What Does NDIS Consider a Disability?

The NDIS does not care about the name of your diagnosis as much as it cares about how your condition stops you from doing everyday tasks. To get NDIS funding, your disability must be permanent and significantly reduce your ability to perform daily tasks. Many people think a doctor's letter with a diagnosis is enough to get access. It is not. You must prove that your condition stops you from looking after yourself, moving around, managing your life, or communicating.

What counts as a disability for NDIS?

To count as a disability, your condition must meet several rules set by the government. First, the disability must be permanent or likely to be permanent. There must be no medical treatment that can cure it. Second, the disability must reduce your functional capacity. This means it stops you from doing basic tasks. Third, the disability must affect your social or economic participation. It must make it hard to get a job or take part in your community. Fourth, you must need support from the NDIS for the rest of your life. Fifth, the support you need must be specific to your disability, rather than general healthcare.

When I helped a client apply for support, they had severe back pain. The NDIS rejected the first application. The doctor had written that the client had degenerate disc disease. The NDIS does not fund degenerate disc disease because it is a medical condition that doctors can treat. We applied again. This time, we showed that the client could not stand up to cook a meal, could not wash their own hair, could not shop, and could not drive a car. The NDIS approved the second application because we showed the functional impact.

What are the 14 categories of disabilities?

The NDIS does not officially group its funding into 14 categories. However, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare uses 14 main groups to classify disabilities. Knowing these categories helps you understand where your condition fits.

Here are the 14 categories:

1. Intellectual disability: This affects learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. People with this disability might need help managing money or learning daily routines.
2. Autism spectrum disorder: This impacts communication and social interaction. It often affects how a person processes sensory input like loud noises or bright lights.
3. Cerebral palsy: This affects movement, muscle tone, and posture. It is caused by brain damage before or during birth.
4. Down syndrome: This is a genetic condition that causes intellectual and physical delays. It requires lifetime support.
5. Acquired brain injury: This is damage to the brain that happens after birth. It can come from accidents, strokes, or illnesses.
6. Multiple sclerosis: This affects the central nervous system and disrupts muscle control. It is a progressive disease.
7. Parkinson's disease: This is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, balance, and coordination.
8. Stroke: This causes sudden damage to brain cells and leads to physical or cognitive loss.
9. Spinal cord injury: This causes loss of movement or sensation below the injury site.
10. Blindness and vision impairment: This is severe loss of sight that glasses, surgery, or medicine cannot fix.
11. Deafness and hearing impairment: This is severe loss of hearing that hearing aids do not fully resolve.
12. Psychosocial disability: This includes severe mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
13. Speech impairment: This makes it difficult to speak, use language, or be understood by others.
14. Neurological conditions: This includes conditions like epilepsy, motor neurone disease, Huntington's disease, or muscular dystrophy.

If your condition is on this list, you still must prove it causes a permanent reduction in your daily functioning. The category alone does not guarantee funding.

Is renal failure covered by NDIS?

Renal failure is not covered by the NDIS if you only need medical treatment. The Australian health system pays for medical treatments like kidney dialysis, surgery, and medication. The NDIS does not fund medical treatments.

But you can get NDIS funding if renal failure causes a permanent disability.

I know this because one of my clients had end-stage renal failure. They needed dialysis multiple times a week. The NDIS refused to fund their transport to dialysis because that is a medical service. However, the renal failure had caused severe peripheral neuropathy. The client lost all feeling in their feet and could no longer walk without falling. They also suffered from severe cognitive fatigue. We applied for NDIS funding based on these secondary conditions. The NDIS approved funding for a wheelchair, home modifications, assistive cutlery, and a support worker to help with grocery shopping.

If you have renal failure, do not ask the NDIS to fund your kidney treatments. Ask the NDIS to fund the supports you need because you cannot walk, clean, shop, or cook due to the damage the renal failure has done to your body.

Can you get NDIS for Crohn's disease?

You can get NDIS funding for Crohn's disease, but only if the disease causes permanent, severe functional impairment that medical treatments cannot fix. Crohn's disease is a chronic medical condition. The NDIS expects the health system to manage it through medication, diet, and surgery.

To get NDIS for Crohn's disease, you must prove that you have tried all medical treatments and still have severe, permanent functional limitations.

When we assisted a client with severe Crohn's disease, they had undergone multiple bowel surgeries. They had a permanent stoma. Even after all treatments, they experienced unpredictable bowel movements, severe fatigue, skin issues, and joint pain. They could not leave the house without planning every bathroom stop. They could not hold a regular job.

We proved that their condition was fully treated but still caused permanent functional damage. The NDIS approved funding for incontinence products, personal care support, and specialized training to help them exercise safely. You must show that your Crohn's disease stops you from taking part in daily life, and that no doctor can cure it.

How does the NDIS define functional capacity?

The NDIS uses a system of six domains to measure your functional capacity. You must show a severe reduction in at least one of these areas.

The first area is communication. This is more than speaking. It is about understanding what people say to you and making yourself understood. If you need a device to talk, or if you cannot understand simple instructions, you have a communication deficit. This includes speaking, writing, reading, and listening.

The second area is social interaction. This is your ability to make friends, talk to strangers, and manage your behavior. If your condition makes you act in ways that are unsafe to others, or if you cannot read social cues, you meet this criteria.

The third area is learning. This is how you take in new information. It includes your ability to learn a new skill, remember things, or follow a list of tasks.

The fourth area is mobility. This is how you move around. It includes walking, getting out of bed, bending down, and using public transport. If you need a wheelchair, crutches, or a person to hold your arm, you have a mobility deficit. This is where physical support services help. For example, a specialized NDIS personal trainer can help you build strength to maintain your mobility, which you can read about on our NDIS Personal Trainer Melbourne page.

The fifth area is self-care. This is how you clean and feed yourself. It includes showering, dressing, using the toilet, and preparing food.

The sixth area is self-management. This is how you run your life. It includes paying your rent, scheduling appointments, budgeting, and maintaining safety.

To get NDIS funding, you must show that your impairment is permanent and that it blocks you from doing things in these areas without help from another person or an assistive device.

What is the mistake most people make when applying?

Most guides tell you to get a letter from your specialist stating your diagnosis. This is bad advice. A diagnosis is only ten percent of the application. The NDIS does not care about the medical name of your disease. They care about your daily struggles.

When I work with clients, I tell them to stop focusing on the medical terms. Do not spend pages explaining what the disease is. Instead, write down what a bad day looks like.

For example, do not say "I have chronic fatigue syndrome." Say "On three days out of five, I cannot lift my head off the pillow to get a glass of water. I cannot wash my own hair because my arms feel too heavy. I need my partner to cook all my meals because standing at the stove makes me dizzy."

This functional description is what gets applications approved. The NDIS wants to know what you cannot do, why you cannot do it, and what support will help you do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is anxiety covered by NDIS?

Anxiety can be covered by the NDIS if it is diagnosed as a severe, permanent psychosocial disability. You must show that you have tried all standard treatments, like therapy and medication, and still cannot leave the house, manage your hygiene, or socialize.

How do I prove my disability is permanent?

You prove permanency by providing letters from your treating specialists. The letters must state that you have tried all available medical treatments and that your functional capacity will not improve.

Can I get NDIS for temporary injuries?

No, the NDIS does not cover temporary injuries. If you break your leg or undergo surgery that requires six months of recovery, you must use the health system. The NDIS is only for conditions that last a lifetime.

What if my application is rejected?

If the NDIS rejects your application, you can request an Internal Review. You must do this within three months of the decision. You should submit new evidence that focuses on your functional capacity.

How should you start your application?

To get approved for the NDIS, stop trying to prove how sick you are. Instead, prove how much help you need to live a basic life. Focus every document on what you cannot do without support.

Here are the steps you need to take:

• Schedule an assessment with an occupational therapist to document your daily functional limitations.
• Ask your doctor to write a report that details your functional capacity in the six NDIS domains, rather than just listing your diagnoses.
• Keep a two-week diary logging every task you need help with, from showering to managing bills.
• Check if your condition is on List A or List B to know how much evidence you will need to gather.

About the author

Armstrong Lazenby

BSc (Human Nutrition) registered nutritionist. Bachelor of Science (Exercise Science major) Master of Sports Medicine.

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