Understanding Daily Living & Support Needs in Your NDIS Plan

Daily living support is one of the most important parts of an NDIS plan, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood.

If you're an NDIS participant, you might hear terms like “Core Supports” or “Assistance with Daily Life” and wonder what they actually mean in real life. What kind of help can a support worker provide? And how do you explain what you need during your planning meeting?

This guide will walk you through what daily living supports include, how to identify your needs, and how to make sure your supports work for you.

What Does "Daily Living Support" Mean?

Under the NDIS, daily living support usually refers to funding that helps you with everyday tasks, things you would do at home or in the community to live safely, independently, and with dignity.

It’s most often funded under Core Supports, under the category:

Assistance with Daily Life

This funding is not about recreation or therapy it’s about real-world support to help you manage routines, care tasks, and responsibilities throughout your day.

What Can a Support Worker Help With?

Every participant’s support needs are different, and what your support worker helps with should be based on your goals, routines, and preferences.

Here are examples of what daily living support can include:

1. Personal Care

Support with your physical wellbeing and hygiene:

• Showering, toileting, or bathing
  
• Dressing and undressing
  
• Grooming and oral hygiene
  
• Managing continence and personal hygiene routines
  
• Taking medication (prompting only, unless authorised)

2. Meals and Nutrition

Support with:

• Preparing and cooking meals
  
• Help with feeding, if needed
  
• Grocery shopping
  
• Understanding healthy food choices (not meal plans — that’s usually Capacity Building)

3. Domestic Tasks

Maintaining your home environment:

• Cleaning and tidying shared living areas
  
• Laundry and changing bed sheets
  
• Taking the bins out
  
• Dishwashing or setting up cleaning routines

4. Community Support

Help with accessing your local area and staying connected:

• Attending medical appointments or therapy sessions
  
• Going to the shops or pharmacy
  
• Accessing community events, libraries, or social activities
  
• Using public transport (or learning how to)
  
  

Note: Travel support may be claimed separately under NDIS transport rules, your plan or support coordinator can help clarify this.

5. Mobility and Transfers

Support with moving around:

• Assistance with getting in and out of bed
  
• Using a wheelchair or walking aid
  
• Support transferring from one area to another (e.g. chair to toilet)



Support workers may also help with:

• Understanding information or instructions
  
• Using assistive tech or communication devices
  
• Helping you regulate emotions or feel calm during tasks
  
• Encouragement, confidence-building, and companionship
  
  

This must be within the scope of daily support, it is not therapy or counselling.

Who Decides What Support You Get?

The type of support you receive depends on:

• Your NDIS goals
  
• Your functional capacity assessment (what you can do independently vs with help)
  
• The evidence provided in your planning meeting or assessments
  
• The funding categories in your NDIS plan
  
  

That’s why it's important to prepare ahead of planning NDIS meetings or reviews, and to clearly explain your daily support needs.

How to Explain Your Daily Support Needs

Here are some tips to help communicate your needs:

Use real-life examples:

"I need support showering every second day and preparing dinner each evening."

Explain how support helps you achieve goals:

"Having help with shopping and transport means I can attend my gym program and work on my health goals."

Be clear about safety or supervision needs:

"I need support with mobility in the bathroom to prevent falls."

Daily living supports are not just about tasks, they’re about making your life safer, easier, and more independent.

Whether you need help for a few hours a week or throughout the day, your NDIS plan should reflect your real needs and preferences.

Understanding and clearly communicating those needs is the first step.
And support workers play a vital role in making sure your care works for you, your way.

Based in Port Lincoln, Supporting the Eyre Peninsula and Beyond

At Empowrd, we proudly connect NDIS participants with trusted, local disability support across the Eyre Peninsula including Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Whyalla, Kimba, Cleve, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay, Wudinna, Elliston, Franklin Harbour, and surrounding areas.

Need help navigating your NDIS plan?

We offer:

• Local Support Coordination across the Eyre Peninsula
  
• Australia-wide NDIS Plan Management for flexible, reliable funding support
  
  

Looking for the right support worker or provider? Get in touch.  We’re here to help you feel confident, connected, and in control.