Understanding the NDIS: many eligible people with disabilities are likely to miss out

On July 1 2016, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) moved from a trial phase to a full national roll-out. In this series on Understanding the NDIS, we explore how the scheme works, why Australia needs it, and the issues to be addressed before eligible Australians, such as many Indigenous people with disability, can receive the benefits they are entitled to.The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is designed to offer disability support packages – that is, money for disability support – to every Australian citizen under 65 with “significant and ongoing support needs”.When the scheme is fully implemented in 2019, up to 10% of people with a disability – about 460,000 people – are expected to receive a disability support package.However, many people eligible for the NDIS are likely to miss out on its benefits. These people fall into particular groups, such as those who may not think of themselves as having a disability, or people who may not know what the NDIS is or how to access it