What List B means
The NDIS disability requirements have several parts. One is that your impairment is permanent. Another is that it substantially reduces your functional capacity. For List B conditions, the first part is accepted once the diagnosis is confirmed, because these conditions are permanent.
The second part is not assumed. Two people with the same List B diagnosis can have very different lives, so the NDIA needs evidence about you, not just the condition.
Examples of List B conditions
List B is organised by the main type of impairment a condition causes: intellectual, neurological, physical, sensory and speech, or a combination. Examples include:
- Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
- Some chromosomal conditions where the level of impairment varies
- Some physical conditions, such as amputation that does not meet the List A criteria
- Some speech and hearing impairments that do not meet the List A thresholds
What you need to show
With a List B condition, your evidence should focus on the parts of the disability requirements that are not assumed:
- A substantial reduction in at least one of six activities: communication, social interaction, learning, mobility, self care or self management
- How the condition affects your capacity to work, study or take part in community life
- Why you are likely to need NDIS support for the rest of your life
Tips for strong evidence
The best evidence describes your real life in specific terms. "Needs help" tells the NDIA little. "Needs someone to help with showering every morning because of falls risk and fatigue" tells it a lot.
If your condition fluctuates, ask your treating professionals to describe your bad days and how often they happen. The NDIS Act allows impairments that vary in intensity, or are episodic, to be treated as permanent. Standardised assessments, such as an occupational therapist's functional capacity assessment, can add weight, but letters from professionals who know you well matter too.
Degenerative List B conditions
For progressive conditions such as motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis, early support can slow the loss of function or help your family keep supporting you. If you do not yet meet the disability requirements, the early intervention requirements may still apply. The Act specifically notes that people with a degenerative condition can meet them in some circumstances.
Remember the age limit: you must apply before you turn 65.
What changes in 2028
From 1 January 2028 access will be based on a standardised assessment of how your disability affects day to day living. A Technical Advisory Group is advising on how fluctuating, episodic and degenerative conditions are assessed, which is directly relevant to many List B conditions. Until then, the current rules apply.