DISCLOSURE LOG - FOI 24/25-0441
DOCUMENT 2
The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.
Responses - Blind Citizens Australia
When calling the Agency to clarify recent changes, was told “don’t know”.
We are working closely with our National Contact Centre (NCC) staff to ensure they have the right information to assist with enquiries effectively.
We’ve created feedback systems to track common questions from participants. This helps us provide staff with the right information to answer those questions and offer the best support.
We are clarifying information and changes through frequently asked questions that are regularly updated on the NDIS website. This ensures both staff and participants have access to the most current information.
This is an ongoing effort to ensure staff stay informed, confident, and ready to help participants as the changes are implemented.
Clarification regarding recent NDIS changes particularly relating to replacement supports (how they will be approved/rejected)
We know that every participant has their own unique needs.
In specific circumstances, participants can ask for an NDIS support to be replaced with certain non-NDIS supports. These are called replacement supports.
A replacement support may include household items, or very specific items that support a participant’s unique accessibility or communication needs. This may include a smart watch, tablet or smart phone. Replacement supports must be from this pre-approved replacement supports list.
To apply for a replacement support, you or your authorised representative will need to complete an application on the NDIS website. Or you can provide the same
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information to us in an email or over the phone. You can also contact us on 1800 800 110 and we can help you.
When you apply, you will need to tell us:
- information about the replacement support, like what it is and how much it costs
- which NDIS support or supports in your plan you want to replace
- how you think it will work the same or better than the support you want to replace.
After you apply, we will look at whether the information you’ve given us meets the criteria for approving a replacement support. We don’t need any additional assessments or reports to make our decision.
The replacement support must:
- replace an NDIS support or supports in your plan
- help you the same or more than the NDIS support or supports it’s replacing
- cost the same or less that the NDIS support or supports it’s replacing
- be safe for you.
Participants must wait until the replacement support is approved before purchasing the replacement support. You cannot make an application after purchasing a non- NDIS support.
If the application for a replacement support for an item is not approved, we’ll call you to let you know that we have not approved your application and why. We’ll also send you a letter by post or email to confirm this in writing.
If we don’t approve your application, you can’t apply for that same replacement support again for 12 months.
If the application for a replacement support for an item is approved, we’ll call you to let you know that we have approved your application and tell you how you can buy the replacement support. We’ll also send you a letter by post or email confirming this in writing.
For more information visit - What does NDIS fund? | NDIS
Clear directions and guidelines regarding funding for tandem bikes to streamline decision making processes.
The list of supports that are NDIS supports includes:
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- Item 7: the provision of assistive products used in sports or other recreational activities.
- Item 7(a) also includes: Personal recreation equipment modification and sporting equipment modification.
Any bicycle or tricycle that is modified or adapted specifically to meet the needs of a person with a disability could be an assistive product for recreation.
If the tandem bike is necessary for addressing mobility needs and increasing independence for someone who is vision impaired, it could be eligible for funding under this category.
Clarification on the inconsistency between ‘fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning’ being included and ‘manicures and pedicures’ being excluded from the support lists. Can individuals visit nail salons for trimming and shaping nails (cutting or filing) without the use of polish or decorations?
The distinction between fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning being included in the NDIS support list and manicures and pedicures being excluded focuses on the purpose of the services.
Fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning to maintain personal hygiene are included in the list of NDIS supports under Item 14(d).
Manicures, pedicures and other beauty services like nail painting and decoration are included in the list of not NDIS Supports under item 5(e).
NDIS funding is only to support activities that directly relate to a participant’s disability and enhance their quality of life. Nail care to maintain personal hygiene falls under this category, while beauty treatments do not.
If a participant’s disability means that they need help with daily living tasks to maintain personal hygiene, such as fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning, we may include funding in their plan to pay for this support or for a podiatrist where the participant’s disability means they need specialist foot care.
A participant may choose to engage a support worker to help with this, or to use their funding flexibly and access assistance with fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning to maintain personal hygiene at a nail salon. Participants will not receive any additional funding if they choose to purchase this support from a salon.
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NDIS funding is only to support activities that directly relate to a participant’s disability. Fingernail and toenail cutting and cleaning to maintain personal hygiene falls under this category, while manicures, pedicures, false nail application or removal of any kind, nail painting and removal, nail decorations, nail piercings, hand or foot massage or treatments do not.
Clarification on the NDIA CEO’s statement regarding hair washing and drying not passing the ‘public test’ and whether it is an allowable support
Hair washing and drying to maintain personal hygiene are considered daily personal activities and are included in the list of NDIS supports under Item 14(d). Hair treatments, cutting and drying for the purpose of beauty treatments are included in the list of not NDIS Supports under item 5(d).
NDIS funding is only to provide support that is needed as a direct result of a participant’s disability. As with nail care, hair washing and drying to maintain a person’s hygiene is included but other beauty services are not.
If a participant’s disability means that they need help with daily living tasks to maintain personal hygiene, such as hair washing and drying, we may include funding in their plan to pay for this support. A participant may choose to engage a support worker to help with this, or to use their funding flexibly and access assistance with hair washing and drying to maintain personal hygiene at a hair salon. Participants will not receive any additional funding if they choose to purchase this support from a salon.
NDIS funding is only to support activities that directly relate to a participant’s disability. Hair washing and drying to maintain personal hygiene falls under this category, while hair treatments, cutting, dying, styling, extensions, threading, weaving, hair replacements and transplants and wigs do not.
Confirmation that it is permissible for adult participants to have a support worker accompany them on visits to family
The NDIS can fund social and recreational supports if they are directly related to your disability. This can include support for things like visiting friends and family.
All NDIS funded supports must meet the NDIS funding criteria and are based on the participant’s specific needs and circumstances. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary for a participant’s disability, so it’s important for participants to discuss this with their NDIS planner to ensure it aligns with their plan.
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Clarification on the new rules regarding meal delivery platforms, specifically how to separate costs for claims and whether Uber Eats can provide the necessary invoicing given the limited availability of service providers in rural areas
Food is an everyday living cost for everybody, whether they have a disability or not, so the NDIS won’t fund the cost of food or ingredients. However, NDIS may fund someone to help you plan, shop for, and prepare meals if your disability means you need support to do this.
Occasionally, you may have a short-term change in your situation, which means you need to get this support differently. You may have funding in your core budget for a support worker to help you prepare meals or shop for groceries. If you do, you may decide to use this funding to have meals prepared and delivered for a limited time instead.
We don’t need a quote for you to use funding from your core budget like this. But you can’t use your funding to cover the cost of food, only to have the meals prepared and delivered. Meal preparation and delivery is included in the list of supports that are NDIS supports under item 23(a) Household tasks.
The list of supports that are not NDIS supports includes food and groceries. This includes fast food services, takeaway food and food delivery platforms. This does not include meal delivery platforms that provide access to pre-prepared meals and separately identify the meal preparation and delivery components.
Meal preparation and delivery providers will need to provide the necessary itemised invoicing in order for participants to claim. You can ask meal preparation and delivery providers to separate the cost of food from the total cost when you discuss the total cost for meal preparation and delivery.
More information is available in Our Guideline Nutrition supports including meal preparation. We will be updating this guideline with more information on the evidence required to support claims for meal preparation and delivery and the difference to food delivery platforms that are not NDIS supports.
Clarification on the ambiguity of home maintenance and repair support, advocating for the inclusion of labour costs
for people who are blind or vision impaired. For example,
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swimming pool maintenance would mean a safety concern for people who are blind or vision impaired handling chemicals.
Standard home maintenance, repairs, and pool maintenance are generally not covered by the NDIS as they are considered day-to-day living costs.
However, the NDIS may fund supports that provide assistance with essential household tasks that a participant is not able to do themselves because of their disability. This includes essential house or yard maintenance which is included in the list of NDIS Supports under item 23(b).
If a participant’s disability means that they need help with house or yard maintenance, we may include funding to pay for this support.
Participants are encouraged to discuss their specific home maintenance needs during their planning meetings to ensure clarity on what can be covered. This is especially important for tasks that may pose safety risks due to a participant’s disability.
Clarification on whether vet insurance for assistance dogs
remains claimable under the NDIS, as it is not specifically mentioned in the guideline.
NDIS funding can be used to buy an assistance animal and pay for most of its associated costs when approved by the NDIA. However, funding cannot be used to pay for pet insurance for an assistance animal. More information about assistance animals is available in Our Guideline – Assistance animals.
Rationale for why pet insurance is not covered
The NDIS does not fund pet insurance for assistance animals. Instead, we will fund maintenance costs of approximately $2725 annually which includes vet services and vet fees. In the situation that an assistance animal is no longer able to work at full capacity, we will fund a replacement assistance animal if it is reasonable and necessary.
Clarification and rationale as to whether other items for
assistance dogs (beds, shoes, food, toys) are included as NDIS supports
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The NDIS funds necessary items for assistance animals that contribute to their health and ability to perform their tasks.
When an assistance animal is provided it should be supplied with a bed, protective shoes and other essential items (bowl, collar, harness etc).
Food can be purchased using the maintenance funding provided in the participant’s plan. Toys are not NDIS supports and cannot be purchased. Participants can discuss their specific needs with their NDIS planner to ensure clarity if there are other items they think their assistance animal needs to perform their work.
Clarification on the policy for claiming daily living
consumables that were previously allowed but are now subject to stricter scrutiny (clearer guidelines on what consumables can be claimed).
Consumables must be reasonable and necessary for the participant’s disability. This means they should directly relate to the participant’s needs and goals outlined in their NDIS plan, and address support needs arising from the participant’s functional impairments for which they meet the disability or early intervention requirements.
The NDIS has clarified that consumables must:
- directly relate to the participant’s disability
- be beneficial to the participant’s daily living
- align with the goals set in their NDIS plan.
Items like continence aids, adapted or modified personal hygiene products, and other assistive products for daily living can typically be bought using the participant’s consumables budget. However, items that are not directly related to a participant’s disability, including standard household items and everyday living costs are not funded.
For claiming consumables through the NDIS, participants need to ensure that their plan includes funding for consumables and keep receipts or invoices as proof of purchase. The items claimed must relate to their disability support needs, and the claim details must match the evidence provided.
Clarification on the new requirements for assistive
technology claims, specifically the need for items to be explicitly listed in participants’ plans
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The changes to the legislation do not require all assistive technology to be explicitly stated in a participant’s plan.
All assistive technology must meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, meaning it should directly relate to the participant’s disability and help them achieve their goals.
Participants must spend in accordance with their plan. For assistive technology (AT) this means spending must align with the types of AT listed (if any) in their plan and the AT must be an NDIS Support.
AT items that are not an NDIS support, cannot be funded through the NDIS.
Clarification on whether a daily support budget can be
used for taxis since people who are blind or vision impaired can’t drive and the disability directly influences daily activities and inclusion
The NDIS provides transport funding for participants who cannot use public transport due to their disability. This includes people who are blind or vision impaired, as their condition can affect their ability to drive or use public transport safely.
Participants can use their flexible core supports for transport to help with community access and inclusion. If a participant’s plan includes transport funding, they can use it for taxi services to attend appointments, social activities, or other essential outings.
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