NDIS Overhaul 2026: Key Changes, Cuts & What Happens Next
Big changes are coming to the NDIS in 2026. From new eligibility rules to funding reforms, here’s what the overhaul means and what happens next.
Assistance with Self-Care Activities NDIS: What’s Covered
Table of Contents
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) helps Australians with disabilities live more independently and confidently. One key area of support is assistance with self-care activities NDIS, which focuses on helping participants manage essential daily tasks such as bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, meal support, and medication reminders.
These supports are designed not just to help with day-to-day tasks, but to promote independence, dignity, and confidence in daily life. NDIS participants can develop skills to complete activities safely and maintain control over their routines.
Funding for these services usually comes from the NDIS core supports budget, specifically under Assistance with Daily Life, while some skill-building activities fall under NDIS Improved Daily Living.
What’s Covered Under Assistance with Self-Care Activities NDIS and How It’s Delivered
NDIS participants can access personalised support to manage essential daily tasks safely and confidently. These services promote personal hygiene, comfort, wellbeing, and independence, and are delivered in flexible ways depending on the participant’s needs and living situation.
Personal Care Support
Support workers provide assistance with daily personal activities, including:
- Bathing, showering, and grooming: Help participants stay clean, refreshed, and confident.
- Dressing and toileting: Respectful support to ensure comfort, safety, and dignity.
- Feeding and mealtime support: Assist with meal preparation or eating to maintain proper nutrition.
- Medication reminders: Provide guidance to take medications consistently and safely.
Delivery options:
- In-home care: One-on-one personalised support in the participant’s home.
- Supported Independent Living (SIL): Ongoing assistance while participants live independently or with others.
- Centre-based programs: Structured support in a social setting, often including skill-building activities.
Personal care support is designed to balance assistance with opportunities to develop independence, where participants can practice tasks safely with guidance. For more details on funding, see Understanding the NDIS: Funding, Eligibility & Support Categories.
Mobility and Safe Movement
Many participants require support to move safely around their home or community, maintain physical activity, and prevent injuries. This includes:
- Transfers: Safely moving from bed to chair, wheelchair, bathroom, or car.
- Using walking aids or mobility equipment: Training and supervision to ensure correct and safe use.
- Mobility training and exercises: Guided activities to improve balance, strength, coordination, and confidence.
Delivery options:
- In-home support: Focused on everyday movement in familiar spaces, including stairs, bathroom access, and living areas.
- SIL: Continuous assistance and supervision to support independent living while maintaining safety.
- Centre-based programs: Group-based mobility exercises, guided walking, and social activities that encourage movement and physical engagement.
By providing both practical assistance and skill-building opportunities, NDIS mobility supports help participants maintain independence and reduce reliance on support over time. Learn more about mobile physiotherapy in Melbourne and mobile occupational therapy in Melbourne to support daily living.
Household and Daily Living Support
Assistance with household tasks ensures participants can live in a safe, organised, and functional environment. Supports are customised to each participant’s abilities and daily routine. Examples include:
- Meal preparation and cooking: Guidance with simple or complex meal prep, ensuring dietary needs and preferences are met.
- Light household chores: Assistance with cleaning, laundry, and organising personal spaces.
- Home organisation and safety checks: Helping participants reduce hazards, maintain clutter-free areas, and support safe living practices.
Delivery options:
- In-home NDIS home care services: One-on-one support tailored to routines and individual preferences.
- SIL: Ongoing support in shared or independent living arrangements, balancing autonomy with necessary daily assistance.
- Centre-based programs: Supervised group activities focused on skill development, including cooking classes, cleaning routines, and practical home management exercises.
These supports are designed not only to complete tasks but also to teach participants strategies and skills to gradually manage tasks independently where possible. For guidance on funding changes, check Breaking Down the Latest Changes to NDIS Funding.
What NDIS Generally Does Not Cover
To align with NDIS guidelines, it’s important to note that certain costs are not covered, even if related to daily life:
- Grocery or food costs themselves (only meal prep support may be funded).
- Rent, utilities, or general living expenses.
- Non-disability-related personal items (e.g., cosmetics, entertainment).
- Tasks that participants could reasonably perform independently without disability-related support.
Supports must always be reasonable and necessary and directly related to the participant’s functional limitations. For pricing details, see the NDIS Price Guidelines 2025.
NDIS Core Supports vs. Improved Daily Living Skills
- NDIS Core Supports (Assistance with Daily Life): Direct support for personal care, mobility, household tasks, and daily living assistance.
- NDIS Improved Daily Living (Capacity Building): Skill development to increase independence over time (e.g., learning to dress or cook independently).
Both budgets are personalised to each participant’s goals, preferences, and functional abilities. Learn more about NDIS 2025 Price Guide: Key Changes for up-to-date information.
How to Access Assistance with Self-Care Activities NDIS
Accessing NDIS-funded support for self-care activities involves a structured process to ensure participants receive the right level of assistance for their individual needs. Here’s how you can navigate it effectively:
1. Discuss Your Daily Care Needs During the NDIS Planning Meeting
The NDIS planning meeting is your opportunity to outline the support you require for daily living. You should:
- Clearly describe the tasks you find difficult due to your disability, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, or mobility.
- Share your goals for independence and wellbeing, so the plan reflects both your immediate needs and long-term aspirations.
- Provide evidence from allied health professionals (e.g., occupational therapists, physiotherapists, or speech therapists) if necessary, to support requests for specific supports.
Being thorough at this stage helps ensure your plan includes sufficient funding under NDIS Core Supports (Assistance with Daily Life) and, if appropriate, NDIS Improved Daily Living Skills for skill-building and independence.
2. Work with a Support Coordinator or Plan Manager
Once your NDIS plan is approved, a support coordinator or plan manager can help you connect with NDIS service providers who offer self-care assistance. They can:
- Identify providers with experience in personal care, household tasks, mobility support, or mealtime assistance.
- Help schedule services and manage bookings to ensure consistency and reliability.
- Explain funding options, including self-managed, plan-managed, or NDIA-managed plans, so you know how payments and services work.
This guidance ensures you access high-quality, person-centred NDIS home care services that align with your goals and lifestyle. For coverage of travel costs, see Are Travel Costs Part of NDIS Core Supports?.
3. Review and Adjust Your Plan Regularly
Your needs may change over time due to improvements in independence, health changes, or new goals. To keep your supports relevant:
- Regularly monitor your progress with your support coordinator or provider.
- Request plan reviews if your needs increase or decrease, or if your goals change.
- Update your support plan to reflect evolving requirements for personal care, mobility, or household tasks.
A flexible approach helps you maintain independence and wellbeing while ensuring that funding is used effectively.
4. Maintain Consistent Communication with Providers
Clear, ongoing communication with your support providers is essential. This ensures that:
- Support workers understand your routines, preferences, and cultural or religious needs.
- Services are delivered safely, respectfully, and consistently.
- Adjustments can be made promptly if something isn’t working or if your goals change.
Good communication fosters a trusting relationship between you and your providers, which is key to achieving positive outcomes in self-care, independence, and overall quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are self-care activities for NDIS?
Self-care activities are daily tasks that help a person maintain personal hygiene, health, and wellbeing. Under the NDIS, this includes:
- Bathing, showering, grooming, and oral care
- Dressing and toileting
- Feeding and mealtime support
- Medication management and reminders
- Mobility and safe transfers
These activities are sometimes referred to as Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
What are some examples of self-care activities?
Examples include:
- Washing, bathing, and grooming
- Dressing and undressing
- Using the toilet or continence support
- Eating and drinking assistance
- Taking medications on time
- Moving safely around the home (transfers, walking, use of mobility aids)
Who is eligible to receive NDIS-funded self-care assistance?
To receive funding for self-care support, a participant must:
- Have a disability or condition that impacts their ability to perform daily living tasks independently
- Be assessed as needing reasonable and necessary supports to maintain health, safety, and independence
- Be under an approved NDIS plan with funding allocated under Core Supports (Assistance with Daily Life) or, in some cases, Improved Daily Living Skills
What are the eligibility criteria for self-care supports under NDIS?
Eligibility is determined by whether the participant:
- Has functional limitations due to disability affecting Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Requires assistance to perform tasks safely at home or in the community
- Needs support that is reasonable and necessary for independence, social participation, or skill development
Supports are personalised based on individual goals, disability type, age, and living situation.
Can NDIS fund meal preparation and feeding assistance?
Yes. The NDIS can fund assistance with meal preparation when a participant is unable to prepare meals independently due to their disability. This may include support with planning, preparing, or cooking meals. The NDIS may also fund feeding assistance, such as help with eating or drinking, when it is required to maintain adequate nutrition and daily functioning.
However, it’s important to note that:
- NDIS does not cover the cost of food itself.
- Only the support time for preparing or assisting with meals can be claimed.
- When using meal preparation or meal delivery services, invoices must clearly separate the cost of food ingredients from the cost of preparation or delivery, as only the latter can be funded under the participant’s plan.
This ensures compliance with current NDIS pricing and billing requirements.
Does NDIS pay for household chores and domestic tasks?
The NDIS may fund assistance with household chores and domestic tasks when these supports are directly linked to a person’s disability and help them live safely and independently at home. This can include light cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, and general household organisation, provided the support meets the NDIS “reasonable and necessary” criteria.
Tasks that a participant can complete independently, or chores that are not related to disability needs, are generally not funded.
Can children receive self-care support under NDIS?
Yes, children with a disability who require assistance with daily living tasks can access funding under their NDIS plan. This may include toilet training, feeding support, and assistance with dressing, bathing, and mobility.
How can I request self-care assistance in my NDIS plan?
- Discuss your daily care needs during your NDIS planning meeting
- Work with your support coordinator or plan manager to include appropriate services under Core Supports
- Provide evidence from allied health professionals if necessary, showing how disability impacts your daily living
Can self-care supports help build independence?
Yes! Through NDIS Improved Daily Living Skills, participants can receive skill-building support to gradually take on tasks themselves, such as:
- Learning to dress independently
- Practicing safe transfers
- Building confidence in meal preparation
Empowering Your Independence with Roaming Therapy
At Roaming Therapy, our mission is to support your independence, mobility, and wellbeing through personalised, in‑home allied health services, designed to fit with your NDIS plan and lifestyle.
Whether you need help with mobility, daily living adjustments, or therapeutic supports, our mobile allied health team brings professional care directly to your home. That means you can:
- Live more comfortably and safely at home or in your community, without the stress of travel or long wait times.
- Work on building and improving your functional skills: mobility, balance, strength, communication or daily living tasks through tailored therapy under your NDIS funding.
- Maintain choice, dignity, and control over the supports you receive, from deciding when, where, and how therapy occurs, to having input on your goals, preferences and supports.
If you’re looking for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, exercise physiology or other allied health supports, Roaming Therapy tailors its services to your specific needs and NDIS goals, helping you live with greater independence, confidence, and wellbeing.
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