Report on Government Services 2025

Governments provide assistance to people with disability and their carers through the NDIS and specialist disability services.

The NDIS was established under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth). The NDIS adopts an insurance-based model of funding and delivering supports for people with disability. The scheme is not means tested and is uncapped (demand-driven). The NDIS provides reasonable and necessary supports to people with a permanent and significant disability who need assistance with everyday activities.

People applying to access the scheme are assessed according to a standard set of criteria. People who meet these criteria receive a package of funding to purchase the supports identified in their approved plan. The NDIS market-based approach is based on the premise that people with disability should be able to exercise choice and control in the supports they access.

Services and supports provided to NDIS participants are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The Commission's role includes provider registration, complaints management and reportable incidents, behaviour support, and compliance with practice standards and the NDIS code of conduct. During 2023-24, the Commission received 29,054 complaints, and was notified of 1,732,298 incidents of unauthorised use of restrictive practices and 26,368 other reportable incidents (excluding unauthorised use of restrictive practices) (tables 15A.56-58). Of the 26,368 other reportable incidents notified during 2023-24, most concerned alleged abuse and neglect (around 45%), followed by serious injury, including accidents (around 29%). The NDIA also receives complaints about the Scheme (NDIA 2024a).

Complaints about state-funded specialist disability services outside the NDIS can be made to independent agencies across jurisdictions (such as ombudsmen and disability services commissioners).

The NDA (effective 1 January 2009, revised in 2012 and with performance benchmarks that expired in 2018) provided a national framework for the delivery of disability services. However, with the transition of state and territory services to the NDIS, the number and range of specialist disability services provided under the NDA has declined. Specialist disability services that continue to be provided include:

• employment services, which the Australian Government delivers
• Basic Community Care (BCC) services, which assist people with disability or a chronic health condition aged under 65 years (and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged under 50 years) to live independently and to actively participate and engage in their community.

People with disability have the same right of access to mainstream services as all Australians, consistent with the goals of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021 - 2031 (Australia's Disability Strategy), launched on 3 December 2021. Australia's Disability Strategy sets out Australia's national disability policy framework. Its purpose is to:

• provide national leadership towards greater inclusion of people with disability
• guide activity across all areas of public policy to be inclusive and responsive to people with disability
• drive mainstream services and systems to improve outcomes for people with disability
• engage, inform and involve the whole community in achieving a more inclusive society.

All levels of government have committed to delivering more comprehensive and visible reporting under Australia's Disability Strategy through the Outcomes Framework. Governments will report annually on progress against seven outcome areas. Further information on Australia's Disability Strategy can be found at https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/ads, and the most recent data for the Outcomes Framework is available at https://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-disability-strategy.

Data on the participation of people with disability in mainstream government services can be found in other sections of this report (sections 3, 4, 5, 14, 18, 19 and sector overview G).

The Australian, state and territory governments have different but complementary roles and responsibilities:

• all governments share responsibility for NDIS policy, funding and governance (NDIA 2020)
• state and territory governments are responsible for providing specialist disability services, except disability employment services
• states and territories governments have full financial and operational responsibility for Basic Community Care (BCC) services for people with disability aged under 65 years (and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged under 50 years)
• the Australian Government is responsible for providing employment services for people with disability and income support.

In 2023-24, total expenditure on disability services was $46.7 billion dollars, an increase of almost 14% compared to 2022-23 and representing an average annual growth rate over the past five year of almost 19% (table 15A.1).

In 2023-24, governments contributed $42.4 billion to the NDIS, with a further $1.8 billion in government expenditure on direct service delivery outside of the NDIS (table 15A.1). For all jurisdictions, contributions to the NDIS formed the bulk of funding for disability services (tables 15A.3 and 15A.4). Further information on funding sources, categories of expenditure and government expenditure in prior years are available in data tables 15A.1–⁠15A.4.

In addition to contributing to NDIS participant costs, the Australian government also funds the NDIA as an independent statutory agency to implement the NDIS and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to oversee and regulate the NDIS. In 2023-24, operating expenses for the NDIA and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission were $2.1 billion and $159 million, respectively (table 15A.1).

In 2023-24, the NDIS committed $52.6 billion in support to participants. This represents an increase of $4.3 billion (or 9.0%) in committed supports to participants compared to the previous financial year (table 15A.16 and table 15.1).

At 30 June 2024, $41.3 billion of support committed to participants during the 2023-24 financial year had been paid.

Outlays on income support payments and allowances to people with disability and their carers in 2023-24 (on an accrual basis) amounted to $32.7 billion, comprising $21.5 billion for the Disability Support Pension, $7.5 billion for the Carer Payment, $2.8 billion for the Carer Allowance, $620.8 million for the Carer Supplement, $202.7 million for the Child Disability Assistance Payment, $33.9 million for the Mobility Allowance, $9.3 million for Essential Medical Equipment payments and $2.0 million for the Carer Adjustment Payment (DSS 2024).

The ABS estimates that 5.5 million Australians, or 21.4% of the population, had a disability in 2022 (3.2 million, or 15.0% for those under 65 years old). This estimate increased from 2.4 million Australians, or 11.6%, in 2018 for those aged under 65 years. In 2022, an estimated 7.9% of the population had a profound or severe core activity limitation (5.1% for those under 65 years old). These results are similar to those in 2018 and 2015. Males and females are similarly affected by disability (21.0% and 21.8% for all ages; 14.8% and 15.2% for those under 65 years old) (ABS 2024, 2019, 2016).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of disability than non-Indigenous people. In 2022, 11.6% of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in private dwellings (excluding those living in very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities) had a profound or severe core activity limitation, similar to 2018 (8.8%), 2015 (7.3%) – around 1.6 times the proportion for non-Indigenous people, living in private dwellings, 1.8 times in 2018 and 1.5 times in 2015 (ABS 2024, 2021a).

Table 15A.5 contains additional information on disability prevalence.

National Disability Insurance Scheme participants

Nationally, at 30 June 2024, there were 661,267 active NDIS participants with approved plans (table 15A.6), 52,449 of whom identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (around 7.9% of NDIS participants) (table 15A.8). Nationally, at 30 June 2024, 54,390 participants had left the Scheme since 1 July 2013, 17,926 were early intervention participants and 36,464 were permanent disability participants (NDIA 2024b).

Nationally, at 30 June 2024, autism was the most common form of disability for NDIS participants (36.1%), followed by intellectual disability (15.6%) (table 15A.6). Data on the characteristics of NDIS participants is available in tables 15A.6-9.

Additional information on NDIS participants’ access to mainstream services and satisfaction with the NDIS is available in tables 15A.13-14. Information on the characteristics of active NDIS providers is available in table 15A.15. An analysis of the characteristics of NDIS participants linked to the Multi-Agency Data Integration Project is contained in Characteristics of National Disability Insurance Scheme participants, 2019: Analysis of linked data (ABS 2021b).

Users of Commonwealth employment services

Nationally in 2023-24, 130,169 people used Disability Management Services (table 15A.41) and 203,233 used Employment Support Services (table 15A.40). The use of employment services as a ratio of the potential population has decreased since 2022-23; this result is due to an increase in the estimated number of people with an employment restriction and a decrease in the number of people using Commonwealth employment services.

Use of Basic Community Care

As service users have transitioned to the NDIS, only limited data is available on Basic Community Care (BCC). In 2023-24, for the three jurisdictions for which BCC service user data were available (Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania), there were a combined 69,828 service recipients (table 15A.10). For the two jurisdictions for which data on hours were available (Victoria and Tasmania), service recipients received around 1.5 million hours of service (table 15A.11). The majority of service hours were for nursing care, domestic assistance and social support (23.5%, 18.2% and 17.3% respectively) (table 15A.11). The quality of BCC data varies across jurisdictions and comparisons should be made with caution.

Disability support workforce

The Worker Screening Check commenced on 1 February 2021, except in the Northern Territory, which commenced on 1 July 2021. The NDIS Worker Screening Check (Worker Screening Check) replaces the different arrangements operating in each state or territory, setting a minimum national standard that all workers engaged in risk-assessed roles must meet. Some states and territories may still have additional requirements in some circumstances, e.g. people working with children may need additional screening. NDIS Worker Screening clearances expire every five (5) years. NDIS Worker Screening clearance is required for workers engaged by a registered NDIS provider in a risk-assessed role (NDIS Commission 2024).

In the NDIS Commission Quarterly Performance Report Q4 2023-24, 8,477 behaviour support practitioners were considered suitable to deliver behaviour support services. Since the NDIS Worker Screening Check started, there have been 1.1 million NDIS Worker Screening Check applications, with 1.06 million clearances granted (NDIS Commission 2024).

The most recent National Disability Services (NDS) 2024 Workforce Census provides information on the disability sector workforce. According to the 2024 Workforce Census, nationally at June 2024, the disability workforce was predominantly female (two-thirds) and aged 25 to 44 (49%). Additionally, 60% of the disability support workforce was permanent, with 30% of permanent workers employed full-time. Casual workers comprised 37% of the disability support workforce. The 2024 Workforce Census also showed that over the past 12 months, turnover rates have increased for permanent workers (from 11% to 16%) and casuals (from 22% to 24%) (NDS, 2024).

Income support and allowances

At 30 June 2024, there were around 797,400 recipients of the Disability Support Pension, 672,000 recipients of the Carer Supplement (paid to Carer Payment and Carer Allowance recipients), 665,300 recipients of the Carer Allowance, 314,300 recipients of the Carer Payment, 173,800 recipients of the Child Disability Assistance Payment and 10,700 recipients of the Mobility Allowance (table 15A.12).

Informal carers

Family and friends provide most of the help and care that people with disability receive. Information about informal carers enables governments to plan for future service demand for carer support and assistance to the people for whom they care (refer to the Explanatory material tab for different definitions of informal carers across collections).

In 2022, an estimated 1.2 million informal primary carers (of which 822,200 were aged less than 65 years) provided the majority of assistance with self-care, mobility and communication for people with disability (ABS 2024).

‘Service use by selected equity groups’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide disability services in an equitable manner.

‘Service use by selected equity groups’ is defined by three measures:

• Proportion of service users per 1,000 people in the population in a selected equity group, compared with the proportion of service users per 1,000 people in the population outside the selected equity group.
• Utilisation rate of active participants with approved NDIS plans in a selected equity group, compared to the utilisation rate of participants outside the selected equity group.
• Proportion of services users per 1,000 people in the potential population that uses Commonwealth Disability Employment Support Services.

A service user is a person with disability who is an active NDIS participant (that is, has an approved NDIS plan) or a person with disability who received at least one funded specialist disability employment service.

The potential population estimates the number of people with the potential to require disability services at a point in time (typically as at 30 June). (Further details on potential populations can be found in the Explanatory material tab.)

Data is reported for three selected equity groups:

• people from outer regional and remote/very remote areas
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds (defined as people born in a non‑English speaking country).

While a lower proportion within the selected equity group relative to those outside the selected equity group can indicate reduced access, it can also represent strong alternative informal support networks (and consequently a lower level of otherwise unmet need) or a lower tendency for people in a selected equity group choosing to access disability services. Similarly, a higher proportion can suggest poor service targeting, a lack of alternative informal support networks, or a greater tendency of people in a selected equity group choosing to access disability services, or a higher level of need within the selected equity group.

This indicator does not provide information on whether the services were appropriate for the needs of the people receiving them or correctly targeted on the basis of relative need.

Information on the number of participants in the NDIS by age and sex can be found in table 15A.39.

Nationally at 30 June 2024, the proportion of the population who were participants in the NDIS was:

• lower in remote and very remote areas than in major cities and inner and outer regional areas
• higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than non‑Indigenous people
• lower for people from a CALD background than people from a non‑CALD background (figure 15.1a).

To assist in the interpretation of this data, information on average payments and average committed support per NDIS participant is included in tables 15A.29-34.

Nationally in 2023‑24, plan utilisation was:

• lower in remote and very remote and inner and outer regional areas than in major cities
• lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than for non-Indigenous people
• higher for people from a CALD background than people from a non‑CALD background (figure 15.1b).

Nationally in 2023‑24, the proportion of the potential population who used Commonwealth Disability Employment Support Services was:

• lower in remote and very remote areas than in major cities and inner and outer regional areas
• higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than non‑Indigenous people
• higher for people from a non-English speaking background than people from an English-speaking background (figure 15.1c).

‘Unmet need’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide services that meet the individual needs of people with disability and their carers.

‘Unmet need’ is defined by five measures:

• Proportion of people (aged 0-64 years) living in households who need more formal assistance than they are currently receiving.
• Proportion of carers (of people aged 0-64 years) who report a need for further assistance in their caring roles.
• Proportion of carers who report that they and the person or people they care for had poor access to adequate levels of formal support to ensure their wellbeing.
• Proportion of carers who report high barriers when trying to access services such as in-home support, respite care, and cleaning services on behalf of a care recipient.
• Average number of days between an NDIS participant being medically ready for discharge and their hospital discharge.

A low or decreasing proportion of people reporting a need for further assistance and a low decreasing number of days between NDIS participants being medically ready for discharge and their subsequent discharge is desirable.

The ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) does not include people living in discrete Indigenous communities, which affects the representativeness of results for the Northern Territory. Approximately 20% of the resident population of the Northern Territory live in discrete Indigenous communities.

Nationally, in 2022, 39.4% of people aged 0-64 years reported a need for more formal assistance than they are currently receiving (figure 15.2a). The proportion was similar for females and males (40.2% compared to 39.8%) but higher for people in major cities compared to people in regional and remote areas (42.6% compared to 34.6%). Nationally, the need for more formal assistance has increased over the available time series (37.5% in 2018 and 35.3% in 2015) (table 15A.35).

Nationally, in 2022, 35.0% of primary carers of people aged 0-64 years reported a need for further assistance in their caring roles (figure 15.2). Nationally, the need for more formal assistance has increased over the available time series (32.0% in 2018 and 24.6% in 2015) (table 15A.36).

Nationally, in 2023-24, 56.7% of carers of people aged 0-64 years reported poor access to support from a formal service for in-home care and assistance with specific needs, higher than in 2022-23 (51.4%) but similar to 2021-22 (55.1%) (table 15A.37).

Nationally, in 2023-24, over 30% of carers of people aged 0-64 reported barriers to accessing services, ranging from 31.2% for poor coordination between different services to 50.8% for long waiting times in their local area. This result has been consistent over the past three years (table 15A.37).

Nationally, in 2023-24, NDIS participants who were medically ready for discharge waited, on average, 22 days to be discharged from hospital. This measure captures NDIS participants' waiting times on discharge and does not include people who remain in hospital.

‘Use of funded disability supports’ is a proxy indicator of governments’ objective to provide access to disability services on the basis of relative need. ‘Use of funded disability supports’ is defined as the proportion of people with an employment restriction accessing employment services.

The measure is calculated as the number of people with disability and an employment restriction accessing employment services (numerator), divided by the estimated number of people with disability and an employment restriction (denominator), expressed as a percentage. Data are reported for two Australian Government employment service types: (1) Disability Management Services, and (2) Employment Support Services.

The number of people with disability and an employment restriction who are accessing employment services is provided by the Department of Social Services. The AIHW derives the estimated number of people with disability and an employment restriction. Further details on the potential population, employment services and employment restrictions can be found in the Explanatory material tab.

For the measure, a high or increasing proportion of the estimated potential population accessing employment services indicates greater access to that service.

Nationally in 2023‑24, for people aged 15–64 years with disability and with an employment restriction:

• 6.9% were using Australian Government funded Disability Management Services (DMS) – the lowest value over the past ten years (table 15A.41)
• 10.8% were using Australian Government funded open employment services, Employment Support Services (ESS) in 2023‑24 – a decrease from 12.7% in 2022-23 (table 15A.40).

‘NDIS waiting times’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide timely decisions on access to applicants of the NDIS and is defined by four measures:

• ‘Timeliness of NDIS eligibility decision’, as the time taken (in days) to determine a person’s eligibility for the NDIS, measured from the time a person submits an access request to the NDIS to the NDIA’s decision on the access request (excluding applicants who received a request for additional information from the NDIA).
• ’Timeliness of first plan approval’, as the time taken (in days) to complete approval of a participant’s first plan in the NDIS, measured from the time the NDIA approved a person’s access to the Scheme to the point of first plan approval by the Agency.
• ‘Timeliness of home and living decisions’, as the time taken (in days) from receipt of home and living application to plan implementation.
• ‘Timeliness of NDIA contact when an NDIS participant is admitted to hospital’, as the time taken (in days) for the NDIA to make contact with an NDIS participant after the NDIA has been notified of a participant’s admission to hospital.

Short or decreasing waiting times are desirable.

The scope of reporting on measure 1, 'Timeliness of NDIS eligibility decision' is comparable over time. However, the waiting times measure is limited to applicants who were not required to provide additional information.

This year, the age range used in measures 1 and 2 has changed to reflect the different ages for NDIS entry. Data for previous years with different age ranges is available in Tables 15A.42 and 15A.43. Due to changes in the NDIA database, there are no results available for measures one and two for 2024.

Nationally, in 2022-23, 50% of applicants to the NDIS received a decision on their application within 5 days of submitting an access request (increasing to 13 days at the 90th percentile), a consistent trend over the past three years.

Nationally, in 2022-23, 50% of NDIS participants had their first plan approved within 27 days (increasing to 60 days at the 90th percentile), an improvement on results reported in 2021-22 (37 days at the 50th percentile and 78 days at the 90th percentile) (figure 15.4, measure 2).

Nationally, in 2023-24, it took 33 days from receipt of a home and living application to plan implementation at the 50th percentile for NDIS participants. This data has not been published before, and earlier years are not available.

Nationally, in 2023-24, it took an average of 2.7 days for the NDIA to contact an NDIS participant after they were notified of hospital admission. This data has not been published before, and earlier years are not available.

‘Younger people with disability in residential aged care’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide access to disability services on the basis of relative need; and through the NDIS, to provide reasonable and necessary supports, including early intervention supports.

‘Younger people with disability in residential aged care’ is defined as the rate of non‑Indigenous people aged 0–64 years and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 0-49 years admitted to permanent residential aged care per 10,000 people in the potential population. (Further details on the potential population can be found in the Explanatory material tab.)

These data should be interpreted with care, as some younger people choose to remain in residential aged care for a variety of reasons, such as:

• their physical and nursing needs can be best met in residential aged care
• they are satisfied with their current living situation (that is, it is their preferred home)
• the facility is located close to family and friends, or they have family living in the same facility
• they are nearing the age of 65 and wish to remain.

Nationally, in 2023‑24, the rate of people aged 0-64 years admitted to permanent residential aged care was 1.7 per 10,000 people in the potential population, a decrease from 2022-23 (3.5 per 10,000 people) and 2014-15 (32.4 per 10,000 people) (figure 15.5). Of people aged 0-64 years admitted to permanent residential aged care in 2022-23, 96.7% were aged 50 years or over (table 15A.46).

Data on the number of younger people receiving and separating from residential aged care to return to home or family are available in tables 15A.47–48. Nationally, at 30 June 2024, there were 1,504 permanent aged care residents aged under 65 years. Of these, 96.1% were aged 50 years or over (table 15A.47).

Data on the number of younger people receiving residential aged care by Indigenous status is available in table 15A.48. Data on state and territory government expenditure for younger people with disability in residential aged care is reported in table 14A.4 of section 14 in this report.

Although data on the disability status of younger people entering, receiving, or exiting residential aged care is not available, table 15A.49 contains information on the subset of younger people in residential aged care who are NDIS participants.

‘Choice and control’ is an indicator of governments’ objective under the NDIS to enable people with disability to exercise choice and control in pursuing their goals and planning delivery of their supports.

‘Choice and control’ is defined as the proportion of NDIS participants who have been in the scheme for at least two years and who experience independence, choice and control over their care.

‘Choice and control’ is defined by two measures:

• the proportion of active NDIS participants (aged 15 years and over) who report that they get to choose who supports them
• the proportion of families and carers of active NDIS participants (aged 15 years and over) who report that they feel in control when selecting services.

Data for this indicator are sourced from the NDIS Outcome Framework longitudinal survey. NDIS participants are invited to complete this survey when their plans are reviewed, and only active participants as at 30 June are included. Active participants are eligible participants with an approved plan, but this might also include cases where a participant's plan has expired and a new plan has not formally commenced, but the participant has not exited the scheme.

High or increasing proportions of NDIS participants and families and carers of NDIS participants who report experiencing choice and control is desirable.

Nationally, at 30 June 2024, 53% of NDIS participants aged 15 years and over reported that they get to choose who supports them, continuing an upward trend from 2019 (48%). While 42% of families and carers of NDIS participants aged 15 years and over reported that they feel in control when selecting services, a result that has not changed over time. Results varied across jurisdictions (table 15A.50).

‘Client and carer satisfaction’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide access to disability services that meet a particular standard of quality; and under the NDIS, to promote the provision of high quality and innovative supports.

‘Client and carer satisfaction’ is defined by five measures:

• Proportion of people with disability aged 15–64 years who are satisfied with the quality of assistance received from formal services in the last six months
• Proportion of people with disability aged 15–64 years who are satisfied with the range of formal service options available
• Proportion of primary carers (of people with disability aged 0-64 years) who are satisfied with the quality of assistance received from formal services, by the person with disability and by the carer in the last six months
• Proportion of primary carers (of people with disability aged 0-64 years), who are satisfied with the range of formal service options available to help them in their caring role
• Proportion of carers satisfied with their access to support (respite care services).

Care should be taken in interpreting results as the data is not able to distinguish between disability and mainstream services.

A high or increasing proportion of clients and carers who are satisfied is desirable as it suggests that the service received was of a higher quality.

Nationally, in 2022, 76.8% of people aged 15–64 years with a disability who received formal services in the previous six months were satisfied with the quality of assistance they received (figure 15.7a; table 15A.51 ), and 48.1% were satisfied with the range of services received (table 15A.53).

Nationally, in 2023-24, 33.3% of carers were satisfied with their access to respite care services. This is broadly consistent with proportions in previous years (figure 15.7b; table 15A.55).

Nationally, in 2022, 64.5% of primary carers were satisfied with the quality of services received, compared to 66.6% in 2018 and 73.4% in 2015 (figure 15.7b; table 15A.52). Nationally, in 2022, 27.8% of primary carers were satisfied with the range of services received compared to 29.6% in 2018, 32.5% in 2015 and 33.7% in 2012 (figure 15.7b; table 15A.54).

'Service quality and safety' is an indicator of governments' objective to provide access to disability services that meet a particular standard of safety and quality; and, under the NDIS, to promote the provision of high-quality and innovative supports.

'Service quality and safety' refers to the right of individuals to receive safe and high-quality disability services, free from abuse and neglect and is defined by two measures:

• Complaints, as a proportion of active NDIS participants
• Reportable incidents, comprising:
  • the number of participants who experienced unauthorised use of restrictive practices, as a proportion of active NDIS participants. Restrictive practices include seclusion and chemical, physical, mechanical and environmental restraint
  • the number of other reportable incidents, as a proportion of active NDIS participants. Other reportable incidents include death, serious injury, abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, and sexual misconduct.

The number of reportable incidents does not necessarily correlate with the number of instances of harm to a person with a disability. Reports might include multiple notifications of the same matter, allegations of incidents, and situations where incidents occurred but injury was avoided.

High service quality and safety levels are desirable, as evidenced by low and decreasing rates of complaints and reportable incidents. However, high or increasing rates might reflect more effective incident reporting mechanisms and organisational cultural change.

Complaints

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission receives complaints about NDIS providers and their workers. Complaints are classified into four categories: provider practice, provider policies and procedures, worker conduct or capability; and alleged abuse and neglect. When the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission receives a complaint, it can take a range of actions depending on the nature of the complaint, including holding conciliation meetings and undertaking investigations.

Nationally, in 2023-24, there were 16.4 complaints per 1,000 active NDIS participants for complaints with a known type, a decrease from 24.1 complaints per 1,000 active NDIS participants in 2022-23 and 19.1 in 2021-22 (table 15A.56). The most common complaint type concerned provider practice with 6.3 complaints per 1,000 active NDIS participants. Results varied across jurisdictions.

Nationally, in 2023-24, there were 43.9 total complaints per 1,000 active NDIS participants, an increase from 28.8 in 2022-23. The total number of complaints received by the NDIS Commission was 29,054, an increase from 17,553 complaints in 2022-23.

Reportable incidents

Registered providers must report specific 'reportable incidents' to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission when connected with providing NDIS supports and services. Reportable incidents include death, serious injury, abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, sexual misconduct, and unauthorised use of restrictive practices.

Nationally, in 2023-24, there were 39.9 other reportable incidents (excluding unauthorised use of restrictive practices) per 1,000 NDIS participants, an increase from 29.8 other reportable incidents per 1,000 active NDIS participants in 2021-22. The rate per 1,000 NDIS participants varied across category types from 1.0 for alleged sexual misconduct to 18.0 for alleged abuse and neglect (table 15A.57).

Nationally, in 2023-24, there were 17.2 NDIS participants subject to unauthorised restrictive practices per 1,000 NDIS participants (including seclusion and chemical, physical, mechanical and environmental restraint), an increase from 16.0 in 2021-22 (table 15A.58). The number of NDIS participants who were subject to unauthorised restrictive practices per 1,000 NDIS participants varied across category types from 0.8 for seclusion to 8.9 for environmental restraint (table 15A.58).

‘Workforce sustainability’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide sustainable services for people with disability.

Services for people with disability workforce sustainability relates to the capacity of the disability workforce to meet current and projected future service demand. These measures are not a substitute for a full workforce analysis that allows for training, migration, changing patterns of work and expected future demand. They can, however, indicate that further attention should be given to workforce planning for services for people with disability.

This indicator is currently under development for reporting in the future.

‘Average committed supports, per NDIS participant’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide access to disability services in an efficient manner.

‘Average committed supports, per NDIS participant’ is measured at 30 June each year and concerns participants’ most recent plans at that date.

To reflect cost differences in the intensity of support required by participants with different personal characteristics, this data is disaggregated by disability type, level of functional capacity, age, and sex, and reported separately for participants with and without supported independent living (SIL).

Supported independent living is for people with higher support needs, who always require some level of help at home. This can include significant help throughout the day, seven days a week and overnight support.

Although high or increasing expenditure per unit of output can reflect deteriorating efficiency, it can also reflect improvements in the quality or other attributes of the services provided, or an increase in users' service needs. Similarly, low or declining expenditure per unit of output can reflect improving efficiency, or lower quality and less effective services.

To assist interpretation of this data, information on average payments, per NDIS participant and service utilisation are included in tables 15A.64-71.

Nationally, at 30 June 2024, average committed supports, per NDIS participant, was $80,000, similar to $77,000 in 2019. The need for supported independent living has a material impact on NDIS package costs. For participants without supported independent living, average committed supports, per NDIS participant was $59,000, similar to $56,000 in 2019. Whereas average committed supports, per NDIS participant in need of supported independent living was $451,000, an increase from $338,000 in 2019. Data by participant characteristics (disability type, level of functional capacity, age, and sex) and jurisdiction are reported in tables 15A.60-63.

'Unit cost of employment services' is an indicator of governments’ objective to provide access to disability services in an efficient manner.

'Unit cost of employment services' is defined as the net Australian government expenditure divided by the number of users of non‑government provided employment services.

Assuming all other factors remain constant (such as service quality and accessibility), low or decreasing government expenditure per service user reflects a more efficient provision of this service.

Although high or increasing expenditure per unit of output can reflect deteriorating efficiency, it can also reflect improvements in the quality or other attributes of the services provided, or an increase in the service needs of users. Similarly, low or declining expenditure per unit of output can reflect improving efficiency, or lower quality and less effective services.

Nationally, for all employment services, the estimated Australian Government contribution per service user assisted (non‑government provided employment services) was $4,349 in 2023‑24 (figure 15.10) – $4,338 per user of open services (employed or seeking employment in the open labour market) and $15,379 per user of supported services (employed by the service provider) (table 15A.72). Australian Government funding per user of non-government provided employment services was higher in 2019-20 ($4,775) (table 15A.73).

‘Use of mainstream services by people with disability’ is an indicator of governments’ objective that people with disability and their carers have an enhanced quality of life and enjoy choice and wellbeing.

‘Use of mainstream services by people with disability’ is defined as the proportion of people with disability who sought to access mainstream services and were able to do so confidently (that is without experiencing difficulty or discrimination). Data are reported for the following proxy measures:

• Proportion of people aged 15-64 years old who had difficulty accessing government buildings in the last 12 months
• Proportion of people with disability aged 15–64 years (living in households) who could not use or use only some public transport.

Data on respondents’ ability to use public transport includes people with disability aged 15-64 years only. Data exclude people not living in households and people who reported they do not leave home. When interpreting these data, users should be aware that respondents were asked to report their ability to use public transport regardless of whether it was available in their area. Therefore, these data cannot provide insight into public transport availability for people with disability or barriers within specific transport services.

Low or decreasing proportions of people with disability experiencing difficulty with public transport or difficulty accessing government buildings are desirable.

The ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) does not include people living in discrete Indigenous communities, which affects the representativeness of results for the Northern Territory. Approximately 20% of the resident population of the Northern Territory live in discrete Indigenous communities.

Contextual information on the proportion of active NDIS participants with approved plans accessing mainstream supports is available in table 15A.13.

Nationally, in 2022, for people with disability aged 15–64 years:

• 19.1% reported they could not use or could use only some, public transport, an increase from 15.6% in 2018 (figure 15.11; table 15A.74).
• 6.4% reported that they had difficulty accessing government buildings in the last 12 months (table 15A.75)

‘Employment rates of primary carers of people with disability’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to help primary carers of people with disability achieve economic participation. ‘Employment rates of primary carers of people with disability’ is measured as the rate of employment of primary carers compared to the rate of employment of the general population.

This measure reports on the employment outcomes of primary carers aged 15 to 64 who care for a person with a disability aged 0 to 64.

Similar employment rates between carers of people with disability and the general population are desirable. This indicator does not assess whether employment opportunities are appropriate or fulfilling.

The ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) does not include people living in discrete Indigenous communities, which affects the representativeness of results for the Northern Territory. Approximately 20% of the resident population of the Northern Territory live in discrete Indigenous communities.

Nationally, in 2022, the employment rate of primary carers of people with disability aged 15–64 years was 62.6%, while the employment rate for the general population aged 15-64 years was 77.4%. The employment rate of primary carers has increased over the available time series (53.2% in 2018 and 51.4% in 2015) (figure 15.12; table 15A.76).

‘Employment rates of people with disability’ is an indicator of governments’ objective to help people with disability achieve economic participation.

‘Employment rates of people with disability’ are defined by two measures:

• Employment rates of people with disability (SDAC)
• Employment rates of NDIA participants (NDIA).

Due to differences in employment outcomes for different age ranges, NDIS employment data are reported for two age cohorts: people aged 15 to 24 years and people aged 25 to 64 years.

Tables 15A.77-78 present data on the employment rate of the general population aged 15-64 years to track broader market trends over time (rather than to compare employment rates across cohorts).

Data for this indicator are sourced from the NDIS Outcome Framework longitudinal survey. NDIS participants are invited to complete this survey when their plans are reviewed, and only active participants as at 30 June are included. Active participants are eligible participants with an approved plan, but this might also include cases where a participant's plan has expired and a new plan has not formally commenced, but the participant has not exited the scheme.

Increasing rates of employment for people with disability is desirable. This indicator does not assess whether employment opportunities are appropriate or fulfilling. The employment rates only focus on people aged 15 to 64.

Nationally, in 2022, the employment rate for people with disability aged 15-64 years was 56.1%, while the employment rate for the general population aged 15-64 years was 77.4%.

Nationally, in 2024, 22% of NDIA participants aged 15-24 reported that they were employed, and 23% of NDIA participants aged 25-64 reported that they were employed. The employment rate for the same age cohort in the general population was 64% for 15-24 and 80% for 25-64 (table 15A.78).

‘Carer health and wellbeing’ is an indicator of governments’ objective that people with disability and their carers have an enhanced quality of life and enjoy choice and wellbeing. ‘Carer health and wellbeing’ is defined by five measures:

• The proportion of primary carers of people with disability who feel satisfied with their caring role
• The proportion of primary carers of people with disability who do not experience negative impacts on their wellbeing due to their caring role
• The difference in self-reported personal wellbeing between carers and the general population
• The difference in self-reported loneliness (“often” or “always” experience loneliness) between carers and the general population
• The difference in self-reported health (“fair” or “poor” health) between carers and the general population.

A high or increasing rate of carers who feel satisfied with their caring role and who do not experience negative impacts on their wellbeing due to caring is desirable. Similar levels of self-reported wellbeing between carers and the general population is desirable

Nationally, in 2022, 18.9% of primary carers of people with disabilities were satisfied with their caring role, a decrease from 22.1% in 2018, 22.9% in 2015, and 24.0% in 2012 (tables 15A.79).

Nationally, in 2022, 40.5% of primary carers did not experience negative impacts on their well-being due to their caring role, a decrease from 43.7% in 2018, 44.4% in 2015, and 46.0% in 2012 (tables 15A.80).

The proportion of primary carers who were satisfied with their caring role and who did not experience negative impacts on their wellbeing due to their caring role were higher for male than female carers (tables 15A.79-80).

Nationally, in 2023-24, 65.4% of carers reported low levels of well-being on the Personal Wellbeing Index compared to the general population (23.8%). This is an increase from 2021-22 (60.7%). Nationally, in 2023-24, 46.5% of carers responded that they are often/always lonely compared to the general population (13.8%). This result is similar to 2021-22 (45.1%). Nationally, in 2023-24, 57.6% of carers responded that they have either fair or poor health compared to the general population (21.2%). This result is similar to 2021-22 (55.1%).

This report includes 2023‑24 expenditure data provided by Australian, state and territory governments. Expenditure data in this report may differ from information reported elsewhere.

Table 15.3 Comparability of expenditure estimates for government provided specialist disability services, by items included, 2023-24

		NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Superannuation	Included
	Basis of estimate	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual
Workers compensation	Included
Actual payroll tax	Included
Basis of apportioning umbrella department costs	Included
	Departmental formula
	% of FTE employees
Long service leave	Entitlements
	Basis of estimate	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual	Accrual
	Depreciation

FTE = full time equivalent.
Not applicable.    Not included.    Included.

Source: Australian, state and territory governments unpublished.