Turning 65 on the NDIS: staying on the NDIS or moving to aged care
By the Supportd team · Checked against official sources on 26 October 2026
The short answer
An NDIS participant does not have to leave the NDIS when they turn 65: under the NDIS Act, they stop being a participant if, after turning 65, they start accessing ongoing funded aged care services on a permanent basis, other than under a specialist aged care program. Because the NDIS only accepts access requests made before age 65, a person who leaves after 65 cannot rejoin, so compare both systems carefully before making the move.
The two rules that matter
Section 22 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 says a person meets the age requirements if they were aged under 65 when their access request was made. Joining the NDIS has to start before 65.
Section 29 lists when a person stops being a participant. One of the reasons is that they start accessing ongoing funded aged care services on a permanent basis, other than under a specialist aged care program, and this first happens after they turn 65. Turning 65 on its own is not one of the reasons.
Staying on the NDIS after 65
If your parent joined the NDIS before 65, they can keep their NDIS plan after their birthday. Nothing in the Act requires them to move to aged care because of their age.
Before your parent starts any government funded aged care service after turning 65, check with the NDIA (1800 800 110) whether it would count as ongoing aged care on a permanent basis, because that is the step that ends NDIS participation.
Why it is hard to go back
The age requirement looks at your parent’s age on the day an access request is made. Someone who leaves the NDIS after turning 65 would be 65 or older on any new request, so they would not meet the age requirement again. Treat a move to aged care after 65 as permanent.
A participant can also ask to withdraw from the NDIS. If they do, the NDIA must explain the consequences in writing and give a cooling off period of at least 90 days, during which the request can be cancelled.
What to compare before deciding
Aged care is a different system with different rules, so it helps to compare the two side by side for your parent’s situation:
- What their NDIS plan funds now, and what an aged care assessment would approve. Support at Home has 8 classifications with set quarterly budgets and separate short term pathways.
- What they would pay. Support at Home asks for contributions towards independence and everyday living services based on an income and assets assessment, while clinical supports have no contribution.
- Which providers they would keep. Government funded aged care must be delivered by a provider registered with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, so check whether their current workers could continue.
- Whether they have needs that aged care would not cover in the same way, and how they would be met.
An aged care advocate from the Older Persons Advocacy Network (1800 700 600) can help you understand the aged care side, and a support coordinator or the NDIA can help with the NDIS side.
If your parent is 65 or over and not on the NDIS
If your parent is already 65 or older and has never been an NDIS participant, aged care is the path. It starts with an assessment through My Aged Care. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can be assessed from 50.
If your parent is under 65 and has been found not eligible for aged care, My Aged Care suggests looking into the NDIS through an access request.
Next steps
- Read the full picture in Support at Home explained.
- Browse home care providers by suburb, Support at Home funded or private.
- Ask us to find home care for your parent. A real person looks for providers near them, free for families.
- Look up unfamiliar words in the aged care glossary.
Supportd is a directory of providers. We are not a care provider, we are not part of My Aged Care, and we cannot assess eligibility or speed up funding.
Tell us what your parent needs
Leave your details and a real person on our team will look for help at home near you and come back to you within a few hours.
Common questions
Do you have to leave the NDIS when you turn 65?
No. Turning 65 does not end NDIS participation. Under the NDIS Act, a participant stops being a participant if, after turning 65, they start accessing ongoing funded aged care services on a permanent basis, other than under a specialist aged care program.
Can you apply for the NDIS after 65?
No. The NDIS Act says a person meets the age requirements only if they were under 65 when their access request was made.
If my dad moves to aged care at 66, can he go back to the NDIS?
In practice, no. A new access request would be made after 65, so he would not meet the age requirement. Treat the move as permanent and compare both systems first.
Can my parent leave the NDIS voluntarily?
Yes. A participant can ask the NDIA to withdraw. The NDIA must explain the consequences and allow a cooling off period of at least 90 days, during which the request can be cancelled.
Can Supportd help with both?
Supportd lists NDIS providers and, since October 2026, aged care at home providers, and many providers do both. We do not give advice on whether to stay on the NDIS; talk to the NDIA, your support coordinator or an advocate about that.
Related guides
Sources
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, sections 22, 29 and 29A (Federal Register of Legislation, compilation of 1 October 2026)
- Receiving your assessment outcome (My Aged Care)
- Support at Home costs and contributions (My Aged Care)
- Support at Home participant contributions (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing)
- Provider registration (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission)
- Seeking support from an advocate (My Aged Care)
- Should I apply? (My Aged Care)
General information only, last checked on 26 October 2026. Rules, wait times and amounts change, so check the official sources for the latest. For advice about your own situation, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.