Who Can Get Short Term Accommodation? The NDIS Rules
To get short term accommodation (STA), a participant has to live with their family or carers, or get daily drop-in support from them, and get more than 6 hours a day of disability-related support from them long term. At least one extra factor has to apply, such as high intensity support needs or a carer whose health puts their caring role at risk. STA also has to meet the NDIS funding criteria.
What Are the Two Basic Tests?
Both of these have to be true. They come from the NDIA's short term accommodation guideline.
- You live with your primary informal supports, or get daily drop-in support from them
- You get disability-related support from them for more than 6 hours a day, on a long-term basis
Primary informal supports are the family and friends who give you most of your unpaid, active, disability-related support.
Which Extra Factors Does the NDIA Look For?
At least one of these has to apply as well.
| Factor | Example |
|---|---|
| You receive high intensity supports | Complex bowel care, enteral feeding, severe dysphagia management, tracheostomy, catheter or ventilator management, subcutaneous injections, complex wound care |
| You need intensive or complex positive behaviour support | A behaviour support plan that your family and workers use |
| You need specialist behavioural intervention support | Specialist intervention as well as day-to-day behaviour support |
| Alternate in-home supports aren't widely available where you live | A remote or rural area |
| Your carers' wellbeing or capacity to keep caring is at risk | They're ageing or unwell themselves |
| Your carers have other caring responsibilities | Young children, or other family members with disability |
Looking for a Stay?
We'll connect you with a registered STA provider who may have a stay that suits.
When Won't the NDIA Fund STA?
The guideline lists several situations where STA isn't funded.
- You live alone independently without drop-in supports, because you already have time apart
- You get more than 18 hours of paid support at home each day, whoever you live with
- You aren't actually having time apart from the people who support you
- It's a day-to-day living cost, like rent, a mortgage or utilities
- You're waiting for home modifications to be finished. Medium term accommodation may suit instead.
- You live in a supported independent living (SIL) arrangement
- You have funding for primary or supplementary individualised living options
- You're in a housing crisis. State and territory homelessness services can help.
What Are the NDIS Funding Criteria for STA?
Like every NDIS support, STA has to meet the funding criteria. For STA, the NDIA wants to know:
- the need is related to your disability support needs
- it helps you pursue your goals
- it helps you take part in the community
- it's value for money compared with other supports
- it's effective and beneficial for you
- how much support your family and other informal supports provide
The NDIA usually thinks about other supports first, such as personal care at home or a support worker for a regular community activity. Evidence about when and how often you need support helps: assessments, reports from allied health professionals and information from your providers.
Can Children Get STA?
Yes, but only in exceptional situations. The NDIA doesn't fund support that all parents are expected to give, such as helping a young child to the toilet or settling them to sleep.
A child has to live with you as their primary carer and need more than 6 hours a day of active, disability-related support, well beyond what's usual for their age. At least one extra factor has to apply, such as another household member with major disability, a carer with serious health concerns, or a risk the child could enter out-of-home care. Our guide to STA for children goes through each one.
What If the NDIA Says No?
You'll get written reasons, and you can ask for an internal review within 3 months of getting your plan.
If your situation changes, for example your carer becomes unwell, you can ask for a change to your plan at any time. Our guide to getting STA in your plan covers the evidence that helps.
Questions People Ask
What is the 6 hour rule for NDIS respite?
To get STA, you need to get more than 6 hours a day of disability-related support from your family or carers, on a long-term basis, and live with them or get daily drop-in support from them.
Can I get STA if I live alone?
Not if you live alone independently without drop-in supports. If family or friends give you significant daily drop-in support, you may be eligible.
Can I get STA if I live in SIL?
No. The NDIA won't fund STA for someone living in a supported independent living arrangement.
Is STA available for people over 65?
STA is an NDIS support, so it's for NDIS participants. The NDIA's guideline doesn't set an upper age for it.
Keep Reading
- What is STA?What NDIS short term accommodation (STA) is, who it's for, what a stay includes, how many days you can get, and why it's also called short term respite.
- Getting STA in your planHow to ask the NDIA for short term accommodation (STA): who to talk to, the evidence that helps, how the amount is decided and what to do if the answer is no.
- STA for childrenWhen the NDIS funds short term accommodation (respite) for children under 18: the tests, the extra factors, the 60 day limit and what providers must follow.
- How STA funding worksHow NDIS short term accommodation funding works: the Core budget, how the NDIA sets the amount, making it last the plan, and asking for more if needs change.
- How many days of STA?The NDIA generally funds up to 28 days of short term accommodation a year, 14 days at a time.
- How it worksHow we connect you with an STA provider, and what happens to your details.
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