The quick answer
The improved health and wellbeing ndis category is part of Capacity Building funding and supports people with disability to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. It can include exercise programs and advice that help you build strength, improve fitness and manage the impact of your disability. Whether a particular service is funded depends on your individual NDIS plan and circumstances.
Key takeaways
Check whether your NDIS plan includes Improved Health and Wellbeing funding.
Choose exercise goals that matter to your health and everyday life.
Start with a manageable exercise routine and build from there.
Improved Health and Wellbeing
A category of NDIS Capacity Building funding that supports people with disability to improve their health and wellbeing. It can include exercise physiology, personal training and dietary advice related to the impact of a disability.
What Improved Health and Wellbeing means
Improved Health and Wellbeing is an NDIS funding category designed to help you develop the skills and confidence to manage your health and wellbeing.
The focus is on building your capacity to stay active, improve your physical function and develop healthier habits.
Depending on your circumstances, supports may include working with an exercise physiologist to develop an exercise program, a personal trainer to exercise safely and effectively, or a dietitian for dietary advice.
For exercise, this might involve working towards goals such as improving your strength, fitness, balance or ability to participate in physical activities.
The important thing is that the support relates to the impact of your disability and meets the relevant NDIS funding requirements.
How it differs from Improved Daily Living
Improved Health and Wellbeing focuses on health and physical wellbeing, while Improved Daily Living generally focuses on developing the skills and functional abilities needed for everyday activities.
Both categories sit within Capacity Building funding, but they have different purposes.
Improved Daily Living may include therapy supports from physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other allied health professionals to help you become more independent in your daily activities.
For example, someone might work with a physiotherapist to improve their ability to walk, transfer between positions or move around their home.
Improved Health and Wellbeing, on the other hand, may involve working with an exercise physiologist or personal trainer to develop an exercise routine that addresses the impact of their disability.
There can be overlap between the goals of these services. However, the type of professional delivering the service does not automatically determine which funding category applies.
Check your funding category
Before arranging a service, confirm which funding category and type of support apply to your situation. Having funding in one category does not automatically mean it can be used for a service in another.
Where exercise and physio can fit
Regular exercise can help improve strength, fitness, balance, mobility and overall physical health. It can also support mental wellbeing and help you feel more confident being physically active.
For people with disability, an exercise program may need to be adapted to their physical abilities, health conditions, preferences and goals.
This is where appropriately planned exercise can be valuable.
What might an exercise program involve?
Depending on your needs, an exercise program could include:
- Strength training to improve muscle strength and support everyday activities.
- Aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling or other suitable activities, to improve cardiovascular fitness.
- Balance exercises to help improve stability and confidence with movement.
- Mobility exercises to maintain or improve your ability to move comfortably.
- Weight-bearing and resistance exercise for bone health, where appropriate.
You do not necessarily need a complicated program or lots of equipment. What matters is finding activities that are suitable, enjoyable and realistic for you.
What about physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy can also use exercise to improve physical function, manage disability-related limitations and support participation in everyday activities.
At Wild Physio Fitness, we use exercise alongside education and practical advice to help people work towards their individual goals.
We may focus on strength, movement, balance, confidence and physical capacity, depending on what someone needs and wants to achieve.
Although physiotherapy often involves exercise, physiotherapy services are generally considered under therapy supports, such as Improved Daily Living, rather than automatically under Improved Health and Wellbeing.
The appropriate funding arrangement depends on the service being provided and your individual NDIS plan.
Wild Physio Fitness is a registered NDIS provider. We encourage you to check your plan and discuss the relevant funding arrangements with your support coordinator, plan manager or planner before starting services.
Setting health and wellbeing goals
A useful health and wellbeing goal should reflect something that matters to you, rather than simply what someone else thinks you should work on.
For example, you might want to:
- Feel stronger and more confident during everyday activities.
- Improve your fitness so you can participate in recreational activities.
- Develop a regular exercise routine that fits your lifestyle.
- Improve your balance and confidence when moving around.
- Maintain your physical capacity and independence.
- Your goals do not need to be ambitious to be meaningful.
Someone who currently does very little exercise might initially focus on becoming comfortable with a short, regular exercise routine.
Someone who already exercises might want to improve their strength or fitness to participate in more demanding activities.
- Think about what you would like to do more easily or confidently.
- Identify what is currently making that difficult.
- Choose an exercise goal that relates to your needs.
- Start with a manageable routine.
- Review your progress and adjust the plan when needed.
How much exercise should you aim for?
If you are wondering how much exercise you should be doing, the answer depends on your starting point, goals, health and individual circumstances.
General physical activity guidelines can provide a useful reference, but they may need to be adapted for people with disability or complex health needs.
For some people, starting with a few short sessions each week may be appropriate. Others may already be ready for more regular or challenging exercise.
Rather than focusing only on how much exercise you do, consider whether your routine is manageable, enjoyable and helping you work towards your goals.
Questions to ask before you start
Before using your NDIS funding for exercise or therapy, it is worth checking what your plan includes and how the proposed support relates to your disability and goals.
Some useful questions include:
- Does my plan include Improved Health and Wellbeing funding?
- What types of exercise support can I use this funding for?
- Does the exercise program relate to the impact of my disability?
- Would physiotherapy be considered under a different funding category?
- What information might be needed to show how the support relates to my goals?
- Who should I contact if I am unsure whether a service can be funded?
Your planner or Local Area Coordinator, support coordinator or plan manager may be able to help clarify these questions.
You can also visit the official NDIS website at ndis.gov.au for information about Capacity Building supports and funding requirements.
Improved Health and Wellbeing compared with Improved Daily Living
| Question | Improved Health and Wellbeing | Improved Daily Living |
| Main focus | Improving health and physical wellbeing | Developing skills and independence in everyday activities |
| Examples of goals | Improving fitness, strength and exercise habits | Improving mobility, daily activities and functional independence |
| Examples of supports | Exercise physiology, personal training and dietary advice | Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other therapy supports |
| How exercise can fit | Exercise to support disability-related health and wellbeing goals | Exercise to improve functional abilities and everyday activities |
| Funding considerations | Depends on your plan and whether the support meets NDIS requirements | Depends on your plan and whether the therapy meets NDIS requirements |
Make exercise part of your normal week
Choose days and times that suit your routine, and start with an amount you feel comfortable maintaining. Consistency is generally more useful than doing a lot of exercise occasionally.
Good to know
You do not need to be fit or experienced to start exercising. An appropriate program can begin at your current ability and gradually change as your confidence and physical capacity develop.
From the clinic
At Wild Physio Fitness, when someone is new to exercise, we usually start by asking what they would like to achieve, what activities they enjoy and what experience they have with exercise.
We then work with them to develop a program that suits their current abilities, goals and preferences. This might mean starting with a few simple exercises and gradually adjusting the program as they become more comfortable and confident.
Our aim is to help people build an exercise routine that is manageable, enjoyable and sustainable.
Red flag: Unsure about your NDIS funding?
Speak with your planner or Local Area Coordinator, support coordinator or plan manager before using your funding for a new service. If you have concerns about whether exercise is medically appropriate for you, speak with your GP or another relevant health professional.
Exercise does not need to be complicated. It needs to be appropriate for you, meaningful to your goals and something you can keep doing.
What to do this week
Check whether your NDIS plan includes Improved Health and Wellbeing funding.
Think of one physical activity you would like to do more confidently.
Ask your support coordinator, plan manager or relevant health professional about suitable next steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is Improved Health and Wellbeing in an NDIS plan?
Improved Health and Wellbeing is a Capacity Building funding category that can support disability-related health and wellbeing goals through services such as exercise physiology, personal training and dietary advice.
How is it different from Improved Daily Living?
Improved Health and Wellbeing focuses on health and wellbeing, while Improved Daily Living generally focuses on developing functional skills and independence in everyday activities.
Can it include exercise with a physio?
Exercise can be part of physiotherapy, but physiotherapy is generally funded through therapy supports rather than automatically through Improved Health and Wellbeing. Check your individual plan to confirm the appropriate funding arrangements.
What goals fit under health and wellbeing?
Goals may include improving strength, fitness, balance, physical activity habits and general wellbeing, provided the proposed supports relate to the impact of your disability and meet NDIS funding requirements.
