Palliative & End-of-Life Care on the NDIS: A Participant & Family Guide
Palliative care on the NDIS: what stays funded through a terminal illness, how the NDIS works with your palliative and health team, and quick plan reviews.
A palliative or terminal diagnosis is one of the hardest things a person and their family can face, and it raises very practical questions about who pays for what. If you already receive disability supports, the NDIS doesn't simply stop — it keeps funding the disability-related help you need while your palliative care team looks after your medical care and comfort. This guide explains, calmly and…
What palliative care means, and where the NDIS fits
The NDIS funds disability support, not medical treatment
What the NDIS keeps funding through a terminal illness
Working alongside your palliative care team
When your needs change quickly — reviewing your plan
Equipment, home comfort and staying at home
Support for family and informal carers
Finding workers who are comfortable with this
Frequently asked questions
Does my NDIS funding stop if I get a terminal diagnosis?
No. The NDIS does not stop when you become palliative; it keeps funding the disability-related supports you already need, like personal care, support workers and equipment, while your palliative care team looks after your medical care and symptom management.
Who pays for palliative care, the NDIS or the health system?
Palliative and end-of-life medical care, pain relief, symptom management and palliative nursing, is funded by the health system, not the NDIS. The NDIS continues to fund your disability-related daily supports. The two run side by side, each covering their own part.
Can my NDIS plan be changed quickly if my needs change fast?
Yes. When someone is palliative, needs can change rapidly, and the NDIA has processes to review and adjust plans more quickly. Your support coordinator, planner or a treating clinician's letter can help request an urgent change so support keeps pace.
Will the NDIS fund equipment to help me stay comfortable at home?
The NDIS can fund disability-related assistive technology, like a hoist, pressure mattress or specialised bed, that helps you stay safely and comfortably at home. Some palliative equipment may come through the health system or palliative service, so it is worth checking who supplies what.
Is there NDIS support for my family and carers during this time?
Your plan can include supports that ease the load on informal carers, and your disability supports continue. Emotional and bereavement support for family typically comes through the palliative care service and community health, working alongside your NDIS supports.
Related guides
- Choosing & Directing Personal Care Workers (Your Rights)
- 2:1 (Two-Person) Support on the NDIS: When It's Funded
- 24/7 & Around-the-Clock Complex Care on the NDIS: A Participant & Family Guide
- Assistive Technology for Complex & High-Intensity Needs on the NDIS: A Participant & Family Guide
- How the NDIS Funds Complex AT: Hoists, Beds, Pressure & Respiratory Equipment
- Complex & High-Intensity Support for Children on the NDIS: A Family Guide