See the NDIS in action in the latest Quarterly Report

The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, released the Quarterly Report to disability ministers Q3 2020-21 today.

This Quarterly Report is a summary of the Scheme’s performance from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021.

See better outcomes for participants the longer they are in the Scheme

Despite COVID-19, participation rates in community and social activities have increased, while the overall rate of participation in work has remained stable. 

Participants continue to have positive outcomes the longer they are with the Scheme. 

Results and insights from participants who have been in the Scheme for at least two years and those who have been in the Scheme for at least four years are included from page 38.

Understand Scheme affordability challenges

The Quarterly Report outlines the plan to improve consistency, flexibility, choice and control and manage the Scheme. 

From page 9 we outline some of the issues and supporting data facing the Scheme that are informing our current work to improve Scheme fairness, consistency and equity.

Track our progress against the Participant Service Guarantee and Service Improvement Plan 

Last year the NDIA introduced a Participant Service Charter to explain what participants can expect when they deal with the NDIA, as well as the Participant Service Improvement Plan that outlines all the improvements the NDIA will make. 

From page 49 you can track our progress against these commitments to improve our service for NDIS participants.

Read stories about participants all over Australia

The Quarterly Report also provides an opportunity to hear from our participants and providers and see the Scheme in action.

Learn about the continuing growth of the NDIS 

You can find lots of detailed information about the Scheme in the Quarterly Report. For example:

  • We now have more than 449,900 participants in the Scheme.
  • More than 19,000 people joined the NDIS this quarter; 6,697 were children aged 0-6.
  • More than 50% of NDIS participants are receiving government support for the first time.
  • This quarter the NDIA released the latest long-term study into outcomes for participants, their families and carers, showing how lives have been changed since joining the Scheme. The report shows significant improvements in outcomes for participants.
  • We are continuing to welcome more participants from diverse backgrounds:
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders: 6.8% (up from 5.9% two years ago)
    • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse: 9.4% (up from 8.2% two years ago)
    • Australians living in remote and very remote areas: 1.5% (up from 1.2% two years ago).
  • The Scheme is working hard to reduce the amount of participants living in residential aged care:
    • residents aged under 65 have reduced by 30% in just over three years
    • admission to aged care for those aged under 65 has reduced by 68% in three years.
  • Participants are receiving significantly higher levels of funded support:
    • participants entering from State/Territory systems are receiving 50% more funded supports on average than before they transferred to the NDIS
    • average payments to participants have increased by 42% over the past three years.

Learn more about Scheme affordability challenges

  • While the overall NDIS budget is going up and will continue to do so, data also shows that the current rate of growth poses significant challenges to Scheme affordability.
  • In the last three years the average payment per participant has grown by 12.5 per cent.
  • The report outlines the plan to improve consistency, flexibility, choice and control and manage the Scheme within the increased budget allocation:
    • consideration of proposed changes to the NDIS Act to implement the recommendations of the Tune Review
    • piloting and consulting on Independent Assessments
    • reviewing the Early Childhood Early Intervention approach
    • reviewing Supported Independent Living to build a transparent, simpler, and structured process
    • reviewing reasonable and necessary levels of support, so that participants receive an overall reasonable and necessary package and improving operational guidelines so participants are supported to spend their funding effectively
    • clarifying mainstream interfaces to ensure services are working together to support participants and that the right supports are being delivered by the right mainstream service.

Explore NDIS data

You can see the full Quarterly Report, as well as state-specific information.

The Agency launched an accessible interactive data tool in December 2020. The tool lets you apply multiple drop-down filters to each data set. Data in the tool is at 31 December 2020.

If you are interested in NDIS data, sign up for the Data and Insights newsletter  and be the first to know about Quarterly Reports, data releases and relevant events.

If you have any questions about the Quarterly Report, please contact the National Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 or email your questions to [email protected].