NDIS Continence Supplies and Nappies

NDIS Continence Supplies and Nappies: What Participants and Carers Need to Know

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    NDIS participants whose disability affects continence can access funding for nappies, pads, pull-ups, bed protection, and related hygiene products through their Core Supports budget. Continence products sit within the Consumables support category under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and accessing them correctly requires understanding the funding criteria, the assessment process, and what evidence the NDIA needs to include these supports in a participant's plan. This guide covers how continence funding works, who is eligible, what a continence assessment involves, and what products can be ordered once funding is confirmed.

    How NDIS Funding Applies to Continence Products

    The NDIS funds continence supports only when they are directly related to a participant's disability. Under the NDIS Act 2013 and the NDIA's continence supports guidelines (updated April 2025 at ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au), the NDIA can fund continence products if they meet the reasonable and necessary criteria. This means the support must be related to the participant's functional impairment, required as a regular part of daily life, and needed for use outside a healthcare setting.

    Continence products funded through the NDIS include:

    • Nappies and pull-ups

    • Continence pads and liners

    • Adult briefs

    • Disposable and washable bed protection and mattress covers

    • Urinary catheters, drainage bags, and related accessories

    • Hygiene wipes and barrier creams used for skin integrity with continence products

    • Swim nappies where relevant to the participant's disability

    These products sit within the Consumables sub-category of Core Supports. Consumable items under $1,500 per item can generally be purchased directly without a quote or OT assessment, provided the item is listed as an eligible consumable and the need is documented in the participant's plan.

    The NDIS does not fund continence products for health conditions that are not linked to a permanent or significant disability. For children under five, nappies and similar products are treated as standard family costs unless the child's continence needs are significantly higher than their peers due to their disability.

    What a Continence Assessment Involves

    A continence assessment is a structured clinical evaluation completed by a continence nurse or other qualified health professional. It documents the participant's condition, functional limitations, the products they currently use or have trialled, and the supports the clinician recommends. The NDIA uses this evidence to determine whether continence supports meet the funding criteria and to establish the appropriate level of funding within the participant's plan.

    The NDIS has a Continence Related Assistive Technology Assessment Template available for download at ndis.gov.au. This template guides health professionals through what the assessment must cover. Health professionals are not required to use the template, but the evidence provided must include all the information it describes.

    A continence assessment is required in most cases where higher-cost continence products or ongoing continence support funding is being sought. The assessment should include:

    • The participant's diagnosis and how it affects continence function

    • Current product use, frequency, and whether existing products are meeting the participant's needs

    • Recommendations for specific products or product types, with clinical justification

    • Any relevant goals the continence support will help the participant achieve

    Participants do not need to arrange a continence assessment through the NDIS. A continence nurse or allied health professional who works with the participant can complete it. The NDIS funds continence assessments and reviews as part of continence supports where these are included in the participant's plan.

    The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) and How It Relates to NDIS

    The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) is a separate Australian Government programme administered by Services Australia through the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. CAPS provides an annual payment to eligible Australians with permanent and severe incontinence to help cover the cost of continence products. The CAPS payment rate for 2025-26 is $717.10.

    CAPS and NDIS funding do not generally operate together. Once a participant has continence supports funded in their NDIS plan, they are not generally eligible for CAPS payments. Participants and carers should confirm their current funding situation with their NDIS planner, Local Area Coordinator, or plan manager before applying for CAPS.

    The National Continence Helpline at 1800 33 00 66 is staffed by continence nurse advisers and is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm AEST. It provides free guidance on continence management and product selection and can assist participants in preparing for a planning meeting or continence assessment.

    Ordering Continence Products Once Funding Is Confirmed

    Once continence supports are included in a participant's NDIS plan, products can be ordered through any supplier whose products meet the participant's assessed needs. Participants who are self-managed or plan-managed can purchase from any supplier. Agency-managed participants must purchase from NDIS-registered providers. The NDIS maintains a continence provider list at ndis.gov.au for participants seeking registered suppliers.

    For childcare centres and aged care facilities supporting participants with continence needs, the procurement process involves ordering appropriate products in quantities that match the participant's assessed daily use. For a participant using nappies, this typically means ordering by carton size and weight range rather than by individual pack.

    We stock wholesale nappies including Snugglys nappies, which we distribute exclusively in Australia, across multiple sizes suited to both children and adults requiring continence support. Our aged and disability care supplies range includes continence-adjacent products used in care facility environments.

    What Suppliers Need to Provide for NDIS Orders

    For plan-managed and agency-managed participants, suppliers need to provide a tax invoice that includes the supplier's ABN, a description of the items supplied, the quantity, and the total cost. The invoice is submitted to the plan manager or the NDIA for payment against the participant's Consumables budget.

    Suppliers do not need to be NDIS-registered for plan-managed participants. For agency-managed participants, the supplier must appear on the NDIS provider register. Carers and support coordinators should confirm the participant's plan management type before placing an order to ensure the supplier meets the participant's funding requirements.

    Common documentation requirements for NDIS continence product orders include:

    • A current NDIS plan confirming continence supports are included

    • A continence assessment or clinical recommendation (required for some products)

    • A tax invoice from the supplier with ABN, item description, quantity, and cost

    • For agency-managed participants, confirmation that the supplier is NDIS-registered

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can NDIS Fund Nappies for Children Under Five?

    Generally not as a standard consumable. The NDIS treats nappies as an everyday family cost for children under five. Funding may be available where a child's continence needs are significantly higher than their peers due to their disability, or where the child requires continence supports such as urinary catheters because of a medical condition related to their disability. The NDIA's early childhood continence consumables guidelines at ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au explain the criteria in detail.

    Do I Need a Continence Nurse Assessment to Access NDIS Nappies?

    For most ongoing continence product funding, yes. A continence assessment completed by a continence nurse or qualified health professional is the primary evidence the NDIA uses to determine what products are needed, at what frequency, and whether the support meets the reasonable and necessary criteria. For low-cost consumable items already included in a participant's plan, some products can be ordered without a new assessment.

    Can a Childcare Centre or Aged Care Facility Order NDIS Continence Products on Behalf of a Participant?

    Yes. Carers, support workers, and facility staff can order continence products on behalf of a participant, provided the products are listed in the participant's plan and the order is funded through the correct budget category. The invoice must be in the name of the supplier and submitted through the participant's plan manager or the NDIA portal.

    What Is the Difference Between NDIS Continence Funding and CAPS?

    NDIS continence funding is included in a participant's individual plan under the Core Supports Consumables budget. CAPS is a separate annual payment from the Australian Government available to eligible people with severe permanent incontinence who are not NDIS participants. Once continence supports are funded in an NDIS plan, the participant is generally not eligible for CAPS. Confirm with your NDIS planner or plan manager before applying for both.

    What Continence Products Are Not Funded by NDIS?

    The NDIS does not fund continence products that relate to a health condition rather than a disability, standard nappies for children under five who are still in the normal continence development range, or products that are considered everyday household items unrelated to disability. The NDIS also does not fund continence products for conditions managed through the health system, such as post-surgical incontinence, unless there is a permanent disability component. The NDIA's guidelines at ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au include "Would we fund it" guides for continence consumables and early childhood continence consumables.

    Wholesale Continence Supplies for Childcare and Aged Care

    We supply wholesale nappies and continence-adjacent products to childcare centres, aged care facilities, and disability support services across Australia. Our wholesale nappies range includes Snugglys nappies across multiple sizes. Snugglys are distributed exclusively in Australia by CWS. Set up a trade account for bulk pricing, consolidated invoicing, and same-day delivery for Sydney Metro orders.

     

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