Can I pay a family member with my NDIS funding?

Can I pay a family member with my NDIS funding?

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Almost always, no. As a general rule, you cannot use your NDIS funding to pay a family member for support they provide to you.

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Why not?

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The NDIA considers that a family member providing ongoing paid support to a participant could:

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• Be detrimental to family relationships.
• Pose risks to both the participants and carer when it comes to the carer ageing and/or becoming ill.
• Unintentionally obstruct the participant’s wishes in relation to their care.
• Result in no or limited respite for the family.

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What are the exceptions?

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The NDIA will only fund family members to provide support to a participant in exceptional circumstances. This includes when: 

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• There is risk of harm or neglect to the participant.
• There are religious or cultural reasons.
• The participant has strong or personal views, for example in relation to their privacy or dignity.

When it comes to personal care or community access supports, the NDIA state that they will not fund a family member to provide these types of supports unless all other options to identify a suitable provider of supports have been exhausted. For example, if you live in a very remote area and there is no one who can provide these supports to you except a family member.

If you think you fall into this category, you can contact the NDIS to seek approval to pay a family member for support.

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