It seems like it’s easy to go from point A to point B, but it’s not. Moving is a major challenge for many Australians with disability, whether it’s going for a job interview, to their medical appointment, or just to catch up with friends. This is where NDIS Transport Assistance comes into play. You’re in the right place if you’re a participant, family member or a carer looking to understand how transport funding works under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This guide takes you step-by-step through what this support encompasses, how much money you may be eligible for, who is eligible and how to make your plan work harder for you, all without using jargon that is left uninterpreted.
What’s this Support Anyway?
NDIS Transport Assistance is funding allocated in an eligible participant’s plan to assist with transport if using public transport is not safe or feasible. It is part of one of four support budgets, Recurring Supports, that might be included in a plan. Of this amount, the only funded category is transport, which is why it is sometimes referred to as “recurring transport.”
This funding is intended to be simple—some supports are claimed on an item-by-item basis. Once approved, it will usually be paid to your nominated bank account on a regular basis or will be accessed through the participant portal or my NDIS app, and won’t be paid in a stack of receipts for each individual trip.
It’s all about eliminating transport as an obstacle to employment, education and participation. This funding is there to help when you find it really hard to get on a bus, train or tram without the help of other people due to a disability.
Three Lanes of Funding – Understanding Levels of Support
This support is designed in three different tiers to accommodate the needs of everyone who is not able to use the same level of assistance to move around based on how much they are out and about for work, study or everyday life.
Level 1 Community access
Up to $1,784 a year. For individuals who are not employed, enrolled in school or engaged in some type of day program, but still wish to have access to and participate in their community.
Level 2 Part-time work or study
$ up to 2,676 per year. Use this if you work or study part-time (up to 15 hours per week), attend day programs or are regularly engaged in social, recreational or leisure activities.
Level 3 Work or study
up to $3,456 a year. Participants who are employed or are students and work or study a minimum of 15 hours per week.
These figures are updated on a regular basis, so be sure to check the latest figures for your planner, or the official NDIS website before you plan around these figures. The NDIA may approve funding more than these amounts, for instance if you need an additional amount for travel to meet your employment or training goals, but you will typically need to provide evidence that the standard amount of funding is not sufficient.
Taxis, Rideshares and Beyond: What is Your Budget Worth?
By design, this funding is flexible. Once in your plan, it can typically be utilised for:
- Taxis (including wheelchair accessible taxis)
- Rideshare services such as Uber or Ola
- Any other private transport which takes you where you need to go
It’s important to be aware of how it differs from a few other transport-related supports that can be confused with it:
Provider/support worker travel: When a support worker drives you to a place as part of another support, this is typically not recorded in your transport funding, but rather in your Core Supports funding.
Vehicle modifications: If you have a car and you need to modify it, e.g. make wheelchair hoists or hand controls, this is often part of Capital Supports for assistive technology.
Travel training: If training to travel in public transport without assistance is the objective, that type of training is typically included in Capacity Building.
Having the buckets clearly designated by cost makes it easier to avoid confusion when you’re claiming, and prevents you from running out of funds for your transport budget on a claim you could have spent another place.
Identifying who is eligible for support, in order to clear the On-Ramp
This is fundamentally about one question – “Is it reasonable to expect you to be able to use public transport safely and independently due to your disability? If you say no—or only with a great deal of effort you’ll probably meet the bar.
Typically, you will qualify if you:
- Are a registered NDIS participant.
- Do not have the ability to use buses, trains or trams without significant difficulty as a result of your disability
- Require transport to achieve goals outlined in a plan, including working, learning, health and social care and community activities.
- Do not already meet that need reasonably by members of a family, carers and existing support network
That’s the last one that’s important to everyone. When deciding to approve funded transport, for children in particular, the NDIA takes into account what is considered reasonable for family members or carers to provide. This doesn’t mean that if you have family nearby that you can’t get support, but rather it means that your planning talk should be honest about what is realistic and sustainable in the long term.
Two Schemes, One Trip: The Mix of State Subsidies and Your Plan
One thing that many riders do not know is that the support could be combined with their state and territory’s taxi subsidy scheme, not instead of it. For instance, in New South Wales, the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme pays 50% of the fare up to $60; and in Queensland and the ACT, the fare levels are similar to the equivalent state-based schemes.
That is how the two are usually used: the amount of the subsidy lowers the fare and your funding pays for the portion that is not covered by the subsidy. If a taxi costs $40 and half of that cost is subsidised by the state, then your NDIS funding only needs to cover the other 50% or $20, a much more efficient use of a limited annual budget.
If you have not applied for your state scheme yet, it is typically an application made to your state transport authority – it is usually a free, separate application and is definitely worth doing at the same time as planning your NDIS plan.
Fuel for Thought: Making Your Budget Go the Distance
When budget month is month nine, you don’t need the same transport budget when it’s month twelve. There are some small things you can do to make your funding last the entire plan period:
- Before getting on a ride share or taxi, check the cost and find out that sometimes there can be a significant difference in fares for the same ride.
- Check with the local council or disability service providers about the possibility of using community transport for regular trips, as this can be more cost-effective.
- If self-managed, keep a simple record of trips and costs to always know how much funding you have left.
- If you’re plan-managed, be sure to discuss direct-invoicing with your plan manager early on (some taxi services do this; it avoids any up-front charges and waiting for reimbursement).
The method of handling your funding can also impact the way that it’s paid. For those self-managed, you may have to pay first and claim later. For plan-managed plans, the plan management team will deal with the claims and billing. If you have a legacy or NDIA-managed arrangement, you may receive funding as a regular fortnightly payment directly into your account.
Common participant pitfalls: Potholes to Avoid
Even a well-thought-out transport budget can fall apart if a couple of common traps get you; however:
- This funding is not always inbuilt in all plans: this is funding that is not assumed when it comes to all plans. If it is needed, discuss it specifically at your planning meeting, and include evidence (such as a report from an occupational therapist).
- Recurring funding for a travel time support worker is confusing as the transport time is not used to support your daily needs and can leave you short on funding for your day-to-day travel at the end of your plan.
- Remember not to include the Mobility Allowance transition – If you were previously receiving a Mobility Allowance, you will not continue to receive this once you register for the NDIS, and won’t automatically get included in your plan. It needs to be discussed and documented separately.
- Not taking advantage of the free taxi subsidy card: The opportunity to use a free taxi subsidy card to travel to an additional destination is lost when it is not used, which means paying full fare for another trip that could last for just as long.
They are not difficult when you know about them, and it is important to meet with your Local Area Coordinator, NDIA planner, or a support coordinator prior to your next plan review.
Looking for a New Level of Success? You’ve got your next step starting here
Transport should never be a barrier to someone’s ability to work, attend a medical appointment or spend time with their family and friends. NDIS Transport Assistance has been created for that reason, and like any other component of a plan, it is best to know what you’re entitled to and how to access it. No matter if it’s your first plan meeting or you are reviewing a plan that has been in place, discuss your day-to-day transportation requirements with your planner, LAC, or support coordinator. Just a little talk can lead to big independence.
FAQs
1. What is NDIS Transport Assistance?
NDIS Transport Assistance is a type of support in an eligible person’s NDIS plan to assist with transport expenses, including taxis, rideshare or private transport where it would be unsafe and/or unreasonable for them to do this on their own. This is paid within the Recurring Supports budget and is for access to work, study, medical services and social interaction.
2. What is the maximum amount of transport funding that I can receive from the NDIS?
Typically, funding ranges from $1,784 per year for occasional community access, to $2,676 per year for part-time work or study, to $3,456 per year for work or study 15 hours or more per week. This varies according to each person’s situation and will be discussed at plan meetings.
3. Am I allowed to use NDIS funding to pay for an Uber or other ride-share services?
Yes, in most cases this funding may be utilised by the ride-hailing services such as Uber or Ola, in addition to taxis and private transportation. As a self-managed person, you will likely cover the expense and try to keep an account of it; for those using a plan, contact the plan manager for information about claims processing.
4. May I use a state taxi subsidy card in conjunction with my NDIS funding?
In most cases, yes. Some taxi subsidies are actually implemented as a reduction on the taxi fare, and then the balance of transport funding is used to pay the fare. This is the case for taxi subsidies in NSW, for example, the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme. It’s typically most cost-effective to use both together for the day-to-day taxi use.
5. Who can access NDIS Transport Assistance?
You are generally eligible if you are an NDIS participant who has a disability that prevents you from being able to use public transport safely or independently, and support is required to enable you to access your goals and participate in your community, such as attending work, school or training. The NDIA also takes into account what a family, carers or existing support network can reasonably give.
6. Does NDIS transport funding include fuel costs for family members to drive me?
NO, it is not ongoing transport funding to pay for fuel bills or family transport. It’s for disability-specific transportation services, like a taxi, rideshare or other private transport and not for family members to provide their own car.
7. If my transport funding expires before the end of my plan, what will I do?
If your funding is being depleted prematurely, it is unlikely to be supplemented until the next plan period, so it is important to plan for the use of funding and to use it in conjunction with a state taxi subsidy if available. If your transport requirements have substantially altered, you can meet with your planner/ Local Area Coordinator to discuss a plan reassessment.
