Assistance with Daily Life (NDIS)
Assistance with Daily Life is the NDIS support most people picture first — everyday, hands-on help. Here's what it covers, and how it differs from the confusingly-similar "Improved Daily Living".
What "Assistance with Daily Life" means
Assistance with Daily Life (sometimes called Daily Activities) is a support category in your Core budget. It pays for hands-on help with the everyday activities of daily living — the practical, day-to-day support a support worker provides.
Because it sits in Core, it's flexible: you can generally use it across the different kinds of everyday support in the way that suits you best.
What it typically covers
This help can be provided in your own home or out in the community, one-to-one or in a shared setting — whatever your plan and situation call for.
- Personal care — help with showering, dressing, grooming, toileting and eating.
- Help around the home — support with everyday tasks so you can live safely and comfortably.
- Supervision and prompting — someone alongside you for safety and to help you stay on track.
- Support where you live — the daily help delivered in your home or in shared living, including Supported Independent Living (SIL).
Don't confuse it with "Improved Daily Living"
This is the one people get caught on. "Assistance with Daily Life" and "Improved Daily Living" sound almost identical, but they're different budgets doing different jobs.
Assistance with Daily Life is Core — hands-on, everyday help from a support worker. Improved Daily Living is Capacity Building — therapy and skill-building (like occupational therapy or physiotherapy) that helps you become more independent over time.
Finding the right support
Assistance with Daily Life is usually delivered by support workers and personal care providers. When you're choosing one, availability and trust matter most — look for providers who are accepting new participants and have genuine reviews from participants and families.
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Find matching providersCommon questions
Is Assistance with Daily Life part of Core or Capacity Building?
It's a Core support category — the flexible budget that covers everyday, hands-on help. The similarly-named "Improved Daily Living" is a Capacity Building support for therapy and skill-building.
What's the difference between Assistance with Daily Life and Improved Daily Living?
Assistance with Daily Life (Core) is hands-on help with everyday activities from a support worker. Improved Daily Living (Capacity Building) is therapy and skill-building to increase your independence. Different budgets, different purposes.
Does it cover help at home?
Yes — help with everyday activities so you can live safely and comfortably is a core part of it. Some household tasks may sit under a related category; your support coordinator or plan manager can confirm how your plan is set up.
Who provides Assistance with Daily Life?
Support workers and personal care providers. Look for one with current availability and verified reviews — you can compare providers by support type and suburb on TopNDISAustralia.
This is general information to help you get oriented — not official advice, and everyone’s situation is different. The NDIS is changing, so for the current rules always check ndis.gov.au or talk to your planner, Local Area Coordinator, or support coordinator.