Our Plan Managers and Support Coordinators assist those living with disability to access funding and support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Supporting a person living with disability may include home modifications, and we can help by explaining what NDIA support for home mods can look like.

What are home modifications?

Home modifications are any changes to the structure, layout, or fittings of your home. These changes may allow safer access, or easier or more comfortable movement around your home.

Home modifications can range from simple to complex, and may include constructing ramps, widening doorways, adding safety modifications such as grab rails, or the installing an automated environmental control system.

Does the NDIS fund home modifications?

An NDIA planner will approve funding for home modifications so long as they are deemed reasonable or necessary. Reasonable modifications are those which all people should have fair access to, and necessary modifications are those which are needed for the participant to manage their disability. Modifications over $1500 first require an Occupational Therapist to complete a home assessment of your needs and to report on the costs involved.

What home modifications will the NDIS fund?

Home modifications can be included in your NDIS plan as long as they are deemed reasonable or necessary. Most standard modifications or fittings will be funded, and participants can even choose to contribute their own money for more expensive modifications which provide an equivalent amount of support as a cheaper alternative. Funded modifications must be due to:

• the impact of your disability limiting you or your carers’ ability to reasonably access frequently used spaces or rooms in your home
• your home having a significant negative impact on your living situation or care arrangement in its current state
• a recommendation from a qualified Occupational Therapist after they have performed a home assessment. This includes considering all possible alternatives such as the use of mobility tools or equipment. An Occupational Therapist will generally be required regardless to access to effectiveness of the home modifications, their ability to meet your support needs, and their impact on your potential future needs.

In some circumstances, the NDIA will fund costs incidental to home modifications, as long as they are still deemed reasonable or necessary. This may include short term rent payments if the participant needs an out of home stay during the home modification work. In extreme cases, it may also fund costs related to moving the participant to a new primary residence if this is the most reasonable option available.

What home modifications won’t the NDIS fund?

There are several rules of thumb when it comes to what home modifications the NDIS will likely not fund. The first is any changes which are not reasonable or necessary. Funding will not be provided to support day-to-day living costs affected by the home modification such as rent, groceries and bills. It will also not fund costs incidental to home modifications such as cleaning chemicals, paint, or lawn fertiliser. Some specific supports not fundable include:

• Fixtures, fittings, or materials above standard grade
• Swimming pools or spas for hydrotherapy
• Pre-existing house damage discovered as part of modification work
• Ongoing repairs and maintenance to non-specialised structures, fixtures or fittings even if they form part of the modification work, such as repainting
• The removal of home modifications if they are no longer required
• Modifications to group homes
• Building add-ons, such as the addition of entirely new rooms

Further Information

For more information on home modification funding through the NDIS, contact a member of the InFocus support team by calling 1800 928 437 or email enquiries@infocusdisability.org.au