skills, so it’s helpful to know what type of assistance you’re looking for when exploring your options.
What Other Supports Can the NDIS Fund?
The complete list of NDIS support categories extends well beyond everyday disability support.
It includes areas such as accommodation and tenancy assistance, assistance animals, assistive products, community nursing, disability-related health supports, early childhood intervention, home modifications, personal mobility equipment, specialist positive behaviour support, Specialist Disability Accommodation, support coordination, therapeutic supports and vehicle modifications.
The important point is that being included as a category of NDIS support does not mean every participant automatically receives funding.
The supports relevant to you will depend on your individual circumstances and plan.
What Are NDIS Core Supports?
You may also come across the term Core Supports when looking at your NDIS plan.
Core Supports relate to assistance with everyday activities and disability-related needs and can help participants work towards their individual goals.
Depending on your plan, this can include areas such as everyday activities and social and community participation.
Because Core Supports are only one part of the broader NDIS funding system, “NDIS supports” and “Core Supports” aren’t interchangeable terms.
You can read our complete guide to NDIS Core Supports to learn more about Core Supports, including what they may cover and how they can be used.
Self-Managed NDIS Funding
How your NDIS plan is managed can also affect how you arrange and pay for your supports.
With a self-managed NDIS plan, the participant or their nominee manages the funding and administration associated with purchasing supports.
Self-management can provide greater choice and flexibility when selecting providers, but it also comes with responsibilities around payments and record-keeping.
Mind & Body Support works with self-managed participants across its services. You can learn more in our guide to Self-Managed NDIS.
Plan-Managed NDIS Funding
Another option is plan management.
With a plan-managed NDIS plan, a plan manager assists with the financial administration of funded supports, including processing invoices and payments.
Participants can still choose the providers they work with while their plan manager handles much of the payment administration.
Mind & Body Support also works with plan-managed participants. Read more about Plan-Managed NDIS and how accessing support with a plan manager works.
Finding the Right NDIS Supports for You
No single combination of supports is right for every NDIS participant.
One person may want assistance getting out into the community and participating in activities. Another may want to build greater independence with everyday tasks, while someone else may focus on employment, exercise, transport, or building new life skills.
Start with your individual needs and goals.
At Mind & Body Support, we provide personalised disability support for children, young people and adults across Melbourne, with a strong focus on Melbourne’s northern and north-eastern suburbs.
We work with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private and self-funded clients.
If you’re unsure which of our services best fits the support you’re looking for, contact our team to discuss your goals, routine and the type of assistance that would be most useful to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are NDIS supports?
NDIS supports are services, items and equipment that the NDIS can fund. The NDIS identifies 37 categories covering a broad range of disability-related supports.
Are NDIS supports the same as Core Supports?
No. NDIS supports is a broader term that covers the different types of goods and services recognised as supports. Core Supports refers to a specific area of NDIS funding for everyday support needs.
Can the NDIS fund assistance with everyday activities?
Daily Personal Activities is one of the recognised NDIS support categories and includes supervision or assistance with personal daily living tasks.
Does the NDIS fund community access?
Participation in Community, Social and Civic Activities is an NDIS support category. It includes assistance to participate in community, social, cultural and civic activities and support to develop a participant’s ability to participate.
Can the NDIS fund transport?
Assistance with Travel or Transport Arrangements is a recognised NDIS support category for participants who cannot travel or use public transport independently.
Can the NDIS fund personal training?
The NDIS includes Exercise Physiology and Personal Well-being Activities. This can include personal training where it addresses the functional impact of a participant’s disability and is intended to maintain or increase mobility or well-being.
Can Mind & Body Support work with self-managed NDIS participants?
Yes. Mind & Body Support works with self-managed NDIS participants, as well as plan-managed participants and private/self-funded clients.
Can Mind & Body Support work with plan-managed participants?
Yes. Mind & Body Support works with plan-managed NDIS participants across its relevant disability support services.
