AT assessor and AT advisor: the same role, different depth
The NDIA uses both terms. An AT advisor is a qualified practitioner who gives advice about assistive technology. When the equipment is expensive or complex and the NDIA needs a full report, that work is often called an AT assessment and the person an AT assessor.
What matters is how much evidence the NDIA needs, which depends on the cost of each item.
What evidence you need at each cost level
- Low cost AT, under $1,500: usually no formal evidence from an advisor
- Mid cost AT, $1,500 to $15,000: written evidence from an AT advisor that the item meets your disability support needs and is the most cost effective way to reach your goals. An email, letter or short report can be enough
- High cost AT, over $15,000: a full assessment by a qualified AT assessor, plus a quote for the recommended item
Who can be an AT assessor or advisor
The NDIA accepts advice from qualified practitioners with expertise in the type of AT you need. These include:
- Occupational therapists, for wheelchairs, seating, hoists, beds, bathroom equipment and daily living aids
- Physiotherapists, for mobility, walking and standing equipment
- Speech pathologists, for communication devices and mealtime equipment
- Audiologists, for hearing equipment
- Orthotists and prosthetists, for orthoses and prostheses
- Podiatrists, for footwear and foot orthoses
- Continence nurses, for continence equipment
- Rehabilitation engineers, for customised and complex equipment
- Orientation and mobility specialists, for vision related AT
- Assistive technology mentors with recognised qualifications, for some items
How to choose the right assessor
Pick someone who prescribes your type of equipment regularly. A complex power wheelchair, an eye gaze communication device or a ceiling hoist each need specific experience, and that experience shows in the quality of the report and the chance of approval.
Ask whether they will arrange trials, how many hours they expect including report writing, and whether they work with a range of suppliers rather than one. Independence from the supplier helps you get the option that suits you, not the one in stock.
What it costs and who pays
Assessment time is usually funded from your Capacity Building budget, typically improved daily living skills, and charged by the hour up to the NDIS price limit for that profession. For example, occupational therapy is capped at $193.99 an hour and physiotherapy at $183.99 an hour in most of Australia in 2026/27. Report writing counts, so ask for an estimate of total hours first.
The equipment itself is paid from your Capital budget. Capital supports are not part of the October 2026 funding reset, and customised and wearable technology is protected from it. Check how much improved daily living skills funding you have left, though, as that budget is reduced by 10% when your plan is reassessed or renewed.
For providers giving AT advice
Write for an NDIA delegate who has never met the participant. Link each recommendation to a functional need and a goal, show the cheaper options you considered and why they will not work, and include trial results. Use the NDIA's AT assessment templates where they exist.
Agree your hours, including report writing, in the service agreement before you start. If the participant is agency managed, they can only use registered providers.
Changes to keep in mind
Under new framework planning, which starts gradually from 1 April 2027, the support needs assessment includes targeted assessment processes. The government lists assessments from an allied health professional for assistive technology, home and vehicle modifications and disability related health supports as examples. AT advisors will remain an important part of the evidence.