Requirement 01
Age
You must be younger than 65 on the day you apply. Early childhood partners support children younger than 9 and their families.
Your goals
Support starts with what matters to you
Your choice
You choose who provides your support
Your way
Support shaped around your daily life
NDIS Overview
What Is The National Disability Insurance Scheme?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a significant social reform in Australia that aims to provide support and services to individuals with disabilities.
It is designed to empower people with disabilities by giving them greater control and choice over their own lives. The NDIS provides funding for a wide range of services and supports, including healthcare, therapy, assistive technology, and personal care.
By focusing on individual needs and goals, the NDIS seeks to enhance quality of life and improve outcomes, enabling participants to participate fully in society and achieve their aspirations.
Official NDIS video
What is the NDIS?
A simple eligibility overview
Who can apply for the NDIS?
The NDIA decides eligibility. In general, applicants need to meet age, residency and disability or early-intervention requirements.
Requirement 02
Residency
You must live in Australia and be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Special Category visa holder.
Requirement 03
Disability or early intervention
You must meet the disability requirements, early-intervention requirements, or both, supported by relevant evidence.
This is a general guide, not an eligibility assessment. Check the current criteria directly with the NDIA.
Check eligibilityYour NDIS journey
From first questions to everyday support.
Every journey is different, but these are the common stages you may move through.
Official application guideStep 01
Check eligibility
Review the current age, residency, disability and early-intervention requirements.
Step 02
Apply with evidence
Connect with an NDIS partner and provide information about your disability and how it affects daily life.
Step 03
Create your plan
Talk about your goals, situation and the NDIS supports that may help you pursue them.
Step 04
Choose your supports
Select providers and make service agreements that are clear, fair and right for you.
Managing your funding
Three ways to manage an NDIS plan.
A plan may use one option or a combination. The management type affects who pays providers and which providers can be used.
Option 01
Self-managed
You, your plan nominee or child representative manage payments, budgets and records. This can offer flexibility and greater responsibility.
Option 02
Plan-managed
A registered plan manager processes claims, pays providers and helps monitor the budget on your behalf.
Option 03
NDIA-managed
The NDIA pays registered providers directly and maintains the financial records for those supports.
Whichever option you use, you are still responsible for ensuring supports are in line with your plan and monitoring your available funding. Compare the official management options.
How we can support you
Turn plan goals into practical, everyday support.
We listen to what matters, check that the requested service matches our scope and work with you to shape support around your preferences.
01
Assistance with Daily Personal Activities
Respectful assistance with personal routines, self-care and daily activities, delivered with privacy, choice and dignity.
Explore service
02
Daily Tasks and Shared Living
Flexible support with day-to-day responsibilities in shared or individual living arrangements, shaped around your household.
Explore service
03
Community, Social and Civic Participation
Individualised assistance to enjoy social activities, local events, recreation and active participation in community life.
Explore service
04
Development of Daily Living and Life Skills
Practical, goal-focused learning to build skills for communication, decision-making, self-care and greater independence.
Explore service
05
Travel and Transport Assistance
Reliable support to attend appointments, complete errands, access services and participate confidently in the community.
Explore service
06
Household Tasks
Support to maintain a comfortable, organised home through cleaning, laundry, meal preparation and routine household tasks.
Explore serviceCommon questions
Clear answers make the next step easier.
If you have a question about our services that is not covered here, our team is happy to talk it through.
Ask our teamWhat is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides eligible Australians with disability with individualised funding for supports that relate to their disability, goals and everyday life.
Do I have to use all my funding with one provider?
No. You have choice and control over the providers you work with. You can use different providers for different supports, subject to your plan, funding-management type and the current NDIS rules.
Can I change providers?
Yes. You can choose providers that suit your needs and can change providers. Check any notice periods or other terms in your service agreement before making a change.
What should I bring when I contact Assist Care Cairns?
It helps to have your NDIS plan dates, the support categories relevant to the service, your goals and any communication or scheduling preferences. You do not need to send sensitive reports with your first enquiry.
Can a family member, nominee or support coordinator contact you?
Yes. A trusted person can contact us with you or on your behalf. We will confirm the appropriate consent before discussing personal information or arranging services.
Does Assist Care Cairns decide what the NDIS will fund?
No. Funding and access decisions are made by the NDIA. We can explain our services and provide information that helps you decide whether they align with your goals and available funding.
Ready when you are
Let’s talk about support that fits your plan and your life.
Tell us about your goals, routines and the services you are looking for. We will explain our role clearly and help make the next step straightforward.
Assist Care Cairns is an independent NDIS service provider. It is not the National Disability Insurance Agency and cannot determine access, approve funding or provide financial or legal advice. NDIS information can change; always confirm current requirements at ndis.gov.au.