What Funding Is Available for Home Modifications Through NDIS?

You deserve a home that lets you move freely, look after yourself, and invite friends or family with confidence. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can help by funding modifications that match your disability support needs. This guide explains every funding option, what is covered, what is not, and the exact steps for securing support.

Who Can Apply?

• You are an adult NDIS participant.

• Your primary residence presents barriers linked to your disability.

• An occupational therapist (OT) or home modification assessor confirms that changes are “reasonable and necessary.”

How the NDIS Groups Home Modifications

Category	Cost Threshold	Risk Level	Typical Examples	Funding Source	Evidence Needed
Simple Adaptations	Usually under $1,000	Low	Grab rails, lever taps, handheld shower heads	Core budget or Capital – Assistive Technology	Basic OT notes
Minor Category A	Under $10,000	Low	Non-structural doorway widening, small ramps	Capital – Home Modifications	OT assessment using minor template
Minor Category B	$10,000–$20,000	Moderate	Non-structural bathroom floor changes, reinforced ramps	Capital – Home Modifications	Home modification assessor report and building practitioner input
Complex	Over $20,000 or structural	High	Removing walls, stepless bathrooms, lifts, large ramps	Capital – Home Modifications	Detailed OT report, two builder quotes, independent certifier sign-off

What the NDIS Usually Funds

• Making essential rooms—entry, bedroom, bathroom, meal area—usable for you.

• Structural or non-structural changes that solve a disability-related barrier and offer value for money.

• Building construction practitioner fees when an OT states they are needed.

• Independent building certification if required for final payment.

• Hire costs for portable bathrooms or similar equipment during works.

• Short-term rent or temporary accommodation if you cannot live at home while complex works occur.

• Repairs directly caused by the approved works—such as patching a wall opened for plumbing—limited to the immediate area.

Examples of Funded Works

• Widening internal doorways from 720 mm to 920 mm to allow a power wheelchair.

• Installing a stepless shower base, repositioning taps, and adding a weighted curtain in an existing bathroom.

• Constructing a 6 m concrete ramp (gradient 1:14) with handrails to the main entrance when steps are unsafe.

• Adding home automation for lighting and blinds in bedroom and living areas for a participant with quadriplegia when manual control is impossible.

What the NDIS Will Not Fund

Excluded Item	Reason
Cosmetic tiles, designer tap ware, or luxury finishes	Not disability-related
Swimming pools, spas, steam rooms	Lifestyle choice, not disability support
Extensions that increase floor area (second storey, extra rooms)	Makes the home bigger, not safer or more accessible
Repairs to damage outside the modification zone (e.g., rising damp in another room)	General homeowner responsibility
Full electrical rewiring or switchboard upgrades without direct link to the modification	Beyond disability-related scope
Insurance premiums after modifications	Day-to-day cost
Standard rent or mortgages	Everyday living costs

Accessing Funding: Step-by-Step

1. Talk to your NDIS planner or My NDIS contact about barriers in your home.

2. Engage a qualified OT. If costs may exceed $10,000, choose an OT trained in complex home modifications.

3. Provide written approval from the homeowner, body corporate, or landlord before submitting evidence.

4. OT completes the relevant assessment template:

   • Minor: Category A or B template

   • Complex: Complex Home Modification assessment form

5. For complex works, collect two itemised builder quotes and any design drawings.

6. OT or building practitioner outlines:

   • Scope of works

   • Expected benefits (function, safety, reduced paid supports)

   • Lifespan of the solution

7. Submit evidence through your planner. NDIA reviews against funding criteria—necessity, effectiveness, safety, and value for money.

8. Once approved, funds appear in the Capital – Home Modifications budget line of your plan.

9. Sign a clear service agreement with the builder. Ensure insurance, licenses, and milestones are included.

10. Builder completes works. Obtain compliance certificates. Final payment is triggered only after practical completion and certification.

Important Considerations

• Value for money: If moving house or purchasing assistive technology is cheaper, NDIA may decline expensive structural changes.

• Future needs: Provide evidence if your disability is degenerative (e.g., multiple sclerosis) to justify solutions that suit later mobility levels.

• Temporary accommodation: Budget in your plan for short-term rent if bathroom or bedroom access is lost during works.

• Choice and control: You may pay privately for premium finishes beyond NDIS standard grade.

• Project management: NDIA may fund a Building Works Project Manager for high-risk projects.

• Regional costs: In remote areas, NDIA can treat a $22,000 job as “minor” if local building prices are higher than MMM1 benchmarks.

• Shared dwellings: Obtain body-corporate approval early; missing consent is a common delay.

• Safety first: Only engage builders with experience in NDIS projects and relevant state registrations—this is your responsibility.

Bringing It All Together

• Home modification funding sits in the Capital budget when works are “reasonable and necessary.”

• Modifications fall into simple, minor (A or B), or complex categories, each with different evidence and cost rules.

• The NDIS pays for disability-related access, safety, and functionality changes, not general renovations or luxury upgrades.

• A clear OT assessment, correct homeowner approvals, and detailed quotes speed up approval times.

• Temporary accommodation, builder project management, and related small repairs can also be funded if linked directly to the approved works.

Take charge of your home environment today. Start by listing the rooms you cannot use with ease, then book an occupational therapist who understands the NDIS. With the right evidence, you can secure the funding you need to live safely and independently every day.