What Is the NDIS? A Plain-English Guide for Perth Participants & Families in 2026
If you or someone you love has recently been told they may be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the sheer volume of acronyms, funding categories, and eligibility requirements can feel overwhelming — especially when you are also managing daily life with a disability.
You are not alone in that feeling. Thousands of Perth families ask the same question every year: what is the NDIS, and how do we actually access it? This guide was written to answer that question clearly, without jargon, and with the specific context of living and accessing support in Perth, Western Australia.
At Innovative Disability Services — an NDIS Registered Provider (Reg. No. 0405 016 4686) based in Cockburn Central — our team works with Perth participants and families at every stage of the NDIS journey. Whether you are just starting to explore your options or preparing for a plan review, this guide gives you the foundation you need. For personalised guidance, call us on 0481 780 816 or email info@innovativedisability.com.au.
What Is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme — commonly called the NDIS — is a federal government programme that provides funding and support to Australians under the age of 65 who have a permanent and significant disability. It is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which is the government body responsible for assessing applications, approving plans, and managing the scheme across Australia.
The NDIS is not a welfare payment. It is a personalised funding scheme designed to help participants achieve their goals, build independence, and participate in their community. Funding is allocated based on individual need — not a one-size-fits-all model — and is reviewed regularly as a participant’s circumstances and goals change over time.
Since Western Australia formally transitioned into the NDIS in July 2018, the scheme has expanded significantly across Perth metro and regional WA. Today, tens of thousands of Western Australians access NDIS-funded supports, from daily living assistance and home care through to Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL).
What Supports Can the NDIS Fund?
The range of supports the NDIS can fund is broad, and this is where many participants and families feel most uncertain. The scheme is designed to fund supports that are ‘reasonable and necessary’ because of your disability — which means the answer to ‘can the NDIS fund this?’ often depends on your individual circumstances and how the support is connected to your goals and disability.
In general terms, the NDIS can fund: personal care and daily living assistance, supported accommodation such as SDA and SIL, therapy services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology, assistive technology and mobility equipment, community participation and social programmes, home modifications, and support coordination to help you understand and implement your plan.
For participants in Perth who need daily personal support, our Daily Living Assistance service helps participants maintain comfort, safety, and independence in their own home or shared living environment.
For participants exploring accommodation options, our Disability Accommodation hub covers SDA, SIL, MTA, STA, and ILO — all from one registered Perth provider.
The NDIS does not fund supports that are the responsibility of other systems. For instance, it does not fund general health care that Medicare covers, school education supports that the education system provides, or everyday costs that any person would have regardless of disability.
What Is the Difference Between SDA, SIL, STA, MTA, and ILO?
One of the most common points of confusion for new NDIS participants is the range of accommodation and support acronyms. Understanding these terms helps you have more productive conversations with your support coordinator, planner, and provider.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is purpose-built housing for participants with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. SDA funding covers the cost of the physical home — not the support workers inside it.
Supported Independent Living (SIL) funds the support workers who help you live as independently as possible in a shared or individual home. SIL is about the people, not the property — you can have both SDA and SIL funding at the same time if you meet the eligibility criteria for both.
Short-Term Accommodation (STA), also called respite, provides temporary residential support for participants and gives carers a planned break. Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) offers interim housing for participants while they are waiting for their long-term home to become available. Independent Living Options (ILO) is a more flexible, individualised approach to supported living that does not fit the traditional group home model.
Learn more about our Supported Independent Living (SIL) homes and support in Perth.
Explore our Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) options, or find out about
Respite and Short-Term Accommodationhttps://innovativedisability.com.au/respite-short-term-accommodation/ for participants and carers who need a supported break.
What Is a Support Coordinator and Do I Need One?
A Support Coordinator is an NDIS-funded professional who helps participants understand their plan, connect with providers, and get the most out of their funding. Not all participants have Support Coordination in their plan — it is funded when the NDIA considers it reasonable and necessary given the participant’s complexity of support needs.
For participants who are new to the NDIS, have complex support needs, or are moving into accommodation such as SDA or SIL for the first time, Support Coordination can be an invaluable part of their plan. A good Support Coordinator helps you navigate a system that can otherwise feel impenetrable, and they work on your behalf to find providers that genuinely match your goals and preferences.
If you do not have Support Coordination in your plan but feel you need it, you can request it at your next plan review. A Local Area Coordinator can also help with some of the coordination functions during your initial access period.
Our team at Innovative Disability Services works closely with support coordinators across Perth. If you are a support coordinator looking for a registered provider for your participant, contact us at info@innovativedisability.com.au or call 0481 780 816.
How Innovative Disability Services Supports Perth NDIS Participants
Innovative Disability Services is a registered NDIS provider (Reg. No. 0405 016 4686) based in Cockburn Central, Perth’s southern corridor. We provide a full range of NDIS-funded supports under one roof — which means participants and families do not need to manage relationships with multiple providers for different parts of their plan.
Our services include Daily Living Assistance, Home Care Services, Community Participation, Respite and Short-Term Accommodation, Supported Independent Living (SIL), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Medium Term Accommodation (MTA), and Independent Living Options (ILO). Every support plan is built around the individual participant — their goals, their preferences, and their version of independence.
Participants, families, and support coordinators can reach our Cockburn Central team by calling 0481 780 816 or 0411 448 304, or by emailing info@innovativedisability.com.au. Our address is Unit 5, 1 Merino Entrance, Cockburn Central WA 6164.
Ready to explore your options? Visit our Services overview or go directly to our
Contact Us pagehttps://innovativedisability.com.au/contact-us/ to get started today.
Frequently Asked Questions
The NDIS provides personalised funding plans to Australians under 65 with a permanent and significant disability. The NDIA assesses your needs, approves a plan, and funds supports that are 'reasonable and necessary' because of your disability. You then choose registered providers to deliver those supports.
Submit an Access Request to the NDIA online, by phone (1800 800 110), or with help from a Local Area Coordinator or registered provider. You will need supporting evidence from a treating health professional. Innovative Disability Services can guide you through the process — call 0481 780 816.
Timelines vary. After submitting your Access Request, the NDIA typically contacts you within 21 days to confirm eligibility. Planning conversations and plan activation can take several more weeks depending on your location and complexity. For urgent situations, you can request priority processing.
Yes. Your NDIS plan is portable across Western Australia. Moving suburbs does not affect your plan funding — however, you should notify the NDIA of your new address and may need to connect with new providers in your area. Innovative Disability Services supports participants across Perth metro.
Yes. Our team at Cockburn Central can explain the application process, help you prepare for your planning conversation, and connect you with the right supports once your plan is approved. Call 0481 780 816 or email info@innovativedisability.com.au to speak with our team.