NDIS Music Therapy 2026: Funding, Eligibility and How to Access It

Home » NDIS Music Therapy 2026: Funding, Eligibility and How to Access It

For NDIS participants asking “does the NDIS fund music therapy?”, the answer in 2026 is yes, with conditions. After a turbulent 12 months that saw the NDIA propose to remove music therapy from the scheme, then commission an independent review, then reverse the proposed removal, music therapy NDIS funding is now confirmed and stable, but the rules and pricing have changed.

This guide walks you through the current music therapy NDIS framework: who can deliver it, how funding works, the price changes that took effect from 24 November 2025, who benefits most, and how to add music therapy to your plan. Throughout, we cross-check every fact against the NDIA’s published statement on the Duckett Review, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) 2025-26, and the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA).

Quick summary: NDIS music therapy in 2026

The NDIS funds music therapy. It sits under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living, as a therapeutic support.
Only Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) can deliver it. Each RMT holds AMTA accreditation, a master’s-level qualification, and a supervised provisional year of practice.
The price limit sits at $156.16 per hour, effective 24 November 2025. That represents a drop from the previous $193.99 limit and now aligns with the rate for counselling.
The NDIA assesses every music therapy request against the “reasonable and necessary” criteria. Therefore, the therapy must relate to your NDIS goals and address your functional impairment.
NDIS funding cannot pay for the music activity itself. However, it can fund supports that help you participate in music activities (though not the cost of the activity itself, such as a community choir membership or instrument purchase).
Provider travel rules cap claims at 50% of the hourly therapy rate, and 30 minutes one-way in metro areas (60 minutes in regional and remote areas).
The funding scare is over. Following the Duckett Review (September 2025), the NDIA confirmed music therapy as a funded therapeutic support and accepted all 15 recommendations directed to it.

What Is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is an evidence-based clinical practice. A qualified music therapist uses music interventions (live music, singing, instrument playing, songwriting, music listening) to help a person work towards specific goals across communication, emotional regulation, motor function, cognition, and social participation.

Importantly, music therapy is not music lessons. Nor is it entertainment, and it is also not a community music group. Instead, the therapist works with the participant on individualised goals, using music as the medium rather than the destination.

Specifically, the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) defines music therapy as “an evidence-based allied health profession… in which a qualified music therapist works with individuals, groups, or communities to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs.”

What Music Therapy Looks Like in Practice

In practice, a typical NDIS music therapy session might involve:

Playing instruments to develop fine motor coordination
Singing and vocalising to build communication skills
Rhythmic movement to support gait training
Songwriting to process emotions and build self-expression
Group music-making for social participation and peer connection
Music listening for sensory regulation and anxiety reduction

Typically, sessions are designed around the individual participant’s goals. For example, a child with autism working on communication may have very different sessions to an adult with acquired brain injury working on motor recovery.

The 2024 Funding Scare and the Duckett Review

If you have followed the music therapy NDIS conversation, you will know the past 18 months were turbulent. Below, you can see the official sequence of events.

November 2024: The Proposed Removal

In late November 2024, the NDIA announced that from 1 February 2025, music therapy would no longer count as a Capacity Building therapeutic support. Instead, it would move to the Core Supports community participation budget at a much lower rate. In response, the disability sector mobilised significant advocacy, including a Change.org petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures and submissions from AMTA, Western Sydney University, and dozens of provider organisations.

December 2024: The Pause

On 13 December 2024, the NDIA paused the proposed changes and commissioned an independent review of pricing for music and art therapies. Dr Stephen Duckett AM, a leading Australian health economist, led the review.

September 2025: The Duckett Review Outcomes

Dr Duckett’s review made 19 recommendations, 15 of which targeted the NDIA. Notably, the NDIA accepted all 15 directed to it. The key outcomes for participants:

Music therapy continues as a funded therapeutic support under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living.
Only therapists registered with a recognised professional association (for music therapy, AMTA) can deliver it at the therapy price.
The NDIA reduced the price limit from $193.99 to $156.16 per hour, in line with the rate for counselling.
The review drew a clearer distinction between art and music as a therapeutic support (funded at $156.16) and art and music as a non-therapeutic activity (not funded as therapy).
NDIS funding cannot directly cover the cost of art and music activities themselves. However, funding can support participation in those activities, just not the activity cost.
The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee took on assessing the evidence base of music and art therapy interventions for specific groups in its 2025-26 work plan.

Quoting Minister for the NDIS Senator Jenny McAllister: “Eligible participants who access art and music therapy can be confident that they are being supported by qualified therapists, recognised by a professional association.”

Additionally, quoting Dr Stephen Duckett: “It is clear that art and music therapies can be effective, and even life changing, for some people with disability… My recommendation is that $156.16 per hour is more appropriate, in line with the rate for counselling, as these are all developing professions that are not yet nationally regulated.”

Finally, the new pricing took effect from 24 November 2025 with the release of the 2025-26 PAPL v1.1.

The Current Music Therapy NDIS Funding Rules

1. Who Can Deliver It

Only Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) accredited with the Australian Music Therapy Association can deliver NDIS-funded music therapy as a therapeutic support. Typically, an RMT will have:

A master’s-level tertiary qualification in music therapy
A supervised provisional year of practice
Ongoing professional development and supervision through AMTA
Registration that participants and plan managers can verify

Notably, musicians, music teachers, choir leaders, and community music facilitators are not RMTs. They may provide valuable music experiences. However, they cannot bill at the therapy rate, and their work generally falls outside therapeutic support under the NDIS.

2. Which Budget Category

Music therapy sits under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living. This same budget also funds occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, and physiotherapy.

Your plan must include funding in this category for music therapy to go ahead. If your Improved Daily Living budget already covers other therapies and runs out, you cannot move funding from Core Supports or another Capacity Building category to pay for music therapy without first requesting a plan variation or reassessment.

For an explanation of how Capacity Building works, see our NDIS Capacity Building Supports guide.

3. The Price Limit

Item	Previous rate (before 24 Nov 2025)	Current rate (PAPL 2025-26 v1.1)
Music Therapy (individual session)	$193.99/hr	$156.16/hr
Travel (50% of hourly rate)	$96.99/hr (was)	$78.08/hr
Travel time cap (metro MMM 1-3)	30 minutes one-way	30 minutes one-way
Travel time cap (regional MMM 4-5)	60 minutes one-way	60 minutes one-way

For full pricing detail across all therapies, see our NDIS Price Guide 2025-26 and 2026-27.

4. The Reasonable and Necessary Test

The NDIA assesses every music therapy request against the standard “reasonable and necessary” criteria. For music therapy specifically, the request must show:

The therapy relates directly to your NDIS plan goals
The therapy addresses your functional impairment
There is evidence (clinical reports, recommendations from your treating team) that music therapy is appropriate for your specific situation
The therapy is delivered by an AMTA-registered RMT
The therapy is not a duplication of supports funded elsewhere (such as mainstream health services)

Therefore, the NDIA’s published position is that “music therapy has not been removed from the NDIS and remains an approved therapeutic support” while assessment happens case by case.

5. What Funding Does NOT Cover

The Duckett Review made one specific recommendation worth understanding: NDIS funding cannot cover the cost of music activities themselves. For example:

Joining a community choir or music group (membership fee)
Buying an instrument for personal enjoyment
Music lessons from a non-RMT teacher
Concert tickets, recorded music subscriptions, or music software

However, NDIS funding can cover the supports that help you participate in those activities. For instance, support worker hours to attend a community music group, transport to and from a community choir, or assistive technology that helps you play an instrument.

Who Benefits Most From Music Therapy

The Duckett Review found that music therapy “can be effective, and even life changing, for some people with disability.” The evidence summary published by the NDIA’s Data and Research team noted that evidence is comparable to other allied health professions, though strength varies by condition.

Strong Evidence Base

Acquired brain injury and stroke recovery. Rhythmic auditory stimulation supports gait training. Melodic Intonation Therapy supports speech recovery in aphasia.
Dementia (younger-onset). Music therapy supports memory access, emotional regulation, and reduces agitation.
Cerebral palsy. Instrumental playing supports fine and gross motor coordination.
Anxiety and emotional regulation across many disability presentations.

Emerging Evidence

Autism Spectrum Disorder. The NDIA’s evidence summary notes mixed evidence for music therapy in autism. Some participants and families report life-changing outcomes; the systematic reviews are less conclusive. This area is part of the Evidence Advisory Committee’s ongoing work.
Intellectual disability. Music therapists work with participants on communication development, social skills, and behaviour support.
Psychosocial disability. Music therapy is increasingly used for anxiety, depression, and trauma processing.

When Music Therapy May Not Be the Right Fit

Importantly, music therapy is not for everyone. Participants who:

Do not engage with music as a medium
Already have substantial supports addressing the same functional goals through other therapies
Need acute clinical mental-health treatment (which sits in the health system, not NDIS)

… may not see music therapy approved in their plan. Specifically, the “reasonable and necessary” test asks whether music therapy is the right intervention for your specific situation, not whether music is generally enjoyable or beneficial.

How to Add Music Therapy to Your NDIS Plan

When You Already Have Improved Daily Living Funding

If your current plan has unspent Improved Daily Living budget allocated for therapies, you can simply:

Find an AMTA-registered Music Therapist (RMT). Use the AMTA find-a-therapist directory or ask your support coordinator for local options.
Confirm the RMT charges at or below the NDIS price limit ($156.16/hr).
Sign a service agreement with the RMT.
Begin therapy and bill against your Improved Daily Living budget.

If you are NDIA-managed, the RMT must be a registered NDIS provider. If you are plan-managed or self-managed, you can use registered or unregistered RMTs (though they still need to be AMTA-accredited).

Requesting Music Therapy in a New or Reassessed Plan

Where music therapy is not currently in your plan, you will need to request it at your next plan reassessment, or through a plan variation if your circumstances have changed. As a result, the strongest applications include:

A letter or report from a treating professional (paediatrician, psychiatrist, GP, OT, psychologist) recommending music therapy specifically and explaining why it is appropriate for your situation
Clear connection to your NDIS plan goals (communication, motor function, emotional regulation, social participation)
Evidence that other therapy approaches have been tried or considered
Quotes or service plans from an AMTA-registered RMT

For a step-by-step guide to plan reassessment, see our NDIS Plan Reassessment 2026 guide.

How to Find a Registered Music Therapist

Typically, the AMTA maintains a public directory of Registered Music Therapists at austmta.org.au. You can search by location, by area of practice (autism, dementia, mental health, neurology, etc), and by setting (home visits, clinic, school).

Questions worth asking an RMT before signing a service agreement:

How long have you been registered with AMTA?
What is your experience with my specific disability or condition?
Do you offer home, clinic, or community-based sessions?
What is your hourly rate? (Should be at or below $156.16)
How do you charge for travel? (50% of hourly rate, within the time caps)
How often will you write progress reports?
How do you measure progress towards goals?

Music Therapy NDIS FAQ

Does the NDIS fund music therapy in 2026?

Yes. The NDIS funds music therapy under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living, at $156.16 per hour. Importantly, an AMTA-registered Music Therapist (RMT) must deliver it. Following the Duckett Review (September 2025), the NDIA reversed its 2024 proposal to remove music therapy from the scheme.

How much does NDIS music therapy cost?

The current NDIS price limit sits at $156.16 per hour, effective from 24 November 2025. This represents a drop from the previous $193.99 limit. For travel, providers bill 50% of the hourly rate ($78.08), within time caps of 30 minutes one-way in metro areas or 60 minutes in regional and remote areas.

Can I use any music therapist or do they need a specific qualification?

You must use an AMTA-registered Music Therapist (RMT) for NDIS-funded music therapy. Specifically, RMTs hold a master’s-level qualification plus a supervised provisional year. By contrast, musicians, music teachers, and community music facilitators cannot bill at the therapy price.

What funding category does music therapy come from?

Music therapy sits under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living. The same category also funds occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, and physiotherapy. Therefore, your plan needs this budget allocated for music therapy to go ahead.

Will the NDIS pay for my child to join a community music group?

No. The Duckett Review clarified that NDIS funding cannot cover the cost of music activities themselves (such as joining a choir or buying an instrument). However, the NDIS can fund supports that help your child participate (such as a support worker accompanying them, or transport), though not the activity cost.

What evidence does the NDIA want before approving music therapy?

The NDIA wants evidence that music therapy relates directly to your NDIS plan goals, addresses your functional impairment, and suits your specific situation. Typically, a letter from a treating professional recommending music therapy and explaining why is the strongest single piece of evidence.

Is music therapy good for autism?

The evidence remains mixed. The NDIA’s published evidence summary notes some evidence for benefit, though systematic reviews stay less conclusive. Meanwhile, many autistic participants and families report life-changing outcomes, while others find it less suitable. Currently, the NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee continues to review the evidence base for music therapy in autism as part of its 2025-26 work plan. For autistic NDIS participants generally, see our NDIS and Autism guide.

Was the 2024 plan to defund music therapy reversed?

Yes. On 13 December 2024, the NDIA paused the proposed changes and commissioned the Duckett Review. The review then confirmed music therapy as a funded therapeutic support, with the new $156.16 price limit and the AMTA-registration requirement. Importantly, the NDIA accepted all 15 recommendations directed to it.

What is the difference between music therapy and music as an activity?

Music therapy is clinical practice by a qualified RMT addressing specific therapeutic goals (communication, motor function, emotional regulation, etc). By contrast, music as an activity is enjoyment, recreation, or community participation through music. The NDIS funds music therapy as a therapeutic support; meanwhile, music activities fall under other categories if at all, and at much lower rates than therapy.

Can I get NDIS funding for both music therapy and occupational therapy?

Yes, if both are reasonable and necessary for your goals. Each works on different domains: an OT might focus on activities of daily living and sensory regulation, whereas a music therapist might focus on communication or motor coordination. In fact, many participants have both. However, you need enough Improved Daily Living budget to cover both.

How Centre of Hope Can Help

Centre of Hope is a registered NDIS provider in New South Wales. We do not deliver music therapy ourselves (music therapy requires AMTA accreditation, which is a separate allied health discipline). However, what we do offer:

Support Coordination (Level 2): We help you find AMTA-registered RMTs in your area, set up service agreements, and track your Improved Daily Living budget so you can sustain therapy through your plan period.
Specialist Support Coordination (Level 3): For participants with complex needs where music therapy fits alongside other allied health supports, we coordinate across providers and advocate for the right plan funding.
Psychosocial Recovery Coaching: For participants whose mental health goals include music as part of their recovery framework.
Employment Coaching: For participants whose work goals connect to creative or performance careers.

If you are exploring music therapy and want help understanding whether it fits your plan and how to add it, your support coordinator is the right starting point. Alternatively, if you do not have a support coordinator yet, get in touch.

Your goals. Your plan. Our support.

Music therapy NDIS funding in 2026 tells a story of advocacy that worked. The disability sector pushed back on the 2024 proposed defunding, the Duckett Review took the evidence seriously, and the outcome delivers a clearer, more sustainable framework for music therapy as an NDIS-funded therapeutic support.

For participants who benefit from music therapy, this is good news. The supports remain funded, the NDIA has set the price, the credential requirement protects quality, and the regulatory uncertainty of late 2024 sits behind us. For families considering whether music therapy is right for their child, the path is now clear.

If you are an NDIS participant in New South Wales and you want a support coordinator who can help you build a plan that includes music therapy alongside your other supports, get in touch.

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