NDIS Functional Capacity Assessments: How the NDIA Uses Them
An NDIS functional capacity assessment (FCA) gives the NDIA evidence of how a person's disability affects daily life across six areas: communication, learning, mobility, self-care, self-management and social interaction. The NDIA uses it to help decide whether someone meets the disability requirements and which supports go in their plan. An FCA isn't compulsory, but good evidence makes decisions easier.
Why Does the NDIA Want Evidence of Functional Capacity?
Because NDIS eligibility and funding depend on what a person can and can't do, not only on their diagnosis.
To meet the disability requirements, a person's permanent impairment has to substantially reduce their functional capacity in one or more of: communicating, socialising, learning, moving around, looking after themselves and managing their life. Substantially reduced means they need disability-specific supports, such as a lot of help from other people, or prescribed assistive technology, equipment or home modifications.
Section 2 of the NDIS access request form asks the treating health professional for exactly this: evidence of functional capacity across mobility, communication, social interaction, learning, self-care and self-management. An FCA report is one way to give it.
When Might You Need an NDIS FCA?
At the points where the NDIA has to make a decision about access or funding.
| Situation | What the evidence needs to show |
|---|---|
| Applying to the NDIS | The primary disability, how the impairment reduces functional capacity in each area, treatments tried and what's expected in future |
| A plan reassessment or check-in | A significant, ongoing change in support needs, with evidence that's recent |
| Home and living supports, including SIL and SDA | Daily support and housing needs: what help is needed, how often and when, and what other options were explored |
| Assistive technology or home modifications | How the item or change helps with goals and how it fits with other supports |
| A review of an NDIA decision | New information about the disability and its day-to-day impact |
For psychosocial disability, the NDIS says applicants will also need a functional capacity assessment, alongside a statement from a treating health professional.
Need a Functional Capacity Assessment?
We'll connect you with an occupational therapy practice that does FCAs and may have space.
What Does the NDIA Count as Good Evidence?
Recent evidence from a treating health professional who knows the person, relevant to their primary disability and specific to them.
- Recent, and original rather than copied from another report
- From a professional relevant to the primary disability, the impairment with the biggest impact on daily life
- Ideally from someone who has treated the person for at least 6 months and is registered to practise in Australia or New Zealand
- Covers the disability, its impact on different areas of life, treatments so far and future options
The NDIA may ask for another report, or for the person to see another professional, if the evidence doesn't tell it what it needs. Family, carers and support workers can add their own evidence of daily impact too.
Who Pays for an NDIS FCA?
For participants, usually the NDIS, from the capacity building budget under improved daily living. For people applying for the first time, usually the person themselves.
The improved daily living category funds assessments, training and therapies, including occupational therapy. Practices can charge up to the hourly price limit in the NDIS Pricing Schedule. See what an FCA costs for the current figures and how the hours add up.
What's Changing With NDIS Assessments?
The NDIA says it will introduce support needs assessments from April 2027, as part of a new way of planning.
The NDIA says these will be a consistent information-gathering step to set plan budgets, developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies, and that one aim is for participants to spend less of their funding on reports. It hasn't published the detail yet. Until then, evidence from treating health professionals, including FCAs, is what the NDIA asks for. We'll update this page when more is published.
Questions People Ask
Is an FCA mandatory for the NDIS?
No. The NDIS says you don't have to do one to be eligible. It can be helpful evidence, and for some decisions the NDIA will ask for reports about daily support needs.
Can my GP do an NDIS FCA?
The NDIS lists occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and medical specialists for FCAs. A GP can give other evidence, such as filling in section 2 of the access request form.
Will the NDIA pay for an FCA before I'm a participant?
Usually not, because there's no plan yet. Once you're a participant, assessments can be paid from improved daily living in the capacity building budget.
What areas does an NDIS FCA cover?
Communication, learning, mobility, self-care, self-management and social interaction, the same six areas the NDIA looks at for eligibility.
Do I need a new FCA for every plan?
Not necessarily. You need new evidence when your needs have changed significantly or the NDIA asks for it. A check-in with your my NDIS contact is the time to ask.
Keep Reading
- What is an FCA?A functional capacity assessment (FCA) looks at what a person can and can't do day to day due to disability.
- FCA for an access requestWhether you need a functional capacity assessment to apply to the NDIS, what evidence of functional capacity the NDIA asks for, and who can provide it for you.
- FCA for a plan reassessmentUsing a functional capacity assessment for an NDIS plan reassessment: what counts as a significant change, how recent evidence must be and when to book.
- FCAs for SIL and SDAUsing a functional capacity assessment as home and living evidence for SIL, SDA and other supports: what the NDIA asks it to show and how to send it.
- What an FCA costsWhat a functional capacity assessment costs: the 2026-27 NDIS hourly price limit for OTs, what adds hours, which budget pays and how to get an estimate.
- How it worksHow we connect you with a practice that does FCAs, and what happens to your details.
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