FOI 23/24-1405 DOCUMENT 1 OFFICIAL SGP Knowledge Article Template For Internal Use Only
The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.
Understand disability requirements
This article provides guidance for a local area coordinator, early childhood coordinator and all NDIA staff (planner, payment officer, internal review officer, complaints officer, participant service officer, access officer, quality officer, technical advisor, SDA officer, NCC officer, provider support officer) to:
understand disability requirements
know how to weigh evidence against requirements.
Recent updates
July 2023
New article adapted from other access decision articles to optimise knowledge resources.
Before you start
You have:
read and understood Our Guideline – Applying to the NDIS, in section Do you meet
the disability requirements?
read article What evidence of disability is required?
Disability requirements
What are the disability requirements?
A person will meet the disability requirements if:
their disability is caused by an impairment
their impairment is likely to be permanent
their permanent impairment significantly reduces their functional capacity to move
around, communicate, socialise or learn, or undertaking self-care or self-
management tasks.
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FOI 23/24-1405 OFFICIAL SGP Knowledge Article Template For Internal Use Only
their permanent impairment affects their ability to work, study or take part in social
life
they’ll likely need support from the NDIS for their whole life.
We’ll likely decide a person diagnosed with a List A condition will meet the disability requirements if they give us evidence of the diagnosis.
Note: There are also different requirements for:
children younger than 6 with developmental delay. Go to article Check evidence for
a decision – developmental delay.
people aged between 0 and 25 with a hearing impairment. Go to article Check
evidence for a decision – hearing loss 0-25 years of age.
Consider these articles when you check evidence for a decision:
Check evidence for a decision – List A condition
Check evidence for a decision – impairment caused disability
Check evidence for a decision – disability requirements – likely permanence
Check evidence for a decision – significant functional impact
Check evidence for a decision – disability requirements – social and economic
impact
Determine lifetime support eligibility.
How to weigh evidence against the requirements
For applicants who do not have a List A condition, they must have a range of evidence from their treating health professionals.
When you weigh the relevance and importance of the provided disability evidence, consider:
who is providing the evidence of disability?
how old is the evidence of disability (particularly relevant for functional capacity
evidence)?
Next steps
To action an access decision case, go to articles:
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Make an access decision
Check evidence for a decision – age and residence requirements
Version control
Version Amended Brief Description of Change Status Date by
0.1 JJO192 New article split from ‘Check evidence for a DRAFT 2023-06-28 decision – impairment caused disability
0.2 TER030 Peer review DRAFT 2023-06-28
0.3 JJO192 Actioned peer review DRAFT 2023-06-28
0.4 JJO192 Action VT review. Maintained language for DRAFT 2023-06-28 consistent guidance.
Flesch Readability 36
Grade 9.6
Passive voice 7.02%
0.5 VFK746 EL1 review of EL2 feedback implementation DRAFT 2023-07-03
0.6 VFK746 EL1 actioning of EL2 feedback – submit for DRAFT 2023-07-04 SD and Partner review
0.7 VFK746 EL1 actioning of SME feedback DRAFT 2023-07-07
1.0 EMN960 EL2 approval to publish APPROVED 2023-07-07
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