What Is Daily Living Support Under the NDIS?

Daily Living Support — formally known as "Assistance with Daily Life" under the NDIS — is one of the most commonly funded supports for participants in Adelaide and across Australia. But what exactly does it cover, how is it funded, and how do you access it? This guide explains everything you need to know.

What Is Daily Living Support?

Daily Living Support refers to assistance with the everyday tasks that a person with disability may find difficult or impossible to do independently. This includes things like showering and dressing, preparing meals, taking medication, and getting around.

Under the NDIS, this type of support falls under the Core Supports budget — specifically the "Assistance with Daily Life" (ADL) support category (Support Category 01). It's designed to help participants live as independently as possible in their own home and community.

What Does Daily Living Support Cover?

NDIS Daily Living Support can cover a wide range of assistance, including:

• **Personal care** — showering, grooming, dressing, toileting, and hygiene
• **Meal preparation** — cooking, shopping, and meal planning (including dietary and cultural requirements)
• **Medication prompting** — reminders and support to take medications as prescribed
• **Transport** — getting to appointments, community activities, or the shops
• **Domestic tasks** — cleaning, laundry, and general household maintenance
• **Skill development** — learning or re-learning daily tasks to build independence
• **Overnight and 24-hour care** — for participants who need support through the night

The specific supports funded in your plan depend on what the NDIA considers "reasonable and necessary" for your situation and goals.

How Is It Funded?

Daily Living Support is funded under the Core Supports budget of your NDIS plan, under Support Category 01 (Assistance with Daily Life). Funding amounts vary based on your disability, your goals, and your assessed support needs.

The NDIS sets maximum hourly rates for each type of support, published in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Guide (updated annually). Providers must charge at or below these rates.

You can use your Core Supports funding flexibly across different support types within the category — so if you need more meal prep support one month and less personal care, you can adjust without needing a plan review.

Who Is It For?

Daily Living Support is available to any NDIS participant whose plan includes Assistance with Daily Life funding. This typically includes people with:

• Physical disability or mobility limitations
• Intellectual disability
• Acquired brain injury (ABI)
• Neurological conditions (MS, Parkinson's, etc.)
• Mental health conditions (where they impact daily functioning)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Sensory disability

Both adults and younger people can receive Daily Living Support. It's also available to people from CALD backgrounds — providers like FollowCare offer interpreter services and culturally matched workers to ensure care is delivered in a culturally safe way.

Self-Managed vs Plan-Managed vs NDIA-Managed

How you access Daily Living Support depends on your plan management type:

• **Self-managed** — you choose any provider (registered or not) and pay them directly, then claim from the NDIS portal
• **Plan-managed** — your Plan Manager pays your provider from your funding; you choose your own providers
• **NDIA-managed** — the NDIA pays your provider directly; you must use a registered provider

If you're unsure which applies to you, check your NDIS plan or contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110.

How to Access Daily Living Support in Adelaide

If your NDIS plan includes Assistance with Daily Life funding, here's how to access Daily Living Support in Adelaide:

1. Find a provider — search the NDIS Provider Finder or contact local providers directly 2. Have a consultation — a good provider will discuss your goals, preferences, and support needs before anything is signed 3. Sign a Service Agreement — this outlines what support you'll receive, how often, and at what cost 4. Support begins — most providers in Adelaide can start within days of signing

FollowCare offers a free initial consultation for Daily Living Support in Adelaide. We serve participants across the northern, southern, eastern, and western suburbs, with interpreter services available for CALD communities.