What can NDIS funds be used for? 

What does the NDIS fund? 

As of 2025, the NDIS funds supports that meet the reasonable and necessary criteria in three different categories:

• Core supports - For daily activities in a participant’s life. 
• Capital supports - For investments into assistive technologies, home or vehicle modifications, or for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).  
• Capacity building - For participants to build their independence and skills. 

What does reasonable and necessary mean?

The NDIS defines reasonable and necessary supports with the following criteria:

• Work towards your goals, objectives and aspirations
• Be more independent
• Increase your participation in social activities and work
• Be more active in the community

Reasonable and necessary supports do not include daily living costs that don't relate to the person's disability support needs or supports already funded by other areas of government.

Reasonable and necessary supports also take into consideration informal support the person might have in place via their close network, eg your family and the community.

What are the NDIS support budgets?

As of 2025, NDIS funding can be used for support budgets in your plan according to NDIS pricing arrangements and limits.

These types of disability-related supports include the following budget categories.

Core supports

Core supports covers funding for the following support categories:

• Assistance with daily life – for example, help with cooking, cleaning, dressing or personal hygiene
• Consumables – for example, continence products, adapted cups or shower stools
• Assistance with social and community participation – for example, a support worker to help you attend an event or a gym class that you attend each week
• Transport – for example, transport to and from school, work, appointments or other NDIS supported activities 

Examples of core supports include:

• Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement
• Assistance with travel or transport arrangements 
• Daily personal activities
• Group and centre based activities
• Household tasks
• Participation in community, social and civic activities
• Community nursing care
• High intensity daily personal activities (HIDPA) 
• Supported independent living (SIL).

Learn more about the NDIS core supports budget.

Capital supports

This budget may be available to you to cover the costs of often expensive cost assisted living items and services under the following support categories:

• Assistive technology – for example, mobility equipment such as a wheelchair or walking stick
• Home modifications – for example, handrail in a bathroom or a ramp but may also cover for Specialist Disability Accommodation

Examples of capital supports include:

• Assistive equipment for recreation
• Assistive products for household tasks
• Assistive products for personal care and safety
• Assistance animals
• Communication and information equipment 
• Hearing equipment 
• Personal mobility equipment 
• Vision equipment 
• Vehicle modifications
• Building specialist disability accommodation (SDA) 
• Home modification design and construction
• Customised prosthetics (includes orthotics)

Capacity building

A capacity building budget covers the following support categories:

• Support coordination
• Improved living arrangements
• Increased social and community participation
• Finding and keeping a job
• Improved relationships
• Improved health and wellbeing
• Improved learning
• Improved daily living
• Improved life choices

Examples of capacity building supports include:

• Support coordination such as managing life stages, transitions and supports.
• Development of daily care and life skills 
• Accommodation assistance and tenancy assistance
• Access and maintain employment or higher education
• Specialist positive behaviour support
• Exercise physiology and personal well-being activities 
• Management of funding for supports
• Disability-related health supports
• Specialised driving training
• Therapeutic supports

What NDIS funding can’t be used for 

According to the NDIS, funding can’t be used on the following day-to-day services, items and equipment: 

• Accommodation and household costs: Including rental payments, mortgage payments and home renovations. 
• Finance and payments: Including fines, gifts, insurance and superannuation for self-managed super funds. 
• Lifestyle related costs: Including cigarettes, gambling, mobile phones and health and fitness activities.  
• Beauty related services: Including jewellery, makeup, clothing and hair treatments. 
• Travel and transport related: Including interstate and overseas travel, cruises, vehicles and vehicle registration. 
• Pet related costs: Including pets, companion animals, veterinary costs and pet insurance. 
• Reproductive, health and family related services: Surrogacy and fertility treatments. 

Read the full list of supports that are not funded by the NDIS or find out how you can understand the latest NDIS supports list.

How to apply for NDIS funding

You can apply for NDIS funding by:

• Sending an online enquiry: Download and complete the NDIS Access Request Form with supporting information and send an NDIS enquiry.  
• Sending by mail: Download, print and complete  the NDIS Access Request Form and mail it to PO Box 700, Canberra, ACT 2601 with supporting information.
• Visiting your local area coordinator: Your NDIS partner can talk to you about the evidence that’s needed to complete your application.
• Visiting an NDIS office: Ask for a copy of the NDIS Access Request Form when you visit an NDIS office. You can send an enquiry or mail it to the NDIS  with supporting information.