Deafblindness — NDIS Support
Yes — Deafblindness can qualify for NDIS support. Deafblindness is on the NDIA’s List B — permanence is recognised, and you evidence the functional impact on daily life. Funding covers reasonable and necessary supports across daily living, therapy, social participation and capacity building.
Deafblindness is a combined vision and hearing impairment that creates a unique disability distinct from blindness or deafness alone. The combination of sensory losses severely restricts access to environmental information, communication and independent mobility — the primary channels through which…
Deafblindness & the NDIS FAQs
- Is deafblindness eligible for NDIS?
- Deafblindness is a List B condition recognised in NDIS policy as a unique disability. Combined vision and hearing impairment causing significant functional limitation in communication, orientation and daily activities meets the NDIS permanent and significant impairment criteria. Documentation from an ophthalmologist…
- What is an intervenor and does NDIS fund them?
- An intervenor is a specialist support person trained in deafblind communication methods who provides people with deafblindness consistent access to environmental information, communication and safe orientation. Unlike a generic support worker or Auslan interpreter, an intervenor has specialised training in…
- Does NDIS support people with Usher syndrome specifically?
- Yes. Usher syndrome — the most common cause of inherited deafblindness — qualifies for NDIS where the combined functional impairment meets the threshold. People born deaf with Usher syndrome often access NDIS early for hearing-related supports, and as retinitis pigmentosa progresses (typically in adolescence and…
- How are NDIS plans structured for deafblind participants?
- NDIS plans for deafblind participants are typically complex and higher-funded, reflecting the intensive nature of specialist support needs. Plans typically include: Core Supports for intervenor hours (often significant — including 1:1 support for community participation, employment and daily living), Capital Supports…
- Can someone develop deafblindness later in life through Usher syndrome and still get NDIS?
- Yes. People with Usher syndrome who were previously accessing NDIS for deafness alone, or who apply for NDIS as their combined disability becomes significant, can access deafblind-specific supports as the vision impairment progresses. The NDIS Access Request documents the current combined functional impairment. As…
Deafblindness & the NDIS — practical guides
- Applying for the NDIS with Deafblindness
- Assistive Technology for Deafblindness
- Day Programs & Community Participation for Deafblindness
- NDIS Employment Support (SLES & DES) for Deafblindness
- NDIS Funding & Budget for Deafblindness
- Therapy & Allied Health for Deafblindness
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) for Deafblindness
- Supported Independent Living (SIL) for Deafblindness
- Finding & Managing Support Workers for Deafblindness
Related conditions
- Auditory Processing Disorder and the NDIS
- Sensory Processing Disorder and the NDIS
- Schizophrenia and the NDIS
- Schizoaffective Disorder and the NDIS
- Bipolar Disorder and the NDIS
- Major Depression and the NDIS
- Borderline Personality Disorder and the NDIS
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the NDIS
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and the NDIS
- Anxiety Disorders and the NDIS
Sources
Reviewed by the Novida editorial team · last reviewed 2026-07-12. General information only — not medical advice.