NDIS and ADHD: Complete Funding and Support Guide 2026

Home » NDIS and ADHD: Complete Funding and Support Guide 2026

If you have ADHD or you care for someone who does, you have probably asked the question: does the NDIS cover ADHD? The short answer is rarely, and only under specific conditions. The longer answer matters more, because the gap between the public conversation and the official position is a real source of confusion for participants, families, and clinicians.

This guide walks you through the current NDIS ADHD rules in 2026, why ADHD is treated differently from autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, when ADHD can support a successful access request, what the NDIS actually funds when you are eligible, and what the 2026 reform package means for ADHD applicants. Every fact is verified against the Australian Senate Community Affairs Committee report on ADHD assessment and support services (September 2023), the NDIA’s published eligibility guidance, the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27, the Medicare Benefits Schedule, University of Wollongong assessment cost and wait time research published in March 2026, and the AADPA Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD (NHMRC-approved, October 2022).

Quick summary: NDIS and ADHD in 2026

ADHD is rarely accepted as a primary disability. The NDIA decides access on functional impact under section 24 of the NDIS Act, and an ADHD diagnosis on its own rarely meets that test.
Having an ADHD diagnosis does not automatically qualify you for the NDIS. Eligibility is based on functional impact, not diagnosis, and an ADHD diagnosis on its own rarely meets the disability requirements.
ADHD can be a primary or secondary disability on an NDIS plan. As of 31 March 2023, 4,864 NDIS participants had ADHD listed as a primary or secondary condition. Of those, 188 listed ADHD as their primary disability and 4,676 listed it as secondary. Only 40 of the primary-disability participants were adults.
ADHD most often opens the door to NDIS support when it co-occurs with another condition such as autism, intellectual disability, learning disability, global developmental delay, or significant psychosocial disability.
The NDIA is introducing support needs assessments from April 2027. These are a planning change aimed at producing fairer budgets, not a change to the access test. The NDIA has not published a date for phasing out the access lists.
The Senate Inquiry into ADHD (2023) made 15 recommendations. The Government response (December 2024) supported only one in full.

The Official NDIA Position on ADHD

The NDIA does not have a separate policy for ADHD. ADHD is assessed under the standard disability requirements in section 24 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013. To meet those requirements, you must show:

A disability caused by one or more impairments that are intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, or physical, or one or more impairments to which a psychosocial disability is attributable.
That the impairment is, or is likely to be, permanent.
That the impairment substantially reduces your functional capacity in at least one of the following: communicating, socialising, learning, moving around, looking after yourself, or managing your life.
That the impairment affects your capacity for social or economic participation.
That you are likely to need NDIS supports for your lifetime.

Mr Scott McNaughton, then Deputy CEO of Service Delivery at the National Disability Insurance Agency, told the Senate Community Affairs Committee in June 2023:

“The Act itself doesn’t list disabilities. We have some lists that help us guide decision-making. We put those lists in place through the early days of transitioning and rolling out the NDIS: we’ve got lists A, B, C and D. They help us as a decision-making guide for people who may be testing access to the scheme, but you don’t need to be on any of those lists, per se, to access the scheme. There are a whole range of impairments and disabilities that don’t appear on any of those lists, but we still assess a person’s functional ability and permanency to access the scheme. ADHD isn’t on any of those lists, that’s correct, but that doesn’t preclude anyone with ADHD testing access to the scheme.”

That is the NDIA’s position in their own words. ADHD is not excluded. Every application is decided on functional evidence, and for ADHD that evidence has to carry the whole case.

Why ADHD Is Treated Differently From Autism

To understand the NDIS and ADHD landscape, it helps to compare to autism. Autism at Level 2 or Level 3 carries descriptors that describe substantial functional impact, so a diagnosis usually comes with documented evidence that maps onto the disability requirements. ADHD has no equivalent shorthand. There are three reasons commonly cited in the official record:

Treatment response. The ADHD Foundation submitted to the Senate Inquiry that ADHD is “highly treatable with up to 70% of symptoms able to be controlled by medication”. The NDIA’s general position is that if a condition can be effectively treated, the impairment is not considered permanent in the sense the Act requires. The remaining 30 percent of symptoms that medication cannot manage is where functional impact for NDIS purposes most often sits.
Functional impact varies widely. ADHD presents across a spectrum from mild to severe. The Senate Committee heard from ADHD Australia that “complex cases of ADHD meet the criteria in the NDIS Act” but most ADHD presentations are managed through mainstream health services.
System boundaries. The Department of Health and Aged Care told the Committee that NDIS funding is intended for supports “not the responsibility of other service systems to provide” such as state government, the education system, or the health system. Medicare, the PBS, and mental health care plans are the first-line response to ADHD.

For comparison with autism, see our complete NDIS and Autism guide.

The Numbers: ADHD on the NDIS Today

The Senate Committee published the official NDIA participant breakdown as of 31 March 2023. These figures remain the most recent published data:

Age	Primary ADHD	Secondary ADHD	All ADHD	All NDIS Participants
0 to 17	148	3,447	3,595	291,237
18 and over	40	1,229	1,269	300,822
Total	188	4,676	4,864	592,059

Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, Submission 125 to the Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into ADHD, 2023.

Two numbers stand out. Only 40 Australian adults had ADHD as their primary disability under the NDIS at that time. And the ratio of secondary to primary ADHD is about 25 to 1, which tells you that for most participants with ADHD on the scheme, ADHD is a co-occurring condition recorded alongside something else.

When ADHD Can Support an NDIS Access Request

Based on the Senate Inquiry evidence and the NDIA’s published reasoning, ADHD is most likely to support a successful NDIS access request in the following situations.

1. ADHD With a Co-occurring Condition That Meets the Disability Requirements

This is the most common path. ADHD frequently co-occurs with:

Autism Spectrum Disorder. Where autism at Level 2 or Level 3 meets the disability requirements, ADHD is then often listed as a secondary disability on the same plan.
Intellectual disability. Moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability commonly meets the disability requirements in its own right.
Specific learning disorder. Significant learning impairments can support an early intervention pathway.
Global developmental delay in children under 6, supporting the early intervention requirements.
Psychosocial disability. Severe anxiety, depression, or complex post-traumatic stress disorder with permanent impairment may qualify under section 24 in their own right, with ADHD as a contributing condition.

The Department of Health and Aged Care’s submission to the Senate Committee made this point clearly: “Not all people with ADHD will meet the access requirements under the NDIS Act.”

2. Severe ADHD With Documented Substantial Functional Impact

This path is rare (188 primary cases nationwide) but real. To qualify with ADHD alone, an application must show:

Severe and persistent functional impairment across multiple domains
Documented evidence that all available, appropriate treatments have been tried
Functional capacity assessment showing substantial reduction in at least one of the six NDIS functional domains
Evidence that mainstream health services and Medicare-funded supports are not sufficient to manage the functional impact
Reports from a treating psychiatrist or paediatrician familiar with the participant

3. Complex ADHD Presentations With Strong Allied Health Evidence

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians told the Senate Committee that “those with complex ADHD should be eligible for the NDIS. A functional assessment should consider comorbidities with ADHD; for example, anxiety, learning difficulties and trauma, that require NDIS funding to support sufficient psychology, tutors/learning support and parenting support.”

For these applications, the strongest evidence package usually includes a Functional Capacity Assessment by an occupational therapist trained in adult ADHD, supplemented by reports from a psychiatrist, psychologist, and GP. The application should focus on what the applicant cannot do unaided, with concrete daily examples, not on the diagnosis itself.

What the NDIS Funds for ADHD When You Are Eligible

If you are accepted onto the scheme with ADHD recorded as a primary or secondary disability, your plan funding is divided into the same three support categories that apply to all NDIS plans: Core, Capacity Building, and Capital. The supports commonly funded for participants where ADHD is a contributing condition include the following.

Capacity Building

Psychology: For executive function strategies, emotional regulation, ADHD coaching by appropriately qualified psychologists, treatment of co-occurring anxiety and depression. The 2026-27 price limit is $252.99 per hour.
Occupational therapy: For daily living skills, sensory regulation strategies, organisation and time management support, school or workplace adjustments. The 2026-27 price limit is $193.99 per hour.
Speech pathology: Where social communication is affected, particularly when ADHD co-occurs with autism. The 2026-27 price limit is $193.99 per hour.
Improved life choices: Plan management services.
Improved relationships: Social skills programs, family counselling, behaviour support where appropriate.
Finding and keeping a job: Employment-related supports, including specialist employment coaching for participants navigating workplace adjustments.
Support coordination: Help connecting with providers and using your plan well.

Core Supports

Support workers for participants with high support needs where executive function impairment affects daily living.
Low-cost assistive technology (under $1,500): noise-reducing headphones, organisation tools, fidget tools, scheduling devices.
Community participation supports for activities that build skills and social connections.

Capital Supports

Higher-cost assistive technology (over $1,500): specialised communication devices where ADHD co-occurs with autism or significant language impairment.
Home modifications in rare cases where sensory regulation needs require modifications.

The NDIA’s published position, quoted in the Senate Inquiry report, is important here: “We don’t fund supports to treat your impairment. Instead, the supports we fund can help you reduce or overcome the impact your impairment has on your daily life.” Medication, psychiatric treatment, and diagnostic assessments are funded through Medicare and the PBS, not the NDIS.

For pricing detail, see our NDIS Price Guide 2025-26.

ADHD Diagnosis in Australia: What the NDIS Application Needs

The Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD, developed by the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) and approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in October 2022, sets the diagnostic standard for ADHD in Australia.

Who Can Diagnose ADHD

For NDIS purposes, ADHD diagnosis must come from a qualified clinician. The accepted diagnosticians are:

Psychiatrists (the most common path for adult ADHD)
Paediatricians (the most common path for childhood ADHD)
Clinical psychologists with specialist ADHD training

DSM-5-TR Criteria for ADHD

ADHD is diagnosed using the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). The three presentations are:

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation (ADHD-I): Five or more symptoms of inattention in adults (six or more in children under 17), with fewer than five hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation (ADHD-HI): Five or more hyperactive-impulsive symptoms in adults (six or more in children), with fewer than five inattentive symptoms.
Combined Presentation (ADHD-C): Five or more symptoms in each domain (six or more in children).

Across all three presentations, symptoms must have been present before age 12, must be present in two or more settings (home, school, work), and must “interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning”. This last point is the most important for NDIS applications.

The Cost and Waitlist Reality

ADHD assessment in Australia costs money and takes time. University of Wollongong research published in March 2026, drawn from a national survey of assessment providers, found:

The average initial assessment for an adult cost more than $530 without rebates
Total assessment costs averaged nearly $1,400, and reached almost $4,000 in some cases
Costs for children were comparable to costs for adults
Psychiatrists charged more for the initial appointment, while psychologists had higher total costs, reflecting a greater number of sessions
The average wait for an adult’s initial appointment was just over 10 weeks, with some waits extending to a year
For children the average wait was 19 weeks, with some families waiting up to two years
Access was most limited in remote and very remote areas

Part of that cost can be claimed back. Under the Medicare Benefits Schedule, item 291 covers a consultant psychiatrist attendance of more than 45 minutes for a comprehensive diagnostic assessment. Its schedule fee is $549.90 and the benefit is 85 per cent, which is $467.45. That schedule fee was last updated on 1 July 2026. What you pay out of pocket is the difference between the fee your psychiatrist actually charges and this benefit, so it varies from clinic to clinic.

This matters for NDIS applications because functional capacity evidence is most credible when it comes with a recent, complete diagnostic assessment. For a family weighing up whether to apply, the diagnostic step alone can run to several months and more than a thousand dollars before the NDIS application even begins.

The Senate Inquiry and What It Means for 2026

In March 2023, the Australian Senate referred an Inquiry to the Community Affairs References Committee on ADHD assessment and support services. The Committee received 706 submissions and delivered its 284-page report in September 2023, making 15 unanimous recommendations.

Key Recommendations Affecting NDIS Access

Recommendation 1: A National ADHD Framework developed in consultation with the ADHD community.
NDIS-specific recommendation: The NDIS should “improve the accessibility and quality of information around the eligibility of ADHD as a condition under NDIS”.
Functional capacity over diagnosis: The Committee endorsed the principle that NDIS eligibility should be decided on functional impact, not diagnostic label.
Medicare and PBS reforms: Expedited national prescribing rules for ADHD medication and reviews of MBS items relevant to ADHD assessment.

The Government Response (December 2024)

The Federal Government released its response to the Senate Inquiry in December 2024, more than 13 months after the report. Of the 15 recommendations, only one was fully supported. The remaining 14 were noted, partially supported, or referred to other processes. ADHD Australia, AADPA, and other peak bodies have publicly described the response as inadequate.

$50 million over 4 years from 2024-25 was allocated to the Childhood Mental Health Research Plan (CMHRP), but no funding was committed to a standalone National ADHD Framework.

What This Means for Applicants Today

In practical terms, the eligibility framework for ADHD has not changed since the Senate Inquiry. The NDIA continues to assess applications under section 24 of the NDIS Act. The access lists remain in place. The path through ADHD-as-co-occurring-condition remains the most common successful route.

The 2026 Reforms: What Could Change for ADHD Applicants

The bigger structural change is coming through the Australian Government’s NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, introduced 14 May 2026. The reform timeline includes:

1 October 2026: Thriving Kids services begin rolling out for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism at low to moderate support needs.
April 2027: Support needs assessments are introduced as part of the NDIA’s new way of planning. The NDIA describes them as a consistent information-gathering step to create fairer budgets in plans. They are being developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies.

For ADHD applicants, the functional capacity shift could be significant. The Senate Inquiry record contains repeated calls from clinical and advocacy organisations for the NDIS to move away from diagnostic lists and toward function-based assessment. The 2026 reform package does that, but it is too early to tell whether the shift will widen or narrow access for ADHD applicants in practice.

For background on the 2026 reform package, see our NDIS Planning Changes 2026 guide.

Building a Strong NDIS Application When ADHD Is Part of the Picture

Based on the Senate Inquiry evidence and the NDIA’s published guidance, applications where ADHD is a primary or co-occurring condition are strongest when they include the following.

Detailed Functional Capacity Evidence

A Functional Capacity Assessment by an occupational therapist or psychologist familiar with adult ADHD is the single most important document. The Senate Committee heard repeatedly that the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (commonly used in NDIS assessments) is “based on a deficit model” and that allied health professionals trained in recovery-based approaches sometimes struggle to write reports that capture the functional reality of ADHD. Choose an assessor with ADHD-specific experience.

Specific Daily-Life Examples

Vague descriptions like “struggles with concentration” do not give the NDIA enough to make a decision. Strong applications use concrete examples: “Cannot maintain employment longer than six months without intensive workplace accommodations. Has been dismissed from three roles in the past two years for missed deadlines and unfinished tasks. Cannot manage household finances independently and has accumulated $X in late fees over the past year because bills are forgotten.”

Documented Treatment History

The access test asks whether available and appropriate treatments have been considered. For ADHD this means documenting medication trials (which stimulants and non-stimulants, what worked, what did not, why discontinued), psychological therapy history, and any workplace or educational accommodations attempted. The application is stronger when the treating professional confirms that further treatment is unlikely to remove the functional impairment.

Co-occurring Conditions Documented Separately

If ADHD presents with anxiety, depression, autism, learning disability, sensory processing differences, or other conditions, document each with its own functional impact. The combined picture is usually what supports a successful application.

Reports From Multiple Treating Professionals

A GP letter, a psychiatrist report, an OT functional capacity assessment, and where relevant a psychologist report carry far more weight together than any single document. For a step-by-step walkthrough of how to assemble the application, see our NDIS Access Request Form guide.

NDIS and ADHD FAQ

Can I get NDIS funding for ADHD alone?

It is possible but rare. As of March 2023, only 188 NDIS participants had ADHD listed as their primary disability, and only 40 of those were adults. To qualify with ADHD alone you need to show severe, persistent, and substantial functional impairment in at least one of the six NDIS functional domains, with strong evidence that available treatments have been tried.

Will the NDIS pay for my ADHD medication?

No. ADHD medication is funded through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), not the NDIS. The NDIA’s published position is that supports to treat an impairment are not funded; only supports that help you reduce or overcome the impact of the impairment on daily life are.

Will the NDIS pay for my ADHD assessment?

No. Diagnostic assessments are funded through Medicare (via MBS items, including Item 291 for psychiatrist assessments), not the NDIS. NDIS funding only begins after you are an approved participant.

My child has ADHD. Should I apply for the NDIS?

If the only diagnosis is ADHD and the child is otherwise functioning within typical ranges, the application is unlikely to succeed. If the child has co-occurring autism (especially Level 2 or 3), intellectual disability, global developmental delay, or significant learning impairment, the application has a stronger basis. Speak with the diagnosing paediatrician and your Local Area Coordinator before applying.

I am a late-diagnosed adult with ADHD. Can I qualify?

If your ADHD is severe and substantially reduces your daily functional capacity across multiple domains, you may qualify, but the path is narrow. Most late-diagnosed adults with ADHD who reach the NDIS do so because ADHD presents alongside autism, complex psychosocial disability, or another condition. A detailed functional capacity assessment is essential. See also our work on ADHD and autism (NDIS and Autism guide) if both apply.

What is the difference between ADHD coaching and NDIS support coordination?

ADHD coaching is an emerging professional service that helps clients build executive function strategies. It is not currently subsidised under Medicare and is mostly self-funded. The NDIS can fund ADHD coaching under capacity building if it is provided by an appropriately qualified provider (often a psychologist with ADHD specialty). NDIS Support Coordination is different: a coordinator helps you understand your plan, choose providers, and use your funding well. Both can support a participant with ADHD, but they do different jobs.

Does the Senate Inquiry change anything for current ADHD applicants?

Not yet. The Inquiry made 15 recommendations in September 2023. The Government response (December 2024) supported only one in full and did not commit to changing NDIS eligibility for ADHD. The NDIA’s new way of planning, including support needs assessments from April 2027, may have a larger practical impact than the Inquiry response did, though it is a planning change rather than an access change.

What if my application is rejected because of ADHD?

You have options. You can request an internal review within three months. You can submit a fresh application with stronger evidence at any time. You can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal within 28 days of an internal review decision. The NDIA confirms there is no limit on the number of times you can apply. Strong functional capacity evidence and documentation of co-occurring conditions are usually the missing pieces.

If I am accepted, can my plan include ADHD coaching?

Yes, where appropriate. ADHD coaching by a qualified provider can be funded under capacity building line items, particularly under Improved Daily Living. Talk to your support coordinator about which providers in your area are credentialed for ADHD-specific coaching.

What about the new support needs assessments from April 2027?

From April 2027 the NDIA is introducing support needs assessments as part of its new way of planning. The NDIA describes them as a consistent and reliable information-gathering step to create fairer budgets, which means they shape plan funding rather than the access decision itself. The assessment is still being developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies, and the NDIA is currently recruiting participants to help test it before rollout. For ADHD applicants the practical effect is not yet clear, and the NDIA has not published a change to the section 24 access test.

How Centre of Hope Can Help

Centre of Hope is a registered NDIS provider in New South Wales. We work with NDIS participants where ADHD is part of the picture, often as part of a wider neurodevelopmental or psychosocial profile. We offer:

Support Coordination (Level 2): Helping you understand your plan, choose providers experienced in ADHD-aware therapy, and use your funding well.
Specialist Support Coordination (Level 3): For participants with complex co-occurring conditions including ADHD, autism, and psychosocial disability.
Psychosocial Recovery Coaching: Specialist support for participants whose ADHD co-occurs with mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, or complex post-traumatic stress.
Employment Coaching: Particularly relevant for adults with ADHD navigating workplace accommodations, executive function challenges, and career transitions.
Justice and Re-Entry Support: For participants involved in the justice system, recognising that ADHD is overrepresented in justice-involved populations.

If you are considering an NDIS application where ADHD is part of the picture, the first step is to speak with your treating professional, a Local Area Coordinator (find yours at ndis.gov.au), or a free disability advocacy service. Access decisions sit with the NDIA. Once you are an approved participant, Centre of Hope can help you make the most of your plan.

Your goals. Your plan. Our support.

The honest NDIS ADHD picture for 2026 is this: most people with ADHD are not eligible for NDIS funding, and the system is designed that way. For the minority who do qualify, often because ADHD presents alongside autism, intellectual disability, or complex psychosocial disability, the NDIS can fund the therapies and coaching that make daily life workable in ways that Medicare and the PBS alone cannot.

The strongest applications focus on function, not diagnosis. They document daily-life impact in concrete terms. They show what has been tried. They are honest about what works and what does not. And they are usually built with the help of treating professionals who understand both ADHD and the NDIS.

If you are an NDIS participant in New South Wales where ADHD is part of your story, and you want a support coordinator who understands both the clinical reality and the administrative path, get in touch.

Call us: 0432 250 900
Visit: centreofhope.com.au
Email: hello@centreofhope.com.au
Refer: Submit a referral