When it comes to NDIS funding for equipment and home modifications, two terms come up constantly: Capital Supports and Assistive Technology. Many participants, and even some support coordinators, aren't clear on how they relate to each other. This guide clears it up.
The Short Answer
Capital Supports is a budget category in your NDIS plan. Assistive Technology is a type of item that gets funded within Capital Supports.
Think of it like this: Capital Supports is the bucket. Assistive Technology (and Home Modifications, and SDA) are things that go in the bucket.
What Are Capital Supports?
Capital Supports is one of three main NDIS budget categories (alongside Core Supports and Capacity Building). It funds higher-cost items that have a long useful life, things you don't replace every year.
Capital Supports has three main sub-categories:
- Assistive Technology: equipment that helps you function more independently
- Home Modifications: structural changes to your home or a home you're moving into
- Specialist Disability Accommodation: funding for purpose-built disability housing (a separate, specialised stream)
Capital Supports is generally not flexible: you can't move money freely between categories. Funding approved for Assistive Technology must be used for AT, not home modifications or vice versa.
What Is Assistive Technology (AT)?
Assistive Technology refers to any device or piece of equipment that helps you complete daily activities, communicate, or move around, compensating for a functional limitation caused by your disability.
The NDIS divides AT into three cost tiers:
| Cost Tier | Price Range | Requirements | |-----------|-------------|--------------| | Low cost AT | Under $1,500 | Can usually purchase directly | | Mid cost AT | $1,500–$15,000 | OT assessment and quote usually required | | High cost AT | Over $15,000 | OT assessment, trial, and NDIS approval required |
Examples of Assistive Technology funded by NDIS:
- Mobility aids: manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, walkers, crutches
- Communication aids: speech-generating devices, tablet communication apps
- Sensory aids: hearing aids, low-vision tools
- Smart home technology: voice control systems, automated lighting, smart locks, environmental controls
- Pressure care: specialised mattresses and cushions
- Ceiling hoists: for transferring participants with high physical support needs
Smart Home Technology as Assistive Technology
This is where many participants miss out on funding they're entitled to. Smart home technology, when it directly addresses a functional limitation, can be funded as Assistive Technology under Capital Supports.
What smart home features can be funded?
- Voice control systems (Amazon Alexa, Google Home), for participants who cannot physically operate switches or remotes
- Automated lighting and blinds: controlled by voice or app, removing the need to get up or reach
- Smart locks and video intercoms: enabling safe, independent management of home entry without needing to physically handle a key or move to the door
- Environmental control systems: adjusting temperature, fans, and appliances from a single device or voice command
- Smart monitoring and alert systems: fall detection, wander alerts, emergency calling
What's required to access AT funding for smart home tech?
An occupational therapist must complete a functional capacity assessment and write a report that:
- Documents your specific functional limitation (e.g., limited upper limb function, fatigue, inability to reach switches)
- Explains how the specific technology addresses that limitation
- Justifies the cost against alternative options
For mid and high cost AT, quotes from a registered AT provider are also required.
Our team at Innogreen works with participants' OTs to help justify smart home AT in NDIS plans. All our SDA properties include smart home technology as standard, so if you're moving into an Innogreen home, you don't need to fund it separately.
What Are Home Modifications?
Home Modifications funding covers structural or non-structural changes to your home (or a home you're moving into) to improve access, safety, and independence.
Examples include:
- Ramps and step-free access
- Widened doorways for wheelchair access
- Accessible bathroom installations (roll-in shower, grab rails, raised toilet)
- Lever door handles and accessible tapware
- Stair lifts or platform lifts
- Kitchen modifications (bench lowering, accessible storage)
An OT assessment is required for any modification over $1,500, and for complex modifications, a detailed OT report recommending specific works is standard.
Home Modifications vs AT, where does smart home tech sit?
Smart home technology can be funded through either AT or Home Modifications depending on the item:
- Portable devices (voice assistant, tablet) → usually funded as AT
- Wired-in systems (automated blinds, integrated lighting control, door automation) → may be funded as Home Modifications if they require installation
- Infrastructure (wiring, smart panels) → usually Home Modifications
Your OT will recommend which funding category is most appropriate for each item.
What About SDA Funding?
SDA is a completely separate Capital Supports stream. It doesn't come from the same pool as AT or Home Modifications. It's a dedicated housing payment that goes directly to the SDA provider.
SDA funding covers the cost of living in a purpose-built property. It does not cover:
- Your day-to-day support (that comes from Core Supports)
- Your own furnishings or consumables
- AT that you take with you when you move
For a full explanation of SDA, see our NDIS Funding Guide.
How to Access Capital Supports Funding
- Check your current plan: log into the myNDIS portal or contact your LAC to see what Capital Supports funding you have
- Get an OT assessment: an OT functional capacity assessment is required for most AT and home modifications
- Get quotes: for AT over $1,500, you'll need a quote from a registered AT provider
- Seek NDIS approval: some items require NDIS approval before purchase; your support coordinator can help with this
- Purchase through a registered provider: to use plan-managed or NDIS-managed funding, you must use a registered provider
For a comprehensive overview of how all NDIS Capital Supports work, including AT, Home Modifications, and SDA, visit our NDIS Funding Guide.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Buying AT before getting approval. For items over $1,500, you need NDIS approval before purchasing. Buying first and seeking reimbursement rarely works.
Not getting an OT report. Without OT justification, the NDIS is unlikely to fund mid or high-cost AT. Don't skip this step.
Confusing AT and Home Modifications. Using AT funding for installation work (which should come from Home Modifications) can cause claiming issues. Work with your support coordinator to allocate correctly.
Not planning ahead for plan reviews. If you have unused Capital Supports at your plan review, it can signal to the NDIS that you don't need as much. Work with your coordinator to use your funding strategically.
For a practical guide to what smart home AT looks like in practice and what it costs, see our Complete Guide to NDIS Smart Home Technology.
If you have questions about smart home AT or accessing SDA in Perth, contact our team, we're happy to help.