Disability Support Without the NDIS in Australia

If you have a disability but were not found eligible for the NDIS, it can feel like the door has closed. It has not. Plenty of people with disability are not on the NDIS, and there are real ways to get help with daily life, your home, and staying connected to your community. More than 18,000 home and community support providers are listed on Carevo, the kinds of everyday support you can arrange without an NDIS plan.

This page walks through what is changing in 2026, what foundational supports cover, and how to find practical help in Australia right now.

You can still get support without the NDIS

The NDIS was always meant for people with permanent and significant disability who need substantial support. Not everyone with disability meets that threshold, and not being eligible does not mean you do not need help.

To fill that gap, governments have introduced a new layer of support. The Foundational Supports program is a $10 billion, 5-year joint Commonwealth and state program that commenced on 2 February 2026. It is designed to help people with disability who are not on the NDIS. It works alongside the scheme, not inside it, so you can access it without going through NDIS planning.

Foundational supports come in two parts:

• General foundational supports are for all people with disability. They include information and advice, capacity building, peer support, and self-advocacy.
• Targeted foundational supports are for people under 65 with lower support needs who are not eligible for the NDIS. They include home and community supports such as shopping, cleaning, and aids and equipment.

The specific services and how to access them are still being finalised by governments. While that rollout continues, the home, personal, and community supports you may need are already available through providers in Australia.

What foundational supports offer people not on the NDIS

If you are under 65 with lower support needs and not eligible for the NDIS, targeted foundational supports are aimed at you. They focus on the practical, everyday help that keeps you living independently at home and connected to your community.

These are the same support types that providers on Carevo already deliver across Australia. Here is what people commonly arrange, and how many providers offer each:

• Domestic help and cleaning (more than 15,000 providers). Help with cleaning, laundry, shopping, and keeping your home in order.
• Personal care (more than 15,000 providers). Support with showering, dressing, grooming, and daily personal routines.
• Social and community participation through social support and community access (more than 16,000 providers). Help getting out, joining activities, and staying connected to people and places.
• Transport (more than 14,000 providers). Getting to appointments, shops, and social outings.
• Respite (more than 12,000 providers). Short breaks that give family carers time to rest.
• Aids and equipment (available through equipment providers). Items that make daily tasks safer and easier at home.

General foundational supports sit alongside these. They are open to all people with disability and include information and advice, capacity building, peer support, and self-advocacy. These help you understand your options, build skills, and connect with others who have lived through the same things.

Other ways to fund support

Foundational supports are one route. There are others, and many people use a mix.

Private arrangements. You can pay for home and community support directly, choosing exactly how much and how often. This gives you full control over who comes into your home and when, without any eligibility assessment. Many providers in Australia work on a fee-for-service basis.

State and territory programs. States and territories run their own disability and community support programs, and some services may be subsidised through these. What is available varies by location, and governments are still finalising how some of these connect with the new foundational supports.

Other Commonwealth programs. Depending on your situation, you may also be able to access support through aged care if you are over 65, through health and mental health services, or through carer support programs for the people who help you.

If you are not sure which funding fits your situation, it helps to start by arranging the support you need now, then layering in subsidies as the foundational supports rollout is confirmed.

How Carevo helps you find local support

Carevo is a connection platform. We do not deliver care ourselves. We connect you with home and community support providers in Australia so you can compare your options and reach out directly.

Because more than 18,000 home and community support providers are listed on Carevo, you can find help with cleaning, personal care, transport, social outings, respite, and equipment without needing an NDIS plan to get started. You choose the provider, you contact them, and you arrange support on terms that suit you.

When targeted foundational supports become available in your area, the same kinds of providers you find through Carevo are the ones likely to deliver that support. Arranging help now does not lock you out of government funding later.

To find support in Australia, browse providers by the type of help you need and contact them directly through their Carevo listing.

Frequently asked questions

I was knocked back by the NDIS. Does that mean I get nothing?

No. Not being eligible for the NDIS does not mean you have no options. The new Foundational Supports program, which commenced on 2 February 2026, is designed specifically for people with disability who are not on the NDIS. You can also arrange home and community support privately or through state programs.

What are foundational supports?

Foundational supports are a $10 billion, 5-year joint Commonwealth and state program. General foundational supports are for all people with disability and include information and advice, capacity building, peer support, and self-advocacy. Targeted foundational supports are for people under 65 with lower support needs who are not eligible for the NDIS, and include home and community supports such as shopping, cleaning, and aids and equipment.

Can I get help with cleaning and personal care if I am not on the NDIS?

Yes. Domestic help, personal care, transport, social support, and respite are all available through providers in Australia without an NDIS plan. More than 18,000 home and community support providers are listed on Carevo offering these everyday supports.

How do I access targeted foundational supports?

The specific services and how to access them are still being finalised by governments. The program commenced on 2 February 2026 and targeted supports are rolling out from 2026. In the meantime, the home and community supports they cover are already available through providers in Australia.

Does Carevo provide the care?

No. Carevo is a connection platform. We connect you with vetted home and community support providers in Australia. You contact the provider directly and arrange support with them.

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Not being on the NDIS does not mean going without support. Carevo connects you with home and community support providers in Australia who can help with daily life, your home, and staying connected, whether you arrange it privately now or alongside foundational supports as they roll out.

Speak with a provider today to find out who is accepting new clients in Australia and what support you can arrange right now.