What’s the Process to Access Daily Living Support Through the NDIS?
For many people with disability and their families, the idea of accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme can feel like standing in front of a very large door without being sure of the right way to knock. The NDIS is a significant scheme with a structured process, and understanding that process before you start makes the whole journey considerably less daunting.
Daily living support, formally known as Assistance with Daily Life under the NDIS, is one of the most commonly accessed support categories. It covers the practical, hands-on help that enables people to do the things of daily life with greater independence. Connect Support Group provides Assistance with Daily Life support in Victoria as a registered NDIS provider. Here is the full process, explained clearly.
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Speak to Connect Support Group About Daily Living Support NDIS registered provider in Victoria. No out-of-pocket costs. Multilingual support available. Call (03) 9874 8628. |
Step 1: Check Whether You Are Eligible for the NDIS
The NDIS is available to people who meet specific eligibility criteria. You must be able to satisfy all of the following at the time of your access request:
- You are aged under 65 years at the time of your access request (existing participants can continue past 65 but new applicants cannot access the NDIS after this age)
- You are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a Protected Special Category Visa holder
- You have a disability that is caused by a permanent impairment (physical, intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, or psychosocial) that significantly affects your ability to participate in daily activities
- Your disability is likely to be permanent (this does not mean you have to be unable to improve; it means the underlying condition is not expected to resolve)
For children aged under 6, there is also an ‘early intervention’ pathway where children with developmental delay or disability may access the NDIS even where the long-term impact of the condition is still being assessed.
| 💡 Not sure if you qualify?: You do not need certainty about eligibility before making an access request. The NDIS will assess your eligibility when you submit your request. Speaking with a Support Coordinator or the NDIS directly can help you understand the likelihood of eligibility before you formally begin. |
Step 2: Make an Access Request
If you believe you meet the eligibility criteria, the next step is to submit an access request to the NDIS. This formally starts the process. An access request can be made by:
- Calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110
- Completing an Access Request Form and submitting it to the NDIS
- Through a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) in your region if you have been connected with one
When you make an access request, you will need to provide evidence of your identity and evidence of your disability. This typically includes diagnostic reports, assessments, or medical documentation from healthcare professionals. The NDIS may also contact your treating professionals directly for further evidence.
| ✦ For children: If you are a carer applying on behalf of a child with disability or developmental delay, there are specific pathways and your Local Area Coordinator can help guide you through the process. Connect Support Group has specific information for carers of children with disability or developmental delay on our website. Visit connectsupportgroup.com.au/i-am-a-carer-of-a-child-with-disability-or-developmental-delay for more details. |
Step 3: Planning Meeting and NDIS Plan Development
If your access request is approved, the NDIS will contact you to arrange a planning meeting. This is the conversation where your NDIS plan is developed. It is an important meeting and worth preparing for.
In the planning meeting, you (and anyone you want to bring for support) will discuss:
- Your goals: what you want to achieve, what is important to you, what you hope to do more of
- Your daily living situation: where you live, who supports you now, what you need help with
- Your supports: what informal support you already have (family, friends, community), what paid supports would help you, what funded supports might be appropriate
- Your disability and how it affects your daily life, safety, and participation
You can bring a support person, a family member, a carer, or a support worker to the planning meeting. If you want, you can also ask a Support Coordinator or advocate to help you prepare for and attend the planning meeting.
| 💡 Prepare before the meeting: Write down your goals, the activities you find difficult, and the kinds of support that would help before the planning meeting. The more clearly you can articulate what daily living looks like for you and where help would make the most difference, the better the resulting plan is likely to reflect your actual needs. |
Step 4: Your NDIS Plan Is Approved
After the planning meeting, the NDIS will develop your plan and notify you of its approval. Your plan sets out the funded supports you can access across the NDIS support categories. For daily living support, the relevant funding sits under the Core Supports budget, in the Daily Activities category.
Assistance with Daily Life is one of the most flexible areas of Core Support funding. Unlike some other support categories, Core Support funding can generally be used across the categories within that budget (subject to specific conditions in your plan). This flexibility means you and your support coordinator can adjust how your Core Support funding is used as your needs and goals evolve. For a clearer picture of what NDIS supports look like and what to expect, read through Connect Support Group’s NDIS FAQs.
Your plan is not permanent. NDIS plans are typically reviewed annually (or at shorter or longer intervals depending on your circumstances), which gives you the opportunity to update your goals, adjust your funded supports, and address any areas where the initial plan did not fully reflect your needs.
Step 5: Decide How You Want to Manage Your Plan
When your NDIS plan is approved, you also need to decide how the funding in your plan will be managed. There are three main options:
- Self-managed: you manage your own NDIS funding, pay invoices directly, and can use both registered and non-registered providers. This gives maximum flexibility but requires you to manage the financial administration yourself
- Plan managed: a plan manager (a registered NDIS provider) manages the financial administration of your plan on your behalf. You still have choice and control over which providers you use, but the invoicing and tracking is handled for you. Connect Support Group provides NDIS Plan Management as a registered plan manager
- NDIA managed (agency managed): the NDIS directly manages and pays for supports on your behalf. You can only use registered providers. This is the simplest option administratively but offers the least flexibility in provider choice
Most people choose plan management because it offers the administrative support of having a plan manager handle the paperwork while retaining flexibility to choose providers. Your plan will include funding for plan management if it is approved.
Step 6: Find and Engage Your Support Providers
With your plan approved and your plan management arrangement in place, you are ready to find the providers who will deliver your funded supports. For daily living support, this means finding a registered NDIS provider who can provide the type of Assistance with Daily Life that matches your goals and needs.
You can find providers through:
- The NDIS Provider Finder tool on the NDIS website
- Recommendations from your Support Coordinator
- Word of mouth from other participants and families
- Direct contact with providers whose services align with your needs
If your plan includes Support Coordination funding, your Support Coordinator plays a central role in helping you find and connect with the right providers. They understand the local service landscape, can help you compare options, and can assist you in setting up service agreements with your chosen providers.
| 💡 You do not have to use one provider for everything: Your NDIS plan does not restrict you to a single provider. You can use different providers for different supports, and you can change providers if your needs change or if a provider is not working well for you. |
Step 7: Start Your Supports and Review Progress
Once you have engaged your providers and service agreements are in place, your supports begin. For daily living support, this typically means a support worker comes to assist you with the agreed activities at the agreed times. Connect Support Group’s daily living support is provided in your home, out in the community, or a combination of both, depending on your goals and needs.
The NDIS journey does not end when your plan is activated. Your plan will be reviewed at regular intervals. In preparation for your review, keep notes on what is working well, what is not working, and how your goals may have changed. Your plan review is your opportunity to make sure the next plan better reflects where you are now and where you want to go.
What Does Assistance with Daily Life Cover?
Under the NDIS, Assistance with Daily Life refers to a range of supports that help you manage the activities of daily life so you can live as independently as possible. This can include support with:
- Personal care: showering, dressing, grooming, and hygiene
- Meal preparation: cooking, preparing food, or assistance at mealtimes
- Household tasks: cleaning, laundry, and maintaining a safe home environment
- Getting around: assistance with travel, appointments, and community activities
- Communication and participation support for daily life activities
- Supervision or prompting for people who need guidance rather than direct physical assistance
The specific supports included in your plan will reflect your individual goals and the assessment of your support needs. Not everyone needs support in every area, and the plan reflects what is reasonable and necessary for you specifically.
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Ready to Start Your NDIS Journey? Connect Support Group is a registered NDIS provider in Victoria. We support people with disability and their families with no out-of-pocket costs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
The time from submitting an access request to having an approved NDIS plan in place varies. The NDIS aims to make decisions on access requests within 21 days of receiving all required information, though this can take longer depending on the evidence available and the complexity of the situation. The planning process adds additional time. Many people find the full process from initial contact to first support delivery takes several months. Starting as early as possible and preparing evidence documentation in advance helps reduce delays.
Yes. Assistance with Daily Life sits within the Core Supports budget, which also includes Social and Community Participation supports. Many participants receive a combination of daily living support, community access support, and other NDIS-funded services. Your NDIS plan reflects your individual needs across all relevant areas. Connect Support Group provides both daily living support and social and community access support as a registered provider.
If your access request is unsuccessful, you have the right to ask the NDIS to review the decision. This is called a review of a reviewable decision. You can also appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) if you disagree with the outcome of the review. A Support Coordinator or disability advocate can help you understand and navigate this process. It is also worth speaking with the NDIS directly to understand what additional evidence might support a successful access request.