The six activities
Section 24 of the NDIS Act lists six activities. You need a substantial reduction in at least one of them, and each is considered as a whole:
- Communication: being understood, and understanding others, in spoken, written or sign language
- Social interaction: making and keeping friendships, behaving appropriately in groups, coping with feelings
- Learning: understanding and remembering information, learning new things and using new skills
- Mobility: moving around your home and community, getting in and out of bed or a chair, using your arms and legs
- Self care: showering, dressing, eating, toileting and caring for your own health
- Self management: planning and organising your day, making decisions, handling money and problems
What substantially reduced means
The NDIS (Becoming a Participant) Rules 2016 explain it. Your capacity in an activity is substantially reduced if, because of your impairment:
- You cannot take part effectively or completely without assistive technology, equipment or home modifications, other than commonly used items such as glasses
- You usually need help from other people, including physical help, guidance, supervision or prompting
- You cannot take part in the activity at all, even with equipment or help
What does not count against you
The NDIS Act defines functional capacity as your ability to do an activity without help from others, apart from everyday aids you would ordinarily use, such as glasses or a walking stick. For a child, help that is normal for their age is allowed for.
It also looks at your capacity in a context that excludes, as far as possible, the effect of your environment and personal circumstances. In practice the question is what your impairment stops you doing, not what your current home or situation happens to make easy or hard.
How it is shown
Evidence usually comes from treating professionals who can describe what you can and cannot do. Standardised assessments give the NDIA scores it recognises. Common ones include WHODAS 2.0 for adults, Vineland-3 and PEDI-CAT for children, and the LSP-16 for psychosocial disability.
An occupational therapist's functional capacity assessment often covers all six areas in one report. It is not required, but it can help when your situation is complex or your diagnosis alone does not show the impact.
Tips for describing your functioning
- Describe a typical day, and a bad day, step by step
- Say how often you need help, who gives it and what happens without it
- Count prompting and supervision as help. Many people leave them out
- Give examples, such as missed meals, unpaid bills, falls or lost jobs
- If your capacity fluctuates, say how often and for how long
What changes from 1 January 2028
From 1 January 2028 access will be based on a standardised, evidence based assessment of how your disability affects day to day living. Existing participants will be reassessed against the new criteria progressively over 3 years and told well in advance. In that assessment you can use the everyday aids you normally use, and children can have age appropriate help. You can still ask for a review of any access decision.