The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) recently announced temporary measures allowing for alternative meal prep and shopping support options for NDIS participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means participants in locked down areas who no longer need to use their support funding to pay for someone to cook and shop for them can now use their funding to pay for alternative meal prep and delivery services.

With this temporary measure in place, participants, particularly at-risk participants, can continue to receive their regular supports while reducing the need for a worker to come to their home.

Linda Reynolds, Minister for the NDIS said, “We know many participants have concerns about the risk of COVID-19, particularly those living in areas where there are current Delta outbreaks. This support will ensure participants can still access their meal preparation supports, while reducing their risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

The temporary measures are available to participants who:

• Currently use some of their existing core funding to pay for a support worker to help them prepare meals or to help with shopping
• Live in an area with ‘stay at home’ public health orders in place

The NDIS considers food to be an everyday expense, so this measure does not allow participants to use their NDIS funding to pay for groceries or takeaway meals. Instead, the costs of preparing and delivering a meal can be covered.

This change was put into effect on 10th September 2021 and will be in place until 1st December when it will be reviewed.

If you are eligible for this temporary measure, it will be an alternative way to use your Core budget for meal preparation, and additional funding will not be added to your plan.

For more information, you can visit the NDIS website.