NDIS or My Aged Care: which system supports you?
· Plans and funding · Source checked 12 October 2026
Two government systems support people with disability and older people. Here is how to think about which one applies and what to do if you are not sure.
Two systems, different purposes
The NDIS provides funding for supports related to a permanent and significant disability. My Aged Care is the gateway to government-funded supports for older people, including help at home, residential care and short-term support. They are separate systems with separate rules, eligibility and providers.
Age matters, but it is not everything
The NDIS generally applies to people who are under 65 when they first apply, while My Aged Care generally applies to older people who need support. People who are already NDIS participants when they turn 65 are generally able to choose whether to stay or to move to aged care. These rules are specific, so confirm how they apply to your situation.
If you are close to the age threshold, or if disability and ageing both play a part, it is worth asking before making a decision, because the supports available are not identical.
You cannot have the same support funded twice
The two systems are not designed to pay for the same support. If you receive a service through one, you usually cannot also have it funded through the other. A support coordinator, or the NDIA or My Aged Care, can explain which system is responsible for a particular support.
What to do if you are not sure
Contact both services to ask what is available to you, and keep notes of what you are told. Ask a family member, advocate or support coordinator to help you compare. Look at the providers each system uses, because a provider listed on one register may or may not deliver the other’s supports.
This is general information, not advice about your eligibility. Check the linked official pages and speak to the relevant agency about your own circumstances.
Questions to ask when comparing
Ask each system what supports you could receive, how they are arranged, who the providers are, what it might cost you and how long the process takes. Ask what would happen to your current supports if you moved from one to the other.
Take notes, ask for answers in writing where you can, and consider having an advocate or a family member with you. The decision is a big one, and you are entitled to take your time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the NDIS and My Aged Care?
The NDIS provides funding for supports related to a permanent and significant disability. My Aged Care is the gateway to government-funded supports for older people, including help at home, residential care and short-term support. They are separate systems with separate rules, eligibility and providers.
Which system applies to me?
The NDIS generally applies to people who are under 65 when they first apply, while My Aged Care generally applies to older people who need support. People who are already NDIS participants when they turn 65 are generally able to choose whether to stay or to move to aged care. These rules are specific, so confirm how they apply to your situation.
Can the same support be funded by both systems?
The two systems are not designed to pay for the same support. If you receive a service through one, you usually cannot also have it funded through the other.
What should I do if I am not sure which one applies?
Contact both services to ask what is available to you, and keep notes of what you are told. Ask a family member, advocate or support coordinator to help you compare, and look at the providers each system uses.
Keep learning
- Support at Home explained: how in-home aged care works: Support at Home is the program that helps older people stay in their own homes. Here is how it works, from approval to choosing a provider.
- NDIS jargon explained: the terms you will hear and what they mean: Plans, supports, coordinators, managers, registered providers: a plain-language glossary of the words that come up most often.
- When your aged care needs change: reviews and changing provider: Needs change, and aged care can change with them. Here is how to ask for a review or reassessment and how to change provider.
- Aged care costs: what you may be asked to contribute: What you pay depends on the type of care, the provider, your finances and the services you receive. Here is how to make sense of it and what to ask.
More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.
Official sources
Source checked 12 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.