Confused About Allied Health and the NDIS? Start Here!
Understanding allied health and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can feel confusing at first. Many people are unsure which allied health professionals they need to see, what each therapist does, and why the NDIS asks for so many assessments and reports. It is also not always clear how therapy connects to funding, supports and everyday life.
Allied health professionals play an important role in the NDIS. They help explain how a disability affects daily life, independence, communication, mobility, learning and wellbeing. Their assessments and reports are often used to decide NDIS access, funding, plan reviews and ongoing support.
This guide explains allied health and the NDIS in plain English. It covers who allied health professionals are, what therapy supports the NDIS may fund, and how allied health evidence is used to make decisions.
How Allied Health and the NDIS Work Together
The NDISÂ and the health system work alongside each other, but they fund different things.
The health system usually pays for medical care, such as GP visits, hospital treatment, surgery and specialist appointments. The NDIS does not usually pay for medical treatment.
The NDIS focuses on funding supports and therapy supports that help a person manage everyday life. This is where allied health and the NDIS connect most clearly.
Therapy Supports Under the NDIS
The NDIS funds therapy supports when they are related to a person’s disability and help them build or maintain skills and independence.
Therapy supports are evidence-based. This means there is enough evidence to show the therapy is effective and beneficial in improving or maintaining a participant’s skills, independence or participation.
The NDIS can only fund therapy supports that are provided by qualified allied health professionals who are registered with their relevant professional body. These professionals are often called therapists.
If you are an NDIS participant, you can ask your provider about their qualifications and professional registration to make sure they are able to provide the right support for you.
Why Allied Health Evidence Is Important for the NDIS
The NDIS does not make decisions based on diagnosis alone. It needs clear evidence about how a disability affects everyday life.
Allied health assessments help explain how a disability affects daily activities, what a person can and cannot do independently, what supports, therapies or equipment may help, and how needs may change over time.
Allied health reports show functional impact. This means the real-life impact of disability, not just the medical name of a condition.
Allied Health Providers and the NDIS
Allied health providers deliver therapy supports to NDIS participants and are one of the largest groups of registered NDIS providers.
They provide assessments, reports and evidence that help NDIA planners make decisions under the NDIS Act.
Allied health providers may guide people to information about who can access the NDIS, provide evidence for an NDIS access request including evidence that a disability is permanent or likely to be permanent, and write reports that explain how a disability affects everyday functioning.
What Allied Health Therapies Are Funded by the NDIS?
The NDIS may fund allied health therapies when they are reasonable and necessary and clearly linked to a person’s disability and goals. These therapies support people to build skills, maintain independence and take part in everyday life.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists support everyday activities such as personal care, cooking, routines, sensory regulation and independence at home and in the community. They often help people do tasks more safely or with less support.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: functional capacity assessments, daily living assessments, assistive technology reports, home modification reports, SIL and SDA evidence.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists support movement, strength, balance, posture and mobility. They often work with people with physical disability, neurological conditions or chronic illness.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: mobility assessments, physical function reports, evidence supporting walking aids, wheelchairs or other mobility equipment.
Speech pathology
Speech pathologists support communication, language, speech, social interaction and swallowing. They work with children and adults who have difficulty being understood or understanding others.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: communication assessments, AAC reports, swallowing assessments, functional communication impact reports.
Psychology
Psychologists support behaviour, learning, emotional regulation and mental health where this is linked to disability. They often work with people with autism, intellectual disability and psychosocial disability.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: psychological assessments, functional impact reports, evidence for psychosocial disability and therapy supports.
Behaviour support
Behaviour support practitioners work with people who experience behaviours of concern. They focus on safety, quality of life and reducing restrictive practices.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: behaviour assessments, behaviour support plans, risk assessments, reports supporting supervision or staffing needs.
Social work
Social workers support relationships, social participation, family wellbeing and adjustment to disability. They often support carers and families.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: psychosocial assessments, reports outlining social impact, carer stress and community participation needs.
Exercise physiology
Exercise physiologists support people to improve or maintain physical capacity through safe and tailored exercise programs.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: functional capacity reports related to endurance, strength and physical participation.
Dietetics
Dietitians support nutrition, feeding and complex mealtime needs, including modified diets or tube feeding.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: mealtime management assessments, nutrition reports, evidence supporting feeding-related supports and equipment.
Podiatry
Podiatrists support foot and lower limb health where this affects walking, balance and safety.
Common NDIS evidence and reports: reports supporting orthotics, specialised footwear and mobility-related needs.
Other Allied Health Professionals You May See
Depending on a person’s needs, allied health and the NDIS may also include support from the following professionals.
Audiologists
Support hearing and auditory processing where hearing loss affects communication or safety.
NDIS evidence: hearing assessments and reports linked to functional impact.
Music therapists
Use structured, evidence-based music activities to support communication, emotional regulation and social skills.
NDIS evidence: therapy progress reports linked to functional outcomes.
Art therapists
Support psychosocial wellbeing, emotional expression and regulation.
NDIS evidence: reports explaining emotional and psychosocial functional impact.
Optometrists and orthoptists
Support vision and eye movement where vision impairment affects learning, mobility or daily activities.
NDIS evidence: vision assessments explaining functional impact.
Osteopaths
Support movement, posture and pain management linked to disability.
NDIS evidence: reports explaining movement-related functional limitations.
Chiropractors
Support spinal health and movement where this affects daily functioning.
NDIS evidence: reports outlining how spinal issues affect everyday activities.
These supports may be funded when they are clearly linked to disability-related goals and functional outcomes, not general health care.
Assistive Technology and Allied Health
Assistive technology helps a person do something more easily or safely, or do something they cannot do because of their disability.
The NDIA uses allied health evidence to decide which assistive technology supports are reasonable and necessary. Allied health professionals assess needs, recommend equipment and help ensure safety and independence.
Home Modifications and Allied Health Assessments
Home modifications are changes to a home that help a person move around more safely and independently.
Occupational therapists usually complete home modification assessments and provide evidence that changes are reasonable, necessary, safe and value for money.
Want to learn more about allied health and the NDIS?
For clear, up-to-date information straight from the source, visit the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) website.
You can learn more about therapy supports, including what counts as evidence-based therapy and how these supports help build or maintain skills and independence.
 About NDIS therapy supports.
You can also read about the different types of disability evidence the NDIS may ask for, including who can provide evidence and what information helps support an access request or plan review.
Exploring these pages can help you feel more confident about allied health and the NDIS, understand what to ask for, and know what evidence is needed at different stages of your NDIS journey.
You can also explore more of Lifely’s learning topics, blogs and FAQs for simple, practical information to help you feel more confident navigating allied health, disability supports and everyday life.
