Ask a Plan Manager! Holidays and the NDIS
Experienced Leap in! plan manager, Minell, shares advice for using your NDIS Plan when travelling with your child or young person with disability.
Planning a holiday can be exciting and a little overwhelming too. If your child, teen or young adult has NDIS supports, you might be wondering what can be included while you’re away. Here are some of the questions we’re asked most often and how the NDIS may be able to help.
Will the NDIS pay for our family holiday?
Not the holiday itself. The NDIS does not fund general travel expenses like flights, hotels, meals or entry to attractions. These are considered everyday living costs.
What it may fund is the disability- related support your child usually receives at home. If your child has funded support through their Core Supports budget, it may be possible to continue these supports while travelling.
What can be funded while we are away?
Support worker hours are the most common funded item. This might include help with:
• Personal care, mobility or communication
• Accessing the community in an unfamiliar place
• Maintaining regular routines.
Some families also continue therapies such as speech or physio using telehealth, or arrange short-term equipment hire at their destination, such as a hoist, shower chair or bed.
Can a support worker travel with us?
Yes – if it’s necessary for your child to have a support worker to travel safely or participate in the holiday. Alternatively, you may be able to engage a support worker at your destination.
The NDIS may cover the worker’s:
- Support hours
- Travel time and kilometres when delivering support
But you will need to cover their personal travel costs, including:
- Flights or transport
- Accommodation
- Meals.
Before booking, agree on expectations. Discuss how many hours the worker will support your child each day, what they’ll help with, and who is paying for what. A written agreement can help make things clearer.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
- The NDIS is unlikely to fund additional support hours just because you’re travelling.
- Supports must already be included in your child’s plan and considered reasonable and necessary in a holiday setting.
- For children, funding for support workers is assessed based on the level of support typically required for their age. High levels of funded support are usually only provided for children with complex needs.
What is not covered?
The NDIS will not pay for:
- Flights, accommodation or meals for family members
- Entry to tourist attractions or holiday activities
- General transport like taxis or car hire
- Anything not directly related to disability support needs.
How do I know if a support is reasonable and necessary?
Supports must meet the NDIS funding criteria and be linked to goals in your child’s NDIS Plan.
Ask yourself:
- Does my child already receive this support at home?
- Would we need this support whether we are travelling or not?
If the answer is yes, it may be considered reasonable and necessary. For example, a support worker helping with morning routines while on holiday may be justified by a goal around building independence or accessing the community.
Top tips BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
• Staying somewhere new? Call ahead to confirm you’ve booked an accessible room and check it includes the features you need.
• Flying? Contact the airline early to arrange boarding assistance, accessible seating or mobility aids. Most have dedicated support teams.
• Help your child prepare. Use photos to show where you’re going, how you’ll get there and who you’ll see. A simple picture schedule can make the trip feel more familiar.
Leap in! is a two-time winner of the Most Outstanding Plan Management Award (2023 and 2024) and a finalist in the 2025 Customer Service Excellence Awards. Speak to us about how we can support your NDIS journey. Call 1300 05 78 78 or email [email protected] to learn more about Leap in! plan management.
