What day to day living costs are
Day to day living costs are the ordinary expenses of running a life: a roof over your head, food, power, a phone, clothes and getting around. Everyone has them, with or without a disability.
The NDIS is designed to fund supports you need because of your disability. So the starting rule is simple: if a cost is one that anyone in your situation would have, it is yours to pay from your own income, such as wages, the Disability Support Pension or other payments.
What the law says is excluded
Since 3 October 2024 the NDIS Supports Transitional Rules have listed supports that generally are not NDIS supports. Several groups on that list are labelled day to day living costs:
- Accommodation and household: rent, bonds, mortgage repayments, strata fees, rates, water, gas and electricity bills, standard home repairs, standard furniture and household items
- Food and groceries: all food, drinks, cleaning and household products, takeaway and food delivery platforms
- Lifestyle: phones, tablets, modems, phone and internet plans, standard computers, streaming, recreational club and gym memberships, event tickets
- Clothing and beauty: standard clothing and footwear, haircuts, cosmetics, jewellery and watches
- Finance: insurance, school and tuition fees, legal costs, debts and loan repayments
- Travel and transport: holidays, airfares, buying a car, registration, petrol and standard mechanical repairs
- Pets: buying, feeding and caring for pets, other than an approved assistance animal
Where the NDIS pays the disability part
Many everyday activities have a disability related part the NDIS can fund, even though the basic cost stays with you. The Rules themselves draw these lines:
- Meals: groceries are excluded, but meal preparation and delivery is an NDIS support. A meal service that shows the food cost separately from preparation and delivery can be used, with you paying the food part
- Food for health needs: modified foods, including those for tube (PEG) feeding, are listed as NDIS supports
- Clothing: standard clothing is excluded, but modified or adaptive clothing is included
- Household items: standard appliances are excluded, but the additional cost of an item with accessibility features you need can be funded
- Furniture: standard furniture is excluded, but furniture adapted or made for your movement, positioning or safety needs is an assistive product
- Cars: buying a car is excluded, but vehicle modifications and the extra insurance and certification costs they cause are included
Housing: rent stays with you
Rent is a day to day living cost even if you live in disability housing. If you live in Specialist Disability Accommodation, the NDIS pays the SDA funding for the specialist home, and you pay the provider a capped reasonable rent contribution. If you receive Supported Independent Living, the NDIS pays for the support, while you pay rent, food and bills as you would anywhere else.
The exceptions are short and specific. Medium Term Accommodation and the accommodation part of Short Term Accommodation are funded while they are in your plan, because they exist for disability related reasons.
Replacement supports: a narrow exception
Under the current Rules, a few excluded items can be bought with NDIS funding if the NDIA approves them in writing as a replacement support. Only two groups qualify: standard household items that replace a worker or disability specific equipment, and tablets, smartphones, smart watches and accessibility or communication apps that you need because of your disability. You must get approval before you buy.
The government consulted on removing the replacement supports process in August to October 2026, with devices able to be included as stated supports instead. That is a proposal, not law yet.
Tips to avoid problems
- Ask for invoices that separate any everyday cost, such as food or entry fees, from the disability support
- If you are unsure, check with your plan manager or the NDIA before you buy, and keep the answer in writing
- If you are self managed, remember the NDIA can ask you to repay money spent on things that are not NDIS supports
- If everyday costs are a struggle, ask Services Australia about Commonwealth Rent Assistance and other payments, and talk to a financial counsellor