Who can apply

The NDIS is designed to support people with permanent disabilities. To gain an NDIS plan, a person must first apply to the NDIS (known as "making an access request"), demonstrating that they meet the entry criteria which are set out by the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Becoming a Participant) Rules 2016.

Simply put, this means a person needs to be able to demonstrate:

• they are aged under 65 and are an Australian citizen or permanent resident who lives in Australia
• they have a disability attributed to a medical condition and it is likely to be permanent
• their disability substantially reduces their capacity to communicate, interact with others, learn, move around or look after themselves
• their disability affects their capacity to participate in society or the workforce
• they are likely to need NDIS support for their lifetime.