Can the NDIS pay for a support worker to exercise with me?
Yes. A support worker to help you exercise or be active in the community can be funded under Core when reasonable and necessary.
Yes. A support worker to help you exercise or take part in physical activity in the community can be funded under Core when it's reasonable and necessary. This funds the support you receive - the worker's time and help - not the gym, class or activity fee itself.
The short answer
Three things to keep separate
How the NDIS decides, with an example
How to ask and what evidence helps
The honest wrap-up
Frequently asked questions
Does this cover the gym or class fee too?
No. The support worker's time and help are funded, but the membership, class or entry fee is generally your own everyday cost. Keep the two separate when you plan and when you ask, so you're requesting the support hours rather than the activity itself.
Which budget pays for the support worker?
Usually your Core budget, which is flexible for assistance with daily life and community participation. If you're unsure how your plan is set up, your support coordinator or plan manager can confirm how to use the hours and whether they can go toward exercise.
Can the same worker guide my exercise program?
A support worker helps you take part safely, but they don't deliver clinical exercise or design a program. That should come from an exercise physiologist or physio under Capacity Building, with the support worker helping you carry it out day to day. The two roles work best together.
Do I need a therapist's letter to get a support worker for exercise?
Not always, but it helps. If you can show the support is reasonable and necessary and tied to a goal, that's the core of it. A short note from a therapist or a clear explanation of your disability-related need makes the request stronger and easier for your planner to approve.