Home automation can make everyday tasks easier for people living with disability, from operating lights and doors to controlling parts of the home without needing to physically reach switches or controls.

But does the NDIS fund home automation?

The NDIS can fund home automation supports when they meet the NDIS funding criteria and are required because of a participant’s disability. Home automation supports are considered a type of home modification by the NDIS and may be funded through the Capital budget when approved and stated in the participant’s NDIS plan.

Importantly, this does not mean that every smart home product or home automation system will be funded.

The NDIS considers the participant’s individual circumstances, functional needs, goals, available alternatives, supporting evidence and whether the proposed solution represents value for money.

For participants, families and Occupational Therapists considering accessible technology, understanding this distinction is an important first step.

Smarter Homes Australia has also developed a detailed Guide to Environmental Controls Through the NDISexplaining how environmental controls can be used to address accessibility barriers throughout the home.

Does the NDIS Fund Home Automation?

Potentially, yes.

The NDIS specifically addresses home automation within its home modification guidance.

According to the NDIS, home automation supports may be funded when they meet the applicable NDIS funding criteria. Among other considerations, the NDIS looks at whether the proposed supports:

• relate to the participant’s disability
• represent value for money compared with alternatives
• are effective and beneficial for the participant
• help the participant pursue the goals in their plan
• qualify as an NDIS support for that participant

The NDIS also considers whether lower-cost or mid-cost assistive technology could achieve the same outcome before funding home automation.

You can read the official NDIS Home Automation guidance for the NDIS’s own examples of how these decisions may be made.

This is why the funding question is better framed as:

“Does this home automation solution address a disability-related functional need?”

rather than:

“Does the NDIS fund smart homes?”

The technology itself isn’t the determining factor.

The participant’s need for it is.

What Does the NDIS Consider Home Automation?

Home automation allows parts of a home to be controlled automatically or through alternative interfaces rather than relying entirely on conventional physical controls.

Depending on a participant’s needs and the recommendations supporting the request, this could involve technology used to operate things such as:

• lighting
• doors
• electrical controls
• selected household functions
• accessible entry systems
• other integrated environmental controls

For example, the NDIS’s own home automation guidance uses a case involving a participant with a spinal cord injury requesting an automated front door and automated lighting because their disability affects their ability to grip and lift objects with their hands.

This demonstrates an important principle:

Home automation is considered in relation to the functional barrier it addresses, not simply because the technology itself is useful or convenient.

For a much broader explanation of the different technologies available, see our Complete Guide to Environmental Controls Through the NDIS.

Home Automation vs Assistive Technology

This distinction is particularly important.

The NDIS currently describes home modifications as changes made to a home to help a participant manage their disability. By contrast, assistive technology can include equipment that is purchased and placed within the home without necessarily changing the property itself.

The NDIS’s current home modification guide gives a simple example:

A non-slip mat can be assistive technology because it can simply be purchased and placed on the floor. A non-slip treatment applied to the floor is a home modification because an installer changes part of the property.

Home automation can involve a similar distinction.

A portable device used to control another product may be considered differently from a permanently installed automation system involving electrical equipment, doors or fixtures within the property.

Importantly, the NDIS specifically states that home automation supports are a type of home modification in its home automation funding guidance.

This is one reason participants should discuss their requirements with their Occupational Therapist and my NDIS contact before purchasing equipment or commencing installation.

What Home Automation Could the NDIS Consider Funding?

There isn’t a universal list of smart home products that every participant can have funded.

Instead, the question is whether the proposed support addresses the participant’s disability-related needs and meets the applicable NDIS funding criteria.

Depending on individual circumstances and supporting evidence, an environmental control solution could potentially involve technologies such as the following.

Automated Lighting

For someone who cannot reliably reach or operate conventional switches, automated lighting may provide an alternative way to control their environment.

Lighting could potentially be operated through:

• voice control
• accessible interfaces
• automation
• compatible switches
• scheduled routines

The NDIS itself provides an example where automated lighting was approved in selected areas of a participant’s home after Occupational Therapy evidence demonstrated why the support was required and why other alternatives would not provide the same outcome.

You can learn more about the technology itself on our Smart Lighting Installation page.

Automated Door Access

Doors can create significant accessibility barriers for participants with reduced mobility, grip strength or upper-limb function.

Depending on the participant’s circumstances, accessible entry solutions could potentially allow a door to be operated using an alternative control method.

The NDIS specifically uses automated doors as an example within both its home automation and new-home modification guidance.

The important factor isn’t that an automated door is convenient.

It is whether the participant requires the modification because of their disability and whether it meets the relevant funding criteria.

Voice-Controlled Environmental Controls

Voice control can provide an alternative interface for participants who have difficulty physically operating conventional switches, remotes or controls.

A compatible voice interface may potentially allow someone to interact with several environmental controls from one location.

For example:

“Turn off the bedroom lights.”

“Turn on the living room lights.”

“Open the blinds.”

The appropriate interface depends on the participant’s abilities and requirements. Voice control will not be appropriate for everyone, which is why the technology should be selected around the participant rather than the other way around.

Climate and Other Household Controls

Environmental controls can also potentially provide alternative methods for interacting with other compatible household systems.

However, it is particularly important not to assume that simply making an ordinary household appliance “smart” makes the underlying product an NDIS-funded support.

The funding consideration relates to the disability-specific support and the applicable NDIS criteria.

This distinction becomes important when separating an ordinary household expense from a disability-related modification.

What Isn’t Automatically Funded?

This is where many people misunderstand NDIS home automation.

A product being useful to someone with disability does not automatically mean the NDIS will fund it.

The NDIS considers whether the support relates to the participant’s disability and whether it meets the applicable funding criteria.

For example, the NDIS’s home automation guidance includes a case where a participant requested both a voice-controlled front door system and a video security system.

The request was not funded in that example because the evidence did not demonstrate that the proposed supports met all of the required criteria. The NDIS specifically determined that the video security system was not disability-related in those circumstances and that the proposed door automation was not value for money compared with the participant’s existing supports.

That’s a particularly useful example because it shows that security technology and disability-related environmental controls should not automatically be treated as the same thing.

A security camera may be valuable to a household.

That does not necessarily make it an NDIS support.

Similarly, a smart lock, voice assistant, smart light or video doorbell isn’t automatically funded simply because a participant uses it.

The functional need and evidence matter.

Why Occupational Therapy Evidence Is Important

For home modifications, the NDIS may require evidence explaining why the proposed changes are required.

Current NDIS guidance states that minor and complex home modification assessments must be completed by a qualified Occupational Therapist acting as a home modification assessor. The assessment considers how the participant’s disability affects them at home, what modifications may help them become more independent and information about the property itself.

An assessment may therefore consider questions such as:

• What everyday activity is difficult?
• How does the participant’s disability create that difficulty?
• What assistance is currently required?
• Could lower-cost assistive technology achieve the same outcome?
• What environmental control could address the barrier?
• Is the proposed solution appropriate for the participant?
• Will it remain suitable as the participant’s needs change?

The official NDIS home modification assessment guidance provides more information about the evidence and assessment process.

Smarter Homes Australia does not replace the role of the Occupational Therapist. Our role is to help translate appropriate accessibility requirements into practical technology solutions that can be professionally installed within the home.

What Evidence May Be Required?

The evidence required will depend on the type and complexity of the proposed modification.

For home modifications, the NDIS may consider evidence including a home modification assessment and information about the participant’s disability-related requirements. More complex modifications can involve additional requirements such as itemised quotations.

For home automation specifically, the NDIS says evidence such as an Occupational Therapist’s report should demonstrate why the supports are required because of the participant’s disability, why they represent value for money compared with alternatives, how they help pursue plan goals, and why they are effective and beneficial.

This is why a strong funding request generally starts with the functional problem, rather than a shopping list.

Instead of:

“Participant requires smart lights.”

the supporting rationale should establish the relevant disability-related barrier and why the recommended solution is appropriate.

The technology comes afterwards.

Can You Buy Home Automation Using Your Existing NDIS Funding?

Not necessarily.

This is an important point.

The NDIS currently states that home automation supports are funded as part of the participant’s Capital budget and that participants cannot spend their NDIS funding on home automation supports unless those supports are stated in their NDIS plan.

Participants therefore shouldn’t assume that having available NDIS funds means they can purchase a home automation system and claim the expense afterwards.

Speak with your Occupational Therapist and my NDIS contact before committing to an installation where NDIS funding is being sought.

What If You Rent Your Home?

Renting does not necessarily prevent someone from receiving home modifications, but permission becomes particularly important.

Current NDIS guidance states that modifications can only be funded for a home the participant owns or where the owner agrees to the modification. For rental properties, written approval from the landlord is required.

This means renters considering permanently installed environmental controls should establish what modifications are being recommended and obtain the required property-owner approval before proceeding.

Portable or non-permanent technology may present different considerations depending on the solution.

How the Process Can Work

A typical journey might look something like:

1. Identify the functional barrier

The participant and their support team identify activities within the home that are difficult because of the participant’s disability.

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2. Occupational Therapy assessment

An Occupational Therapist assesses the participant’s functional requirements and considers potential solutions.

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3. Consider alternatives

The assessment considers whether assistive technology or another lower-cost solution could achieve the required outcome.

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4. Environmental control recommendation

Where appropriate, specific home automation or environmental control requirements are identified.

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5. Technical solution and quotation

An installer can help determine how the recommended functionality could be implemented within the participant’s home and provide appropriate quotations.

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6. NDIS funding decision

The NDIS considers the evidence and determines whether the requested supports meet the relevant funding criteria.

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7. Installation

If the relevant supports are approved and the required permissions are in place, the environmental control solution can be installed and configured around the participant’s requirements.

This process will vary depending on the participant and the complexity of the proposed modifications.

For a deeper explanation of assessments, environmental controls and system design, read our Environmental Controls Through the NDIS: Complete Guide.

Designing Home Automation Around the Participant

The most important principle in accessible home automation is simple:

Start with the participant, not the technology.

A sophisticated smart home isn’t necessarily a better accessible home.

For one participant, the most appropriate solution may simply be accessible control of one or two lights.

For another, it may involve several integrated environmental controls operating through a single accessible interface.

The objective should be to address genuine functional barriers while keeping the system intuitive and reliable.

Smarter Homes Australia provides NDIS security, home automation and assistive technology installations across Brisbane and South East Queensland and can work alongside participants, families, Occupational Therapists and Support Coordinators to develop practical technology solutions based on the participant’s identified requirements.

What Home Automation Solutions Are Available for NDIS Participants?

Home automation is not a single product or system.

Depending on the participant’s functional needs, an environmental control solution may involve one technology or several technologies working together.

The appropriate solution should be determined by the participant’s individual circumstances, supporting assessment and the functionality required within their home.

Below are some examples of technologies that may form part of an accessible home automation system.

Smart and Automated Lighting

Lighting is one of the most common household functions that can be automated.

For participants who have difficulty reaching or physically operating conventional light switches, alternative control methods may include:

• voice control
• accessible switches
• smartphone or tablet control
• motion or occupancy sensors
• scheduled automation
• integrated environmental control interfaces

The objective is not simply to make the lighting “smart”.

It is to provide an appropriate way for the participant to control their environment where conventional controls create a disability-related barrier.

Learn more about Smart Lighting Installation.

Smart Locks and Accessible Entry

Traditional keys and door locks can require grip strength, dexterity and physical access that may be difficult for some participants.

Depending on the participant’s requirements, alternative entry solutions may provide access through methods such as:

• accessible keypads
• compatible smart devices
• remote controls
• automated routines
• other appropriate access methods

It is important to distinguish between a consumer smart lock installed for convenience and an accessible entry solution recommended to address a participant’s disability-related needs.

Where NDIS funding is being sought, the functional need and supporting evidence remain critical.

Learn more about Smart Lock Installation.

Video Doorbells and Intercoms

For someone with reduced mobility, reaching the front door every time someone arrives may be difficult.

Video doorbells and intercom systems can provide alternative ways of communicating with visitors from elsewhere in the home.

Depending on the system, this may allow the participant to:

• see who is at the door
• communicate with visitors
• receive arrival notifications
• interact with compatible entry-control systems

However, these technologies are not automatically NDIS-funded simply because they can improve convenience or security.

The NDIS’s own home automation example demonstrates that a video security system may not satisfy the funding criteria where the evidence does not establish the necessary disability-related need.

Learn more about Video Doorbell Installation.

Voice Control and Smart Home Assistants

Voice assistants can provide an alternative interface for compatible environmental controls.

For participants who can reliably use voice commands but have difficulty physically operating switches or controllers, voice control may provide a simpler method of interacting with the home.

Depending on compatibility and the participant’s needs, a voice interface may potentially control:

• lights
• blinds
• selected doors or locks
• air conditioning
• compatible power controls
• entertainment devices
• automated routines

Voice control will not be suitable for every participant. Communication ability, reliability, internet dependence, privacy, system compatibility and alternative control methods should all be considered when designing the system.

Smart Air Conditioning and Climate Control

Environmental control systems can also provide alternative ways of interacting with compatible heating and cooling systems.

This may be useful where a participant has difficulty accessing or physically operating a conventional wall-mounted controller.

Depending on the existing system, controls may potentially be made available through an accessible interface, voice control or automation.

Again, this does not mean the NDIS will necessarily fund an air-conditioning system itself. Ordinary household expenses and disability-related modifications need to be considered separately under the NDIS funding criteria.

Integrated Home Automation

Some participants may benefit from several environmental controls being brought together through one accessible system.

For example, rather than using separate applications for lighting, entry, blinds and climate control, compatible technologies may be integrated so that the participant can operate several household functions through a simpler interface.

This can also allow routines to perform several actions together.

A “Good Night” routine might, for example, turn off selected lights and adjust compatible household controls without requiring the participant to move throughout the home operating each device individually.

Learn more about Home Automation Installation and our Complete Guide to Environmental Controls Through the NDIS.

How Much Does NDIS Home Automation Cost?

There is no single price for an NDIS home automation system.

The cost depends heavily on the participant’s requirements, the property and the complexity of the recommended solution.

Factors that can influence cost include:

• number of environmental controls required
• existing electrical infrastructure
• whether devices need to be hardwired
• door automation requirements
• number of rooms
• compatibility with existing equipment
• control interfaces required
• electrical or building work
• programming and system integration
• installation complexity
• training and configuration

A participant who requires alternative control of several lights may therefore require a very different solution from someone who needs automated door access and multiple environmental controls integrated throughout the home.

This is why quotations should ideally be developed after the participant’s functional requirements have been identified.

Smarter Homes Australia can provide itemised quotations based on the recommended functionality and the practical requirements of the participant’s home.

Common Reasons Home Automation May Not Be Funded

It is equally important to understand why a request might not be funded.

NDIS approval should never be assumed simply because technology could make life easier.

A home automation request may not satisfy the funding criteria where, for example:

The Support Isn’t Related to the Participant’s Disability

A technology may be useful without addressing a disability-related need.

Security cameras are a good example.

Many Australian households benefit from security cameras. That alone doesn’t make CCTV an NDIS support.

The NDIS’s published home automation example specifically found that the requested video security system was not related to that participant’s disability.

A Lower-Cost Alternative Can Achieve the Outcome

The NDIS considers value for money and whether other supports could achieve a similar outcome.

Its home automation guidance specifically notes that it considers whether lower-cost or mid-cost assistive technology could achieve the same result before funding home automation.

This is why assessments should consider alternatives rather than starting with a predetermined technology.

There Isn’t Enough Supporting Evidence

A request needs to establish the relationship between:

Disability → functional barrier → proposed solution → expected outcome.

Simply obtaining a quote for smart home equipment does not establish that relationship.

Depending on the proposed modification, appropriate assessment and supporting evidence may therefore be required.

The Support Is an Ordinary Living Expense

Many smart home products are available to the general public.

The fact that a product contains accessibility features does not automatically mean the NDIS is responsible for purchasing it.

The relevant question is whether the requested support qualifies as an NDIS support for that participant and meets the applicable funding criteria.

The Modification Isn’t Value for Money

A proposed solution may address a functional barrier but still not satisfy the NDIS funding criteria if another appropriate solution can achieve the required outcome at a substantially lower cost.

This makes good system design particularly important.

The objective should not be to automate everything that can be automated.

It should be to identify what actually needs to be automated to achieve the participant’s functional goals.

Questions to Ask Your Occupational Therapist

If you are considering home automation through the NDIS, discussing the following questions with your Occupational Therapist can help clarify what may be appropriate:

• Which activities within my home are affected by my disability?
• Which activities currently require assistance from another person?
• Could assistive technology address these barriers without modifying the property?
• Which environmental controls could improve my independence?
• What evidence may be required?
• Does the proposed solution need to be specifically stated in my NDIS plan?
• Are there alternative solutions that should be trialled first?
• What functionality should be included in an installer quotation?
• Should the system accommodate changes in my future functional needs?
• Are there specific accessibility requirements the installer needs to understand?

Having these discussions before selecting products can help ensure the technology is driven by the participant’s needs rather than by the features of a particular smart home platform.

Frequently Asked Questions About NDIS Home Automation

Does the NDIS Fund Home Automation?

The NDIS may fund home automation where the proposed supports meet the applicable NDIS funding criteria and are required because of the participant’s disability.

The NDIS currently classifies home automation supports as a type of home modification.

Funding is individualised and should never be assumed.

Is Home Automation Assistive Technology or a Home Modification?

The NDIS specifically describes home automation supports as a type of home modification.

However, accessible homes may also use standalone or portable assistive technology alongside home modifications.

The classification and appropriate funding pathway will therefore depend on the proposed support and the participant’s circumstances.

Can the NDIS Fund Smart Lighting?

Potentially.

The NDIS’s current home automation guidance includes an example where automated lighting in selected areas of a participant’s home was considered reasonable and necessary based on their circumstances and Occupational Therapy evidence.

That does not mean smart lighting is automatically funded for all participants.

Can the NDIS Fund Smart Locks?

Potentially, where an accessible entry solution addresses an established disability-related functional need and meets the applicable funding criteria.

A consumer smart lock installed primarily for convenience or general security should not automatically be assumed to qualify.

Can the NDIS Fund Security Cameras?

Not simply because a participant has a disability.

The NDIS specifically provides an example where a requested video security system was not funded because it was not related to the participant’s disability in those circumstances.

Different circumstances may result in different considerations, but there is no automatic entitlement to CCTV funding.

Can the NDIS Fund Google Home or Amazon Alexa?

There is no blanket rule that makes a particular consumer voice assistant automatically funded.

The relevant consideration is the participant’s disability-related need, the role the technology plays in the proposed solution and whether the requested support meets the applicable NDIS criteria.

A voice assistant may also be only one component of a broader environmental control system.

Do I Need an Occupational Therapist?

For home modifications, current NDIS guidance says minor and complex home modification assessments need to be completed by a qualified Occupational Therapist acting as a home modification assessor.

The assessment and evidence required will depend on the proposed support and the participant’s circumstances.

Can Home Automation Reduce Reliance on Support Workers?

In some circumstances, environmental controls may allow a participant to independently complete specific household activities that previously required assistance.

For example, someone may gain an alternative way of controlling lights or operating an accessible door.

That does not mean technology replaces support workers generally.

The relevant outcome depends entirely on the participant’s individual needs and circumstances.

Can NDIS Home Automation Be Installed in a Rental Property?

Potentially, but property-owner approval may be required.

The NDIS states that modifications can only be funded for a property the participant owns or where the owner agrees to the modification. For rental properties, written agreement from the landlord is required.

Participants should therefore resolve property permissions before proceeding with permanent modifications.

Can I Use Existing NDIS Funding to Buy a Smart Home System?

Do not assume that you can.

The NDIS currently states that home automation supports are funded within the Capital budget and that participants cannot use NDIS funding for home automation supports unless those supports are stated in their plan.

If NDIS funding is being sought, confirm the appropriate pathway before purchasing equipment or commencing installation.

Getting an NDIS Home Automation Quote

Once the required functionality has been identified, the next step may be obtaining a quotation for the proposed environmental control solution.

A useful quotation should make it clear what is being supplied and installed rather than presenting a vague “smart home package”.

Depending on the project, this may include:

• equipment
• installation
• electrical work
• configuration
• system integration
• programming
• commissioning
• participant or carer training
• ongoing support arrangements

This makes it easier for the participant, Occupational Therapist and other relevant parties to understand exactly what the proposed solution involves.

Smarter Homes Australia provides NDIS home automation and assistive technology installation across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Redlands, the Gold Coast and surrounding areas of South East Queensland.

We can work from identified functional requirements or alongside participants, families, Occupational Therapists and Support Coordinators to determine how recommended environmental controls can be implemented within the home.

For a broader overview of accessible technology, read our Ultimate Guide to NDIS Smart Homes and Assisted Living Technology.

For a detailed explanation of environmental controls, assessment and system design, read our Complete Guide to Environmental Controls Through the NDIS.

Creating a Home That Works Around You

Home automation can be incredibly powerful when it solves the right problem.

The objective isn’t to fill a participant’s home with technology.

It is to identify disability-related barriers and determine whether appropriate environmental controls can make everyday activities easier to perform independently.

That might involve one automated light.

It might involve accessible entry.

Or it might involve several environmental controls integrated into a single accessible system.

The right solution will always depend on the participant.

If you’re a participant, family member, Occupational Therapist or Support Coordinator exploring environmental controls, contact Smarter Homes Australia to discuss the functionality required and obtain a tailored quotation.

Sources and Further Reading

For current information about NDIS funding and home automation, refer to the official guidance below:

• NDIS – Home Automation: Would We Fund It?
• NDIS – Guide to Home Modifications
• NDIS – Home Modification Assessments
• NDIS – Would We Fund It?

Important: NDIS funding decisions are individual. This guide provides general information and should not be treated as confirmation that a particular product, modification or service will be funded. Participants should confirm their individual funding requirements with their Occupational Therapist and the NDIA before committing to an installation.