Improved Daily Living is one of the most versatile and important NDIS support categories under the NDIS. This support covers a wide range of services, from early intervention for young children to therapy for older participants, nursing care, and even specialised driver training. 

But to get the most out of it, it’s important for NDIS providers and participants to understand exactly what’s included, who can deliver the support, and how it ties back to the participant’s goals.

What is NDIS improved daily living?

Improved Daily Living is under the Capacity Building support category in the NDIS. The goal of this NDIS service is to help participants build the skills they need for everyday life, such as cooking, showering, communicating, or managing money. In the Myplace Portal, the Improved Daily Living is shown as “CB Daily Activity.”

Who is eligible for improved daily living funding?

Any NDIS participant can receive Improved Daily Living funding if they have goals in their plan that involve building everyday skills. The funding is decided case by case according to what the NDIA think is reasonable and necessary for each person’s disability support needs. 

For example, an adult participant might want to learn how to cook and clean on their own. An older participant might use it for physiotherapy to improve mobility. A child with developmental delay might receive speech therapy to support communication.

What supports does improved daily living cover?

Improved Daily Living covers a wide range of assessment supports, training supports, strategy development supports, and therapeutic supports. These supports are delivered by qualified professionals and tailored to the participant’s goals. 

Below is a high-level view of which support categories are under improved daily living:

• Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood Supports (younger than 9)
• Therapy Supports (9 or older)
• Hearing Supports
• Multidisciplinary Team Supports
• Delivery of Disability Related Health Supports by a Nurse
• Specialised Driver Training Support

Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood Supports (younger than 9)

This support's goal is to help children under 9 who have developmental delay or disability build the skills they need to take part in everyday life. Support can be provided one-on-one or in a group setting. It may also cover disability-related health supports when they help a child manage functional impairments that affect daily activities.

Only the qualified professionals can deliver Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood Supports. This includes:

• Occupational therapists (AHPRA registered)
• Speech pathologists (Certified Practising with Speech Pathology Australia)
• Physiotherapists (AHPRA registered)
• Psychologists (AHPRA registered, including provisional psychologists under supervision)
• Early childhood educators with relevant qualifications and accreditation
• Social workers (Members of the Australian Association of Social Workers)
• Dietitians (Accredited Practising Dietitians with Dietitians Australia)
• Developmental educators (Members of Developmental Educators Australia Inc.)
• Art, music, and exercise therapists with memberships in recognised professional bodies
• Other early childhood professionals with a bachelor’s degree and relevant registration
  

Therapy assistants can also deliver services, but only under the delegation and supervision of an allied health professional.

Therapy Supports (9 or older)

This support category funds therapeutic services for participants aged 9 and over who need help building or maintaining functional skills. It must directly relate to the participant’s disability and aim to build or maintain their ability to take part in daily life. They are not to be used for general massage, alternative therapies, or treatments that are better funded under the health system.

Overall, therapy supports focus on:

• Improving physical, cognitive, or emotional skills
• Supporting ongoing development (e.g. fine motor skills, communication, behaviour)
• Preventing functional decline through maintenance therapy
• Helping participants adapt to changes in their condition or environment

Who can deliver therapy supports?

Only qualified professionals can deliver these supports or supervise therapy assistants who do so under delegation. This includes:

• Occupational therapists
• Physiotherapists
• Speech pathologists
• Psychologists (including provisional, under supervision)
• Audiologists
• Dietitians
• Social workers
• Art, music, and exercise therapists
• Developmental educators
• Rehabilitation counsellors
• Orthoptists
• Counsellors (accredited or provisional)
• Other professionals accepted by the NDIS Commission under quality audit
  

Each professional must meet national registration or accreditation standards. Therapy assistants must be supervised and insured under the allied health provider’s policy.

Hearing supports

Hearing supports under the Improved Daily Living cover services that are not already funded under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). These supports help participants manage hearing loss that affects their daily life and independence.

Hearing support includes:

• Functional hearing assessments
• Fitting and training on hearing devices
• Communication strategies
• Education and support for the participant and their carers
• Recommendations for assistive listening technology

Who can deliver hearing supports? Only qualified professionals can deliver these services under NDIS rules:

• Audiologists must be certified by Audiology Australia or be a full member of the Australian College of Audiology.
• Audiometrists must be a current full member of the Hearing Aid Audiometrist Society of Australia or the Australian College of Audiology.

These professionals must work within their scope of practice and follow NDIS guidelines for reporting and pricing. Hearing supports can make a big difference in how a participant engages with the world—at home, work, or in social settings—and can reduce the need for higher levels of support over time.

Multidisciplinary Team Supports

Multidisciplinary Team Supports enables a coordinated approach where two or more allied health professionals work as a team to support a participant aged 7 or older. Instead of each therapist billing separately under different line items, all team members claim under a single support item.

Multidisciplinary Team Supports is commonly used for:

• Participants with dual diagnoses (e.g. physical and cognitive disability)
• Clients needing joint therapy planning or co-delivered sessions
• Transitional support (e.g. returning home after rehab or school-to-work programs)

Delivery of Disability Related Health Supports by a Nurse

Delivery of Disability Related Health Supports provides nursing care for participants whose disability-related health needs fall outside the usual scope of the health system. For example, wound management, catheter care, or medication administration.

These supports can be delivered one-on-one or in groups, and only by nurses classified under the Nurses Award 2020. The NDIS distinguishes between different types of nurses, each with specific qualifications and responsibilities.

• Enrolled Nurse (EN): Works under the supervision of a registered nurse. Must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and is responsible for their own practice and delegated tasks.
• Registered Nurse – Level 1 (RN1): Delivers direct care and clinical nursing under general supervision. Must demonstrate competence under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.
• Clinical Nurse – Level 2 (RN2): A more experienced registered nurse who provides comprehensive care and manages complex cases or specific groups of participants.
• Clinical Nurse Consultant – Level 3 (RN3+): A nurse in an advanced practice role. Provides high-level clinical expertise, coordination of care, and system-level improvements.
• Nurse Practitioner: The highest level of clinical nursing practice. Can prescribe medications and manage complex health needs independently. Must be endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Each type of nurse can claim under different support line items depending on their classification. Providers must ensure that the nurse delivering the service meets the education and regulatory requirements for their role.

Specialised Driver Training Support

This support covers driving lessons for participants whose disability affects their ability to learn or return to driving. To access this support, the participant must first complete an assessment by a Driver Trained Occupational Therapist. This specialist will evaluate the participant’s capacity to drive and determine whether modifications, adaptive techniques, or specialised instruction are needed.

Supports may include:

• Lessons using modified vehicles
• Training with adaptive controls or assistive technology
• Strategies to manage cognitive load, fatigue, or anxiety
• Guidance on safe route planning and driving routines

What benefits does improved daily living provide participants?

Improved Daily Living supports help participants learn the skills they need to live more independently, whether that’s getting dressed, making a meal, managing emotions, or getting out into the community.

The NDIS participants can improve how they move, communicate, care for themselves, and make decisions. For young children, early intervention can help with things like speech and social skills during those important early years. For older participants, it can mean learning new skills or maintaining the ones they already have.

How to choose the right NDIS provider for improved daily living supports?

Not all providers are created equal. Each type of NDIS improved daily living support has strict rules about who can deliver it. To make sure the participant gets the best results and stays within NDIS guidelines, it’s important to choose qualified, experienced, and properly registered professionals.

Each type of Improved Daily Living support has specific requirements for who can deliver the service:

• Early childhood intervention (under 9): Must be delivered by professionals like OTs, speech pathologists, psychologists, developmental educators, or early childhood educators with a bachelor’s degree and relevant accreditation. Therapy assistants can only work under delegation from a qualified professional.
• Therapy supports (9 and over): Must be provided by registered allied health professionals. For example, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, audiologists, social workers, dietitians, and others with approved qualifications and current registration.
• Hearing supports: Can only be delivered by audiologists (certified by Audiology Australia or Australian College of Audiology) or audiometrists (with full membership in ACAud or HAASA).
• Disability-related health supports: Must be delivered by nurses registered under the Nurses Award 2020. This includes enrolled nurses (ENs), registered nurses (RNs), clinical nurse consultants, or nurse practitioners.
• Specialised driver training: Requires a driving instructor experienced in disability supports, typically working in coordination with a Driver Trained Occupational Therapist who completes the assessment and recommends training.
• Multidisciplinary team supports: Involve two or more qualified allied health professionals working together under a single support item.
  

If the plan is NDIA-managed, the NDIS provider must also be NDIS-registered for the relevant support category.

Also, for participants receiving support from multiple professionals, like in a multidisciplinary team setup, it’s important that the NDIS providers are willing and able to coordinate and manage care. That means sharing reports, planning together, and aligning support to avoid duplication or gaps.

All providers should also offer a clear Service Agreement that outlines:

• The qualifications of those who will deliver the support (especially if using assistants under supervision)
• Pricing (within NDIS price limits for the support category)
• Travel charges, cancellation fees, and report writing
• Whether services are face-to-face, non-face-to-face, or a combination
• Short notice cancellation charge

For example, a provider claiming travel for therapy must stay within the travel caps (e.g. 50% of the hourly rate), and audiologists or nurses must only bill for services that aren’t already covered by the health system.

Good providers don’t just deliver sessions; they keep track of how things are going. They should check in regularly, write progress notes, and show how their support is helping the participant reach their NDIS goals. This kind of reporting is key when it comes time for plan reviews. And if something isn’t working, they should be open to changing their approach to better suit the participant’s needs.

FAQs

How much funding can you receive for Improved Daily Living?

There’s no fixed amount; it depends on the participant’s goals, needs, and provided support. The NDIA decides how much is reasonable and necessary based on reports from health professionals and what the participant is working towards. You can visit the NDIS official pricing arrangement for more information.

How does Improved Daily Living funding improve independence in daily tasks?

It funds therapies and training that help participants build the skills they need to do things for themselves, like getting dressed, cooking, or using public transport. Over time, participants rely less on others and gain more confidence in managing their day-to-day lives. This leads to greater independence and quality of life.

What are the key differences between Improved Daily Living and other NDIS support categories?

Improved Daily Living is a capacity-building support that focuses on teaching skills and improving function. In contrast, Core Supports (like Assistance with Daily Life) pay for someone to help with daily tasks when the participant can’t do them alone. Where Core supports provide help for the participant, Improved Daily Living aims to build their ability to do things on their own. Both are important, but they serve different purposes.