What counts as an informal support
Informal supports are called informal because nobody is paid and there is no formal agreement. They are the ordinary things people do for each other: a parent helping a child get ready, a friend giving you a lift, a neighbour checking in, or a local club welcoming you as a member.
They matter in two ways. They are often better than paid support at some things, such as building friendships and belonging. And they are part of the legal test the NDIA uses to decide what to fund.
How the NDIA weighs informal supports
One of the reasonable and necessary criteria in the NDIS Act is that funding a support takes account of what it is reasonable to expect families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide. The NDIA cannot fund supports that an ordinary person would think it reasonable for family, friends or community to provide.
For adults, the NDIA considers the risks to you and your informal supports if you rely on them, and how their help affects your independence. It also looks at whether the arrangement is sustainable:
- How old your carers are and their capacity to keep providing support
- Whether other family members and the community can help
- Whether the type and intensity of support is appropriate for them to provide
- Any long term risks to their health, safety and wellbeing
Children and what parents are expected to provide
It is normal for parents to provide almost all the care young children need, and the NDIA takes that into account. For example, it treats driving a child to after school activities as something parents usually do. The NDIA focuses on support your child needs that is substantially greater than other children the same age, because of their disability.
From 1 February 2027 the law spells out what parents are expected to provide anyway, including supervision, personal care, transport, emotional support and behavioural support. It does not include the extra support a child needs because of their disability compared with children of a similar age. The NDIA must also consider the risk of harm to families and informal supports if a support is not funded.
What the NDIS can fund to sustain informal supports
The NDIS does not pay family members to provide supports, except in very limited situations. But it can fund supports that help your informal network keep going, such as:
- Short term accommodation, giving you and your carers time apart
- Training for family and carers so they can help you build skills
- Support workers for tasks that are no longer safe or sustainable for family
- Capacity building that grows your own independence, so you rely less on others
When your informal supports change
A significant and ongoing change in your informal supports, such as a parent becoming unwell or a carer moving away, is one of the reasons you can ask for a plan variation or an unscheduled reassessment. If the change is sudden and you need support urgently, ask for a plan variation: the NDIA can add funding quickly for a set period while it looks at your plan.
Since 27 August 2026 only you, your nominee or your guardian can ask for an unscheduled reassessment, and only for significant and ongoing changes. Write changes down as they happen, with dates.
Describing your situation honestly
Families often understate what they do, or say they can keep doing it when they cannot. At your planning meeting, describe a typical week: who helps with what, how often, and what it costs them in sleep, work or health. Say clearly what is not sustainable. Carers can also get help in their own right through Carer Gateway.