DOCUMENT 16
Understand disability requirements
Page 213 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
Table of Contents
1 Recent updates ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 2 Before you start ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 3 Overview …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 4 Disability requirements …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 4.1 Check eligibility for disability requirements ………………………………………………………………………………… 7 4.2 Additional considerations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 5 How to weigh evidence of disability ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 6 Next steps …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Table of Contents — 2 Page 214 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
This article provides guidance for all NDIA staff and partners to understand:
- eligibility under the disability requirements
- how to weigh evidence of disability.
Recent updates — 3
Page 215 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
1 Recent updates
3 October 2024
Updates to reflect legislation changes from 3 October 2024:
- applicants may now meet both disability and early intervention requirements, instead of just one
- the disability requirement has changed from lifetime supports under the NDIS to NDIS supports for their lifetime.
Recent updates — 4
Page 216 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
2 Before you start
You have:
- read and understood Our Guideline — Applying to the NDIS (external), including section Do you meet the disability requirements?
- read article What evidence of disability is required?
- read article Check eligibility — age and residence requirements.
Before you start — 5
Page 217 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
3 Overview
To be eligible for NDIS, the person must meet the requirements for:
- age
- residence
- disability, early intervention, or both.
Overview — 6
Page 218 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
4 Disability requirements
To meet the disability requirements, we must have evidence of all of the following:
- their disability is related to an impairment
- their impairment is likely to be permanent
- their permanent impairment significantly reduces their functional capacity to undertake one or more of the following activities: moving around, communicating, socialising, learning, or undertaking self-care or self-management tasks
- their permanent impairment affects their ability to work, study or take part in social life
- they’ll likely need NDIS support for their lifetime.
4.1 Check eligibility for disability requirements
Use these articles to check evidence for a decision:
- Check eligibility — DIS — disability caused by an impairment
- Check eligibility — DIS — likely permanence
- Check eligibility — DIS — significant functional impact
- Check eligibility — DIS — social and economic impact
- Check eligibility — DIS — NDIS supports for life.
4.2 Additional considerations
Use these articles before you check evidence for a decision.
Check if there is evidence of a condition on List A. Go to Check eligibility — List A condition.
Note: A person is likely to meet the disability requirements if they provide evidence of their diagnosis.
Check if there is evidence of a condition on List B. Go to Check eligibility — List B condition.
Note: A person is likely to meet some of the disability requirements if they provide evidence of their diagnosis.
Disability requirements — 7
Page 219 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
5 How to weigh evidence of disability
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)?
For further information, refer to Our Guideline — Applying to the NDIS (external), including sections:
- What information do we need in your application?
- Who can give us evidence of your impairments?
- How do we weigh evidence of disability?
How to weigh evidence of disability — 8
Page 220 of 313
FOI 24/25 - 1670 SGP KP Publishing — Understand disability requirements
6 Next steps
To consider the early intervention requirements, go to article Understand early intervention requirements.
If you are an access delegate:
- to make an access decision, continue to article Make an access decision — pre-legislation changes or Make an access decision — post legislation changes.
- to make an eligibility reassessment decision, continue to article Finalise eligibility reassessment decision.
Next steps — 9
Page 221 of 313