Navigating the NDIS can be confusing, especially when it comes to Core Supports and what Assistance with Daily Life actually covers.
Many people living with disability tell us this part of their plan feels familiar, but the rules, flexibility, and real-life examples often aren’t explained clearly.
NDIS Assistance with Daily Life is the Core Supports category that supports day-to-day tasks, enabling you to live safely, comfortably, and as independently as possible.
Whether it’s personal care, household tasks, meal preparation, or building daily living skills, this budget is designed to support the routines that matter most.
The good news? It’s also one of the most flexible parts of your NDIS plan, something many participants don’t find out until much later.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly what you can claim, what you can’t, how flexibility works, and how to choose support workers who genuinely fit your lifestyle and goals.
Understanding NDIS Assistance with Daily Life
Assistance with Daily Life sits under Core Supports; Support Category 1, which is the part of your plan dedicated to helping with everyday activities so you can live as independently and comfortably as possible.
While many people think of it simply as “having a support worker,” this category is far broader and more flexible than most realise.
At its core, NDIS Assistance with Daily Life is designed to help you manage daily tasks that can be difficult, unsafe, or exhausting.
These supports ensure you can participate in a safe, functional home environment while building skills at your own pace, if that’s part of your goals.
How Assistance with Daily Life Supports You
You can use this funding whether you live alone, with family, in Supported Independent Living (SIL), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), share housing, or rental accommodation.
The NDIS focuses on what is reasonable and necessary, meaning the support must relate to your disability and help you achieve independence, safety, or increased participation.
A helpful way to think about this category is that it covers both performing tasks for you and supporting you in learning to do them yourself. For example:
- A support worker may assist with showering or help you learn a safe shower routine.
- They may prepare a meal or help you build skills to prepare it independently.
- They may clean your home or teach you a manageable cleaning schedule you can follow.
This skill-building aspect is something many participants don’t realise they can use their Core Supports for.
You’re not locked into one type of support; you can mix practical assistance with capacity building in a way that aligns with your goals.
Significantly, NDIS Assistance with Daily Life is not restricted to “medical” tasks.
It includes the everyday routines that keep your life running smoothly, routines that may take more energy or planning when you’re living with disability.
Understanding this category clearly helps you get more out of your plan and reduces the stress of not knowing what’s allowed.
With the right provider by your side, navigating this becomes far easier.
What does NDIS Assistance with Daily Life cover?
NDIS Assistance with Daily Life is one of the most practical and frequently used parts of your Core Supports budget.
It covers everyday tasks that help you live safely, comfortably, and as independently as possible.
Whether you need help completing tasks or learning how to do them confidently on your own, this budget can be tailored to your routine and goals. Below are clear examples of how you can use it.
Personal Care
Supports that help you maintain hygiene, dignity, and daily routines, such as:
- Showering, bathing, and grooming
- Dressing and undressing
- Toileting and continence support
- Assistance with mobility or safe transfers
- Morning and evening routines
Household Tasks & Yard Maintenance
If specific tasks are difficult, unsafe, or take significant effort, your NDIS funding can cover:
- Cleaning, dishwashing, and general tidying
- Vacuuming, mopping, and dusting
- Laundry and linen changes
- Basic gardening, such as mowing, weeding, and yard maintenance
- Support to build skills in home organisation and domestic routines
Meal Preparation
This includes help with:
- Planning meals that meet your needs
- Cooking or supporting you to learn safe kitchen skills
- Portioning meals or organising the fridge
- Labour costs for meal-prep or meal-delivery assistance (ingredients not included)
Short Term Accommodation (Respite / STA)
Core funding can also be used for STA when it is reasonable and necessary. This provides short-term support for you and a break for your informal supports.
This category is designed to support real-life routines and adapt to your needs as they change.
What is NOT Covered by NDIS ADL Budget?
While NDIS Assistance with Daily Life is flexible and practical, it’s equally important to understand what it does not cover.
Being clear about these limits helps prevent unexpected costs and ensures your NDIS plan is used appropriately.
Here’s what Assistance with Daily Life does not cover:
Everyday Living Costs
The NDIS does not pay for items everyone is expected to pay for, such as:
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Utilities
- Grocery/food costs (including meal ingredients)
- Internet or phone bills
- Furniture or homeware (unless approved under Capital or Home Modifications)
Ticketed Activities
If you want to attend a movie, festival, concert, event, or exhibition, the support worker’s time might be covered, but:
- Your ticket is not covered
- The support worker’s ticket is not covered
Transportation Costs
Support workers can drive you, but you usually pay the vehicle costs at an agreed per-km rate. You cannot use Assistance with Daily Life for:
- Taxi fares
- Rideshares
- Petrol
- Car payments
Medical Services
Assistance with Daily Life does not cover clinical care, such as:
- Allied health therapy
- Medical appointments
- Specialist supports
Even within Supported Independent Living or Short-Term Accommodation, rent or board is covered only in specific contexts and never under your daily living budget.
This budget focuses exclusively on disability-related support, not on lifestyle purchases or everyday expenses.
Understanding these boundaries helps you use your plan confidently and avoid any compliance issues with your NDIS funding.
The Secret Weapon: Core Budget Flexibility
One of the most common misunderstandings about NDIS funds is the idea that each budget category is fixed or “locked in.”
In reality, Core Supports are the most flexible part of your NDIS plan, and understanding this flexibility can completely change how confidently you use your funding.
This built-in core budget flexibility allows you to adjust your supports to match your real-life needs, because your daily routine isn’t static, and your NDIS funding shouldn’t be either.
In most situations, you can move funding between the four Core categories:
- Assistance with Daily Life (NDIS)
- Consumables
- Assistance with Social & Community Participation
- Transport (less flexible in some plans)
How Flexible NDIS Funding Works in Everyday Life
- If you have extra funding in Consumables, you may be able to redirect it toward more support worker hours.
- If you temporarily need more personal care due to illness, recovery, or changes in mobility, you may shift funds from community participation.
- If your routines change as they naturally do throughout the year, your Core budget can shift with you.
Why This Flexibility Matters
- You can increase support during busy or challenging periods.
- You can adapt your supports without needing a plan review.
- You can respond quickly to unexpected life events.
- You maintain greater choice and control over how your NDIS funds are used.
Before reallocating funds, it’s helpful to check in with your Support Coordinator or plan manager to ensure your spending remains aligned with your goals and budget.
Therefore, understanding this flexible NDIS funding approach is one of the biggest insider tips for making the most of your Assistance with Daily Life NDIS supports.
How to Choose the Right Support Worker?
Finding the right NDIS support worker can make a significant difference to your daily routines, confidence, and overall well-being.
The goal is not just to find someone who can complete tasks, but someone who genuinely aligns with your lifestyle, communication style, and goals.
Whether you’re looking through a disability support agency or exploring options with an independent support worker, it helps to have a transparent process in mind.
Agency vs Independent Support Workers
Both pathways offer advantages:
- Disability support agency: Reliable scheduling, backup staff if someone is sick, access to trained workers, and all safety checks handled for you.
- Independent support worker: More choice, more flexibility, and often the ability to select the exact individual you want.
Key Steps to Choosing the Right Worker
A well-matched support worker doesn’t just complete tasks, they help you feel safe, respected, and supported in your daily life. Here are key steps to choose the right support worker;
Clarify Your Needs
List the tasks you need help with, such as personal care, household support, community access, or meal preparation. This helps you choose the right NDIS support worker from the start.
Shortlist for Compatibility
Look for workers whose communication style, interests, and experience supporting people with similar routines or needs align with yours. Compatibility matters for everyday Assistance with Daily Life NDIS support.
Ask the Right Interview Questions
Ask simple, practical questions such as their experience with NDIS Assistance with Daily Life supports, whether they have a reliable car for transport, and what their interests are outside work to understand their suitability.
Check Safety and Compliance
Make sure they have an NDIS Worker Screening Check, current First Aid, and any required training, especially if you need high-intensity supports.
Start With a Trial Shift
A short trial shift helps you quickly assess rapport, reliability, and how well they fit into your routine.
Understanding Costs: Standard vs. High Intensity
When you begin receiving quotes from support providers, you’ll likely notice significant variation.
That’s because your costs depend not only on what supports you receive, but also when, where, and how complex those supports are.
The pricing you see is based on the official National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) framework, known as the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (formerly the “NDIS Price Guide”).
Why Price Varies
- Time of day: Daytime support has a different rate than evening or overnight support.
- Day of week: Weekday, weekend, and public holiday rates differ; weekends and public holidays carry penalty loadings.
- Support complexity: Simple daily tasks fall under standard support; complex care needs, medical support, or intensive care fall under “high intensity support.”
- Location and provider type: Support in remote or very remote areas or via independent workers may attract different rates.
Example Price Guide (2024-25) for Assistance with Daily Life NDIS
|
Support Type |
Weekday Daytime |
Saturday |
Sunday |
Public Holiday |
|
Assistance with Self-Care Activities: Standard |
$67.56/hr |
$95.07/hr |
$122.59/hr |
$150.10/hr |
|
Assistance with Self-Care Activities: High Intensity |
$73.09/h |
higher (as per provider quote) |
higher (as per provider quote) |
higher (as per provider quote) |
Note: These are maximum price limits set by the NDIS. Providers may charge less, but must not exceed this cap.
The extra cost for high-intensity support reflects additional worker training, medical or clinical skills, specialised equipment, and increased time intensity.
What’s Changed: TTP & Loadings
- The previous loading called TTP (Temporary Transformation Payment), which added a premium to support rates, ended in June 2024. That means new quotes should reflect the current pricing without TTP.
- The NDIS reviews pricing annually (usually effective 1 July) to reflect changes in wages, operating costs, and market conditions. That’s why quoting the exact dollar amount without checking the latest guide can be misleading.
KEY POINTS
How Affective Care Supports You With NDIS Assistance with Daily Life
Choosing the right provider can completely reshape how confidently you use your NDIS Core Supports, especially the supports included under Assistance with Daily Life NDIS.
At Affective Care, we focus on emotionally-centred, reliable, and person-led support that meets you where you are.
Our approach is grounded in understanding your daily routines, sensory needs, strengths, and goals.
We support you in a way that feels safe, respectful, and aligned with your lifestyle, not just your support needs. Here’s how we help:
Emotionally-Centred Daily Living Support
- We take time to understand your routine, preferences, and comfort levels.
- Supports are delivered at your pace, with emotional safety at the core.
- You’re matched with an NDIS support worker who fits your communication style, interests, and goals.
Practical Assistance With Real-Life Tasks
- Personal care, meal preparation, and household support
- Assistance with home organisation, routines, and daily skill-building
- Community access and social participation when needed
- Flexible support that adapts as your needs or routines change
Clear Guidance on Your NDIS Funds
- Help understand your Core Support flexibility
- Guidance on rostering, service agreements, and support hours
- Transparent communication about costs and funding use
- Support to plan so your daily supports remain consistent
A True Partnership, Not Just a Service
- We prioritise trust, respect, and continuity of care
- Your choices and control lead every decision
- Our team ensures your daily living supports feel empowering, not overwhelming
Living Your Life, Your Way
Your Assistance with Daily Life NDIS funding is more than a line in your plan; it’s the foundation of your independence.
Every supported routine, every prepared meal, and every skill you build help you live with dignity, confidence, and control.
When your daily supports feel consistent and emotionally safe, life naturally becomes calmer and more manageable.
You gain more energy for the things you enjoy and greater clarity in your day-to-day decisions.
It’s completely normal to feel uncertain about using your NDIS funds or planning your support hours. The system can be complex, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Affective Care is here to simplify the process, guide you through your options, and help you feel confident in every decision.
Our team offers warm, knowledgeable support so you can live your life your way with clarity, autonomy, and respect.
