Latest NDIS Figures Show Growth

The latest quarterly report for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) shows the scheme is on time, on budget, and has very high participant satisfaction.

The NDIS is currently operating in seven trial sites and the transition to full national coverage is expected to start from July next year.

Key findings of the report include:

• Participant satisfaction remains very high with 95 per cent rating their NDIS experience as “good” or “very good”.

• 13,646 people have been found eligible for the NDIS, with 11,029 having approved individualised support plans in place by the end of December.

• More than $565.3 million has been committed to these participants.

• The average package cost is $35,300, which is below the funding expectation of $36,750.

• The average length of time from application to commencement of services has increased since the last quarterly report to 100 days (up from 95 days). Time taken to commence services can vary across individual circumstances as participants take the time to review their options and select their preferred service providers.

National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Chairman Bruce Bonyhady said the first 18 months of the scheme had been life changing for more than 11,000 people with disability.

“The individualised approach of the NDIS has given people with disability and their families the choice and control to pursue an ordinary life — something many of us can take for granted,” Bonyhady said.

“We are seeing people living more independent lives, engaging with their community, enrolling in education, entering the workforce for the first time or returning to work, and receiving the services and equipment they need,” he said.

“The focus is on what a person can do — not what they cannot — and investing in them leads to not only better social outcomes for individuals, but more economic participation and a stronger Australian economy.”

Bonyhady said the agency was keen to listen, learn, build and deliver.

“Of course, a reform of this size has its challenges. It’s the biggest social reform in 30 years and will cover the whole of Australia,” Bonyhady said.

“As full-scheme rollout approaches, the most significant challenges are ahead of us. The agency is refining and improving the design and operations of the scheme, building the capacities of the agency itself and working to improve its communications and stakeholder relationships.

“We have learnt a lot in the last 18 months and will continue to make improvements and take on board the feedback of the people at the heart of the scheme — Australians with disability, their families and carers.”

The Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Mitch Fifield, said negotiations have commenced to determine how each State and Territory will transition to full Scheme over the next few years.

“More than 11,000 Australians with disability and their families are now at the centre and in control of their entitlement, getting the support they need to pursue their own personal goals and improve their economic and social participation,” Senator Fifield said.

“The report shows improvements in the National Disability Insurance Agency’s performance against targets in most of the trial sites, with significant improvements in the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia.

“I look forward to working with my State and Territory counterparts as we lay down the framework through which the NDIS will be rolled out to people with disability in each jurisdiction.

“The Scheme is making a huge difference in the lives of participants and their families. Supporting people with disability through the NDIS is just one of many reasons why the Abbott Government is working to repair the Budget – so that we can fully fund the Scheme now and into the future.”

The Report is available at http://www.ndis.gov.au/document/754.