For people living with disability, getting around isn’t always simple.
Buses and trains may not be accessible. Even a quick trip in the car may not be safe. Given that transport is often the key to independence, enabling people to access work, medical appointments, or the community, the NDIS provides transport funding to support individuals who can’t use public transport due to their disability.
Understanding how this funding works can make a huge difference in planning support that’s practical, fair, and empowering.
To help you understand what transport assistance is available for people on the NDIS, we’ve pulled together this guide to break down how NDIS transport funding works, what it covers, and how Like Family can support you with safe, reliable transport.
What is NDIS transport funding?
NDIS transport funding is designed to help participants travel to work, school, medical appointments, and community or social activities when they can’t use public transport without support. It ensures that people with disability can participate fully in their communities, without transport being a barrier.
There are two broad types of transport support under the NDIS: participant transport funding and provider travel claims. These often get confused, so let’s break them down.
Participant transport funding
This is direct funding in your NDIS plan to help you get around in day-to-day life. It usually comes as a regular payment to cover the costs of taxis, ride-shares, community transport, or having a support worker drive you.
The NDIA sets three levels of transport funding based on your needs:
- Level 1 – If you’re not working, studying, or attending day programs regularly, you may receive up to $1,784 a year.
- Level 2 – If you’re working or studying up to 15 hours a week, you may receive up to $2,676 a year.
- Level 3 – If you’re working, studying, or looking for work for more than 15 hours a week, you may receive up to $3,456 a year.
The exact amount depends on your situation and goals, and it’s usually paid directly into your bank account.
Provider travel costs
Sometimes it’s not about you travelling, but about your support worker travelling to you. The NDIS allows providers to charge for their travel time and expenses if they need to get to your home or accompany you somewhere.
For example, if a support worker needs to drive you to the shops or an appointment, they can claim for the kilometres travelled. These costs usually come from your Core Supports budget, not from your transport funding directly.
What’s covered under NDIS transport funding?
Transport support can look very different depending on your disability and personal conditions. For some, it might mean taking taxis or rideshares to medical appointments. For others, it could be community transport or a support worker who drives them to activities and stays by their side.
The NDIS can also cover transport training, where a support worker helps someone build the skills and confidence to use public transport safely. For people with more complex needs, it may even extend to vehicle modifications, so a family car is accessible.
There is also the possibility of modifying a private vehicle to allow you to travel safely using Capital Support funding.
The key is that the transport must connect directly to the participant’s NDIS goals. Like everything for the NDIS, it must be deemed reasonable and necessary to help you manage your disability.
If the trip helps you work, study, stay healthy, or be part of your community, it should be considered reasonable.
Making the most of your NDIS transport plan
During your planning meeting, it’s important to openly discuss your personal transport challenges. It may be that public buses aren’t wheelchair accessible in your area, for example. Sharing the details of your transport challenges helps planners understand why transport funding matters. It also helps to link transport needs directly to goals.
Once the funding is in place, support coordinators and plan managers can provide advice on the most effective way to use the budget. It’s also important to manage your NDIS transport funding like your other NDIS funding.
That means keeping track of your spending on transport costs, and ensuring you have a service agreement with your transport provider.
What transport funding doesn’t cover
While transport funding is generous, it’s not unlimited. It won’t pay for every trip in the car, fuel costs, or daily family drop-offs. And it won’t cover things like holidays, entertainment, travel, or trips that aren’t tied to the participant’s goals.
Families who previously received a Mobility Allowance should also know that this payment stops once someone is on the NDIS. It also doesn’t automatically transition to your NDIS plan, which means transport needs should be raised and documented during planning.
How you can use Like Family to support with NDIS transport
Like Family is a registered NDIS provider that brings transport support in a friendly, flexible way:
- We connect you with local Support Workers: support workers who can drive you to appointments, take you on grocery runs, or even accompany you on public transport if you need assistance.
- Many Social Carers have their own reliable, insured cars, so they can drive you where you need to go, while keeping things safe and seamless.
- Your Social Carer can also travel alongside you during bus or train travel, helping with schedules, routes, and confidence on public transport.
- Plus, they can help you build your own travel skills so that over time, you might feel more independent on public transport.
- Every ride with Like Family often doubles as social support, too. Our workers stay with you from door to door and can help with other tasks like meal prep or errands during an outing.
- The cost is transparent: transport during a booking is just $1 per kilometre, and you don’t have to cover the Social Carer’s travel to/from your home.
- You can flexibly use your Core Supports funding to pay for this kind of transport, tying it directly to community or activity-based outings.
If you would like to learn more about our NDIS transport assistance service, contact us at hello@likefamily.com.au or call all us on 1800 545 332 for more information.