3 things that aren't covered by the NDIS
It’s well documented what the NDIS covers, but what about the things it doesn’t?
We’ve been helping people navigate the NDIS for years, and if there was any question we get more than others, it’s “Is this funded by the NDIS?”.
In this blog, we’ll go over some of the things people commonly suspect are covered under the NDIS that aren’t.
1. The NDIS won’t cover supports already provided by the government
The NDIS exists to supply services that other government departments don’t.
When you have a disability, it can be tricky to know who you need to go through to get funding and support. The NDIS works alongside many other government services, and there is quite a bit of crossover here.
When it comes to who funds what, there are three main government services that can cause a bit of confusion. The healthcare system, the education system and, of course, Centrelink.
The health care system and the NDIS – how it works
This one is complicated – so we did a blog about this a while ago (see NDIS and the health care system).
You might have heard people say that ‘the NDIS is the biggest social reform in Australia since Medicare’. Medicare was here first, so generally speaking, anything covered by Medicare is not covered under the NDIS.
That said, there can be some grey areas. So it’s always best to talk to someone about your own personal situation and needs.
A note on medication
Unfortunately the NDIS does not cover or help subsidise the cost of medication. This question is one that comes up a fair bit, but you would need to go through the health care system to get any medication subsidies.
The education system and the NDIS – how it works
We find that often there is confusion between what the education system funds, and what the NDIS funds.
You can’t claim school fees under NDIS, so anything covered by your school fees will not be funded by the NDIS. The NDIS does a fantastic job of breaking this down, so if you’re after more information, make sure you check out their page on education.
The education system and the NDIS work quite closely together on a lot of things. The good news here is that schools are often really good at walking you through everything, so you’re not alone navigating this.
Centrelink and the NDIS – how it works
Many NDIS participants also receive payments from Centrelink, the most common payment being the Disability Support Pension (DSP).
The biggest question we get in this space is ‘Will the NDIS affect my Centrelink payments?’
The answer to this is no, the NDIS will not affect your Centrelink payments. Any funding the NDIS gives you is not considered income and is therefore exempt from tax.
2. The NDIS won’t cover most day–to–day living costs
Most general day–to–day costs aren’t covered by the NDIS. Things like groceries, phone bills, event tickets and general living expenses aren’t covered by the NDIS. The thinking here is that people without disability buy these things from their own money, and the NDIS exists to cover the gap between having a disability and not having a disability.
If it’s something that someone without disability would buy from their personal money, chances are it’s not going to be funded by the NDIS.
Of course, like most things with the NDIS, it’s not always black and white. The NDIS looks at individual needs and circumstances to decide the level of funding you need and what that funding should be used for.
The top two questionswe get asked about in this space are about smartphones and holidays.the things you can do.