Personal care
NDIS Core support
Help with everyday personal tasks such as showering, dressing, grooming, eating and getting around the home, delivered with respect for the person’s privacy and choices.
The short answer
Personal care is help with everyday tasks such as showering, dressing, grooming, eating and getting around the home, delivered with respect for your privacy and choices.
About Personal care
Personal care support helps you with the daily tasks of looking after your body. That includes washing and showering, dressing, toileting, grooming, eating and drinking, and moving around the home. The help you need might be a little reminder or physical assistance, and it can change from day to day.
Who provides your care is very important. You should be treated with dignity and be able to say how you want things done. You can ask for a worker of a certain gender, and providers will do what they can to match your preferences. Consistency also helps, because familiar workers get to know your routine.
Before starting, read your service agreement carefully. It should explain what support you will get, when, how it can change, how to make a complaint and what happens if you or the worker cannot make a visit. Ask for a plain-language copy if you need one.
Who is this service for?
People who need help with everyday tasks such as showering, dressing, grooming, eating or getting around the home.
What a typical session looks like
A personal care visit helps with the things you need to get through the day, such as showering, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating or getting in and out of bed. The worker arrives at the agreed time, checks how you are, and helps in the way you prefer. They pay attention to your privacy, your comfort and your dignity throughout.
Routines matter. Many people like things done a certain way, and a good worker learns your preferences and follows them. They also watch for changes, such as skin problems, pain or shifts in mood, and let you or your family know if they notice anything that needs attention.
Who delivers this support
Personal care is delivered by support workers, and some tasks may need extra training. Ask about screening, training and how the provider matches workers to people. Many people feel more comfortable with a worker of a particular gender or background, and it is fine to say so.
How to choose a provider
- Ask how workers are trained and how they are supervised.
- Find out how the provider matches workers and handles gender preferences.
- Check how they respect your privacy and choices.
- Ask how they handle missed visits and changes to the roster.
- Read the service agreement and ask about complaint procedures.
Questions to ask a provider
- Can I choose the gender or background of my worker?
- How do you make sure my privacy and dignity are protected?
- How will the worker learn my routines and preferences?
- What training do workers have in safe handling and hygiene?
- What happens if my usual worker is away?
- How can I raise concerns or make changes?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not telling the worker how you like things done.
- Accepting a worker who makes you uncomfortable rather than asking for a change.
- Not checking that workers are trained in safe handling.
- Not having the right equipment, which puts workers and you at risk.
- Not reviewing the routine as your needs change.
Getting started
- Write down the help you need at each time of day.
- Contact providers and ask about availability.
- Meet the worker if possible and agree how you like things done.
- Review after a few weeks and adjust.
How it fits with the rest of your plan
Personal care sits at the core of many plans and links with nursing, equipment, home modifications and daily living support. The right equipment, such as a shower chair or hoist, makes personal care safer and easier. It also helps to think about what you want to do for yourself, so the support builds on your independence.
Eligibility
You can use NDIS funding for Personal care if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
Funding
Core supports help with everyday activities and are usually the most flexible part of an NDIS plan. If Personal care is in your plan, it is normally paid from a Core budget. Your plan shows how much you have and how it can be used. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.
What it costs
Supports such as Personal care that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.
Personal care providers on the NDIS register
14,468 NDIS providers list personal care supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.
Providers listing personal care
- 1 Abbira Care Services - VIC; includes Fraser Rise, VIC
- 1 All Care - SA; includes Findon, SA
- 1 Care Connect - NSW; includes Manly, NSW; Rooty Hill, NSW; Rosehill, NSW
- 1 Circle Of Care - VIC; includes Pakenham, VIC
- 1 Heart Care Services - NSW; includes Orange, NSW
- 1 In Town Services - SA; includes Mansfield Park, SA
- 1 The Helpers - NSW; includes Parramatta, NSW
- 1-Care - NSW; includes Lalor Park, NSW
- 10 Plus Care - VIC; includes Camberwell, VIC
- 121 Best Care - QLD; includes Calamvale, QLD
- 121 Supports Hunter - NSW; includes Hamilton, NSW; Newcastle, NSW; Newcastle West, NSW
- 123 Community Support - NSW; includes Ermington, NSW
See all 14,468 personal care providers
Listings by state and territory
- New South Wales (4,886)
- Victoria (4,266)
- Queensland (2,648)
- South Australia (1,365)
- Western Australia (1,198)
- Australian Capital Territory (325)
- Northern Territory (318)
- Tasmania (267)
Suburbs with the most listings
- Brisbane, QLD (680)
- Melbourne, VIC (544)
- Sydney, NSW (398)
- Central Coast, NSW (308)
- Perth, WA (289)
- Adelaide, SA (263)
- Blacktown, NSW (257)
- Parramatta, NSW (236)
- Liverpool, NSW (214)
- Tarneit, VIC (212)
- Geelong, VIC (204)
- Ipswich, QLD (198)
Listings covering the most areas
- Permalink Support Services - 503 areas
- Nurse Next Door Batemans Bay - 413 areas
- Ivy Health and Support Services - 248 areas
- Nurse Next Door Ballarat - 233 areas
- Nurse Next Door Armidale - 230 areas
- Nurse Next Door Wagga Wagga - 207 areas
- Nurse Next Door Canberra - 189 areas
- Huge Care - 188 areas
Checking credentials
- Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
- Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
- Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.
Regulation and safeguards
NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.
Related services
- Recurring transport allowance
- Short Term Accommodation (STA) / respite
- Social and recreation activities
- Specialised transport
Frequently asked questions
What does personal care include?
Help with everyday personal tasks such as showering, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating and moving around, delivered with respect for your privacy and choices.
Can I choose my support worker?
You can ask for preferences, such as gender or language, and providers will try to match them. Availability varies, so raise it early.
What should be in a service agreement?
It should describe what support you get, when, how much it costs, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint. Read it carefully before you sign.
Can I choose the gender of my support worker?
You can request a preference and providers will try to accommodate it, depending on availability.
What if I do not feel comfortable with a worker?
Tell the provider. You are entitled to ask for a change.
Can personal care be provided at night?
Some providers offer it. Ask about overnight support.
Can I choose who provides my personal care?
You should have a say, including preferences about gender and approach. Tell the provider at the start and raise it again if something changes.
What if I am uncomfortable with a worker?
Speak up. A good provider will listen and arrange a change, and you can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if you have a concern that is not resolved.
How can I stay independent while receiving personal care?
Talk to the worker about the parts you can do yourself, and ask for support that fills gaps rather than taking over.
Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Personal care?
If Personal care is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
How do I find a Personal care provider near me?
Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint
Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory
Reading about Personal care
- Personal care and daily living supports: what to ask a provider: Help with showering, dressing, meals and the household is personal. These are the questions that help you set routines, protect your dignity and keep control.
- Hiring an independent support worker: what to ask and check: Some people choose to work directly with an independent worker rather than a larger provider. Here is what to look at first, and what to put in writing.
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.