The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) recently introduced impairment notices. We explain what they are all about and how they impact participants.

You may have come across the term ‘impairment notices’.

The notices are part of recent NDIS legislation changes that aim to ensure supports are more clearly defined and better tailored to participants’ needs.

As of the start of 2025, new NDIS participants receive an impairment notice when they join the scheme.

For those already part of the NDIS, impairment notices are issued when their plans are reviewed or updated.

But what are impairment notices? And what do they mean for NDIS participants? We answer these questions and more in this insightful article.

What Is an Impairment Notice?

An impairment notice is a National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) document that lists the types of impairments you have.

Instead of focusing on medical diagnoses, it highlights how your condition affects your ability to do everyday tasks.

The NDIS groups impairments into six categories:

• Intellectual impairments: Affect skills like speaking, listening, reading, writing, problem-solving and memory.
• Cognitive impairments: Impact thinking, learning, decision-making and attention. These may develop over time or result from injury.
• Neurological impairments: Involve issues with the nervous system, brain or spinal cord, which can affect movement, coordination and information processing.
• Sensory impairments: Affect vision and hearing, including partial or full loss.
• Physical impairments: Limit movement, strength, stamina or energy levels.
• Psychosocial impairments: Relate to mental health challenges that make daily life more challenging.

You may have impairments in one or more of these categories, depending on your situation.

What Does This Mean for You?

The introduction of impairment notices is meant to:

• Provide more personalised support: By focusing on what you need help with rather than your diagnosis.
• Improve plan development: Making it easier to match supports to your specific challenges.
• Increase transparency: Helping you to understand why you qualify for NDIS supports and how your funding is decided.

Criticisms of Impairment Notices

While impairment notices are designed to provide greater clarity to NDIS participants, they have been met with some criticism from industry professionals. These criticisms include:

• Pigeonholing: The impairment categories have potential to generalise complex disabilities.
• Feeling labelled: Being placed in an impairment category focuses too much on participants’ limitations rather than their abilities.
• Complex cases: Those with multiple impairments may find it challenging to ensure all their needs are adequately recognised.
• Uncertainty: There is a lack of clarity about how existing participants will receive their impairment notices even though revised ‘reasonable and necessary’ criteria already applies.

If you believe your impairment notice does not adequately reflect your situation, you can ask for a review.

This may involve providing extra evidence to the NDIS or requesting an internal or external review to ensure your needs are suitably acknowledged.

What Now?

Impairment notices mark a change in how the NDIS assesses and supports people with disability.

You should check your impairment notice carefully and work with the NDIA to make sure it accurately represents your needs.

This will help you receive the right supports to achieve your goals.

Have Questions?

At Endeavour Foundation, we have a team of NDIS specialists who are experts at untangling the system.

These experts are available to help you and your support network to navigate the NDIS and answer any questions you may have.

If you need support, get in touch with us today.

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