The latest NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) Quarterly Report shows continued signs of cost stabilisation and better outcomes for participants, their families and carers, including more parents in paid jobs and more participants socialising and actively taking part in their communities.
The NDIS Quarterly Report (30 June 2024) shows the NDIS supporting positive outcomes for the more than 661,000 Australians participating in the Scheme, including:
- More than half (52%) of all families and carers reporting paid employment, exceeding the 2023-24 target of 50%.
- 76% of participants aged 15 years or older reporting the NDIS has helped them have more choice and control over their lives, surpassing the 2023-24 target of 75%.
- Increased participation rates in community and social activities for participants.
- More First Nations people receiving supports. Of over 14,000 people who joined the Scheme this quarter, 9.9% were First Nations people.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) CEO Rebecca Falkingham said the latest Report shows key Reform for Outcomes initiatives to improve the Scheme are having a positive impact.
"Our vision is for a future where the Scheme is delivering the best outcome for participants while becoming more sustainable.
"We know there is a lot more hard work ahead, however we have seen positive gains this year, as demonstrated in this latest data," Ms Falkingham said.
Reform initiatives stem from the more than $720 million provided in the 2023-24 Budget, followed by an additional $468.7 million in the 2024-25 Budget, to support better outcomes for participants and improve Scheme sustainability.
New data shows:
- Scheme expenses for the 12 months to 30 June have considerably improved to be around $600 million less than the 2024-25 Budget estimate.
- A continued trend of stabilising plan inflation - with levels remaining lower than those observed since September 2022.
- More people leaving the NDIS as their support needs stabilise. This reflects more participants realising the benefits of early supports.
- The number of participants new to supported independent living (SIL) stabilising. As of 30 June 2024, there were 34,850 participants in SIL.
- Fewer participants at risk of overspending their plans.
This work has been delivered in partnership with people with disability and the disability community through a program of collaboration and co-design.
"People with disability are the experts in their lives so we are committed to ensuring the voices of people with disability are at the centre of how the NDIA designs, implements and monitors NDIS reforms," Ms Falkingham said.
Two initiatives announced this quarter will help ensure people with disability play a key role in developing and implementing NDIS reforms:
- In June, the NDIA boosted funding by $10.7 million for 27 Disability Representative and Carer Organisations (DRCOs).
- In addition, the Minister for the NDIS the Hon. Bill Shorten, the DRCOs, the NDIA, the Department of Social Services, and the NDIS Independent Advisory Council, have jointly agreed to a co-design approach to deliver NDIS reforms.
The NDIA is also taking action to address delays in Participant Service Guarantee timeframes which have flowed from an increase in the volume of request from participants asking for a change to their plans since late 2023.
More than 400 staff have been added to frontline service delivery teams and a further 160 allocated to the National Contact Centre (NCC) to help meet increased demand, with participant safety remaining the top priority.
From April to June, the Agency completed:
- 6,274 access decisions (up 13% from 14,374 in the March quarter)
- 14,341 NDIS plan approvals (up 81% from 7,905 in the March quarter)
- 56,002 plan reassessments (up 38% from 40,708 in the March quarter
