Whether the NDIS will cover the cost of cleaning depends on your individual circumstances. Does your disability prevent you from carrying out these duties yourself? If gardening, cleaning and handyman maintenance assistance enables you to live an ordinary life, NDIS may deem it reasonable and necessary to fund these household activities.
Note that the NDIS does not cover the costs of professional trade services such as electrical services and plumbing. NDIS will only cover services that are directly linked to you and your disability. If you live in a share home, your NDIS funding will only cover your room or space in the home, not the entire house as the other residents are responsible for cleaning their spaces.
An example of household tasks that may be covered include:
- Lawn mowing
- Trimming hedges
- Gardening
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Dusting and wiping surfaces
- Kitchen and bathroom cleaning.
While no quote is required from providers, there are hourly price limits for assistance with household activities. The invoice will need to state the number of hours for the service provided. Please feel free to contact our friendly team for the current price cap on these services. The NDIS only cover the cost to perform the service required and not individual products and tools used e.g. cleaning products, mulch, tools.
How is it funded in my NDIS plan?
The NDIS includes activities, such as cleaning, gardening and home maintenance, under Support Category 1 (Assistance with Daily Living). This is a core support, so if you have funding in your plan’s Core budget you can use it for these types of services.
Another option is to use the services of a support worker to assist you with the jobs you’re unable to do. This is described as ‘Assistance with Personal Domestic Activities’ and this also falls under the Assistance with Daily Living Support Category.
Do these supports need to be NDIS-registered businesses?
Many cleaners, gardeners and handymen are small businesses who aren’t registered with the NDIS. If you are plan-managed or self-managed, you needn’t worry, you can use your funding for registered and non-registered providers.
Top tips for hiring a service provider
You are in control of your funding, you can shop around for different providers and compare to find one that suits you best.
If you’ve gathered a number of quotes and decided you’re ready to employ their services, below are a number of steps we recommend you take to ensure a positive working relationship that meets the needs of the NDIS.
- Agree upon a final price – the NDIS uses an hourly-rate system for these services, so you and your service provider will need to agree on how much this is prior to starting the job. Keep in mind the NDIS won’t pay for any amounts outside of the hourly rate, so any incidental costs will need to be built into it.
- Optional: Set up a service agreement – a service agreement is just a simple written contract that states what services will be delivered, why and at what price. It’s always a good idea to set up a service agreement with any service providers you engage.
- Make sure the provider has a valid ABN (Australia Business Number) – although the cleaner, gardener or handyman do not need to be registered with the NDIS, they still need a valid ABN to claim their services.
- Be clear on the tasks you want them to complete.
- Check if they provide their own equipment or whether you supply products and equipment.
- Check availability and whether they can attend on a day and time that suits you
- Check they are trustworthy by asking for evidence of a police check or using a provider recommended by someone you trust.
- Find out if there is a discount for regular visits.
- Make arrangements for accessing your home such as unlocking the gate.
- Let them know if you have pets and ensure they are away if required.
Your Acacia Plan Management consultant is always happy to talk you through what is included in your plan and help you determine what supports your plan will fund. Contact our friendly team today on 1300 MYPLAN.
