Navigating the NDIS can seem complex, with a lot of information to review. However, if you're living with disability or seeking support for a loved one, you've found the right resource.
Our aim is to make it easy, with everything you need in one place.
On this page, we’ll outline the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), who it’s for, the application process and the role of providers.
Whether you’re looking for disability support services or more clarity, Five Good Friends is here to help.
How does the NDIS work?
Once approved, an NDIS participant receives a personalised plan. This plan outlines:
- Your goals
- The supports funded to help achieve them
- Budgets across specific funding categories
- How your funding will be managed
NDIS plans are now funded across set funding periods. These are usually quarterly, though in some cases they may be as short as monthly. Plans can also run for up to five years, with longer-term plans becoming more common.
Importantly, the NDIS doesn’t deliver services itself; instead, it funds support you’ll be able to access and choose through providers.
What’s the difference?
NDIS vs. mainstream services
It’s common to be confused about why certain support services are funded by the NDIS, while others are not.
Mainstream services (like Medicare, hospitals, schools, or public housing) are responsible for general health care, and community services are widely available.
The NDIS steps in when:
- A support is directly related to a disability
- It helps reduce functional impact
- It’s not more appropriately funded elsewhere
NDIS eligibility
What are the requirements you need to meet?
Eligibility is set out in the NDIS Act and focuses on functional impact, not diagnosis alone.
- Age and residency
You must:
- Be under 65 when you first apply
- Live in Australia
- Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or hold a Protected Special Category Visa
- Disability requirement
You must have a disability that is:
- Permanent (or likely to be lifelong), and
- Significant. This means it substantially affects daily activities such as mobility, communication, learning, self-care, or self-management
You’ll be required to get evidence from a health professional to show how your condition impacts everyday living.
- Early intervention
The NDIS also supports early intervention, particularly for children or conditions where early support can:
- Reduce future support needs
- Improve long-term outcomes
This can apply even if a condition is still evolving, provided early support is likely to make a meaningful difference.
What happens to your eligibility when you turn 65?
If you enter the NDIS before 65, you can continue receiving support beyond that age. However, support may be more suitable through My Aged Care at this stage. At this time, you might explore the Government’s aged care program: Support at Home.
Eligibility is different for the Support at Home program. When the time comes, if you decide Support at Home is a better for your aged-related needs, we can guide you through the transition and make sure your day-to-day care doesn’t actually change.
What you need to know about NDIS eligibility after age 65.
Understanding 'reasonable and necessary' supports
A support needs to meet a 'reasonable and necessary' test to be funded under the NDIS.
Support and services could include anything from education, employment, social participation, living, and wellbeing.
For disability support and services to be considered 'reasonable and necessary', it:
- Must relate directly to your disability
- Must not include day-to-day living costs not related to your disability support needs, such as groceries
- Should represent value for money
- Be effective and beneficial for the participant
- Consider informal supports already available from other government services, family, carers, networks and the community
What the NDIS will and won’t fund – rules and exclusions
The NDIS will fund supports such as:
- Support workers to assist in your home with showering, cleaning and cooking.
- Allied health therapies (physio, OT, speech, psychology)
- Assistive technology and home modifications
- Support workers for community participation
- Anything that helps participants to develop their capacity to actively take part in their community
The NDIS won’t fund:
- Rent, groceries, or everyday living costs
- Non-disability-related medical treatment
- Holidays or entertainment unrelated to disability support
- Supports better provided by health, education, or housing systems
We’ve made a tool called ‘Can I buy this?’ This checklist can help you see if the NDIS might pay for it.
The three support budgets
Understanding your NDIS plan
Every NDIS plan is built around three main funding categories: core supports, capacity building and capital supports:
- Core Supports
This is all about the day-to-day things that keep life running smoothly. This budget is often the most flexible, and in some cases, you can adjust funds between sub-categories to match your changing needs.
Examples include:
- Personal care and daily routines
- Household help and domestic tasks
- Transport to appointments or activities
- Consumables like continence products
- Social and community participation
- Capacity Building
Capacity Building relates to investment in a participant’s goals.
These funds must be used as allocated, and are therefore purpose-led. It helps participants gain skills, do more on their own and reach their goals.
Supports might include:
- Allied health therapies like physiotherapy or occupational therapy
- Behaviour support and social skills development
- Support coordination to help you understand your plan and connect with the right services
- Employment support and coaching
- Life skills training, from budgeting to cooking to getting around safely
- Capital Supports
Capital supports cover bigger-ticket items that make a real difference to your daily life and safety. Before spending, quotes and approvals are usually required.
Examples include:
- Mobility equipment
- Communication devices
- Home modifications
- Vehicle modifications
From access to plan review
How does the NDIS work?
- The access request
It all starts with an Access Request Form. This is your chance to show what matters most to you, supported by evidence like:
- Medical reports
- Functional capacity assessments
- Statements from carers or family
It’s important to provide clear, thoughtful details to help the NDIS understand your needs and speed up the process. Every little bit brings you closer to the support that makes a real difference.
- Your first planning meeting
Planning meetings are about you or your family member. Together, you’ll discuss:
- What matters most to you
- Short- and long-term goals
- Supports needed to achieve them
The stronger and clearer the goal, the easier it is to get those specific services funded.
- The role of Local Area Coordinators (LACs) and Ppartners
LACs help participants:
- Navigate the NDIS with confidence
- Prepare for planning meetings
- Connect with local services and community supports
LACs help turn those goals from words into a plan that works on your terms.
Self-Managed, Plan-Managed, or Agency-Managed?
Managing your funding
The power really is in your hands. With an NDIS plan, you can choose how your funding is handled:
The good news? Your choice isn’t locked in. You can switch at any time with a provider like Five Good Friends.
No matter how you manage your funding, we can support you with core supports and support coordination. We’re an NDIS registered provider, ready to answer all your questions.
Latest insights on upcoming NDIS changes for 2026
From mid-2026, the NDIS will roll out a new framework for planning fairer, simpler, and more flexible plans.
- Support needs assessments will focus on your real-life goals, strengths, and daily support needs.
- Budgets will be more flexible, longer-term, and designed to reduce unnecessary reports.
Five Good Friends can guide you through these changes. Our team can help you understand your plan, access the right supports, and, more importantly, make the most of your funding.
How Five Good Friends supports your NDIS journey
At Five Good Friends, we help you live life your way. Our Helpers help you stay independent, make your own choices and feel connected to the people and places you love.
Our commitment to consistent support was recently recognised in our successful NDIS mid-term audit, reflecting the strength of our systems, our people and the way we deliver care every day.
We support NDIS participants by:
- Helping shape supports around your goals
- Offering flexibility as needs change
- Connecting you with vetted, local professionals
- Supporting independence at every stage
Whether you’re new to the NDIS, reviewing a plan, or simply want support that suits your needs and goals, our approach always gets you to lead the way.
Book a consultation with our team to explore how we can help.
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