What the rules say
Since 3 October 2024 the NDIS Supports Transitional Rules have listed supports that generally are not NDIS supports. Massage appears in three places:
- Under wellness and coaching, which the Rules class as not evidence based: massage that is not provided by an allied health professional for disability related purposes
- Under clothing and beauty: hand or foot massage or treatments, alongside manicures and pedicures
- Under energy and healing practices: frequency healing and energy balanced massage
Why most massage is not funded
The NDIS funds supports that relate to your disability and help you build or keep your ability to do everyday things. Massage for relaxation, general wellbeing or to ease muscle tension is treated as a general health or lifestyle cost.
Treating pain or a body part is mostly the health system's job. The NDIS Pricing Arrangements have said therapy items cannot be used for massage delivered directly to impact a body part or body system, because the health system is the more appropriate funder.
What can be funded instead
Hands on techniques are not banned. They can be part of therapy when an allied health professional uses them within a broader, goal based program. For example:
- A physiotherapist working on your mobility, spasticity management or positioning, with stretching and exercises you and your supporters can continue
- An occupational therapist building your daily living skills, which may include sensory strategies
- A therapist training your support workers or family in a maintenance routine, such as stretches, as part of your daily care
- Hydrotherapy run by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist as part of your therapy
What it costs
For 2026/27 the NDIS price limit for physiotherapy is $183.99 an hour and for occupational therapy $193.99 an hour in most of Australia. Therapy is usually paid from the improved daily living skills part of your Capacity Building budget.
Since 1 October 2026, improved daily living skills budgets are reduced by 10% when a plan is created, reassessed or renewed. Plan your therapy hours with that in mind.
If massage really helps you
Some people find regular massage makes a real difference to pain, sleep or stiffness. If that is you, talk to your physiotherapist or occupational therapist about which parts of that benefit can be built into a funded therapy program, such as a home stretching routine that your support workers are trained to help with.
For massage itself, private health insurance extras cover or paying privately are the usual options. Medicare may cover some allied health sessions through a chronic condition management plan from your GP.
For providers
Do not claim massage as an NDIS support, even under a therapy item, unless it is genuinely part of allied health therapy for a disability related purpose. Describe the therapy, goals and outcomes clearly in your notes and invoices. Plan managers often query invoices that mention massage.