Help with everyday
tasks at home.
Domestic assistance is help with household tasks you can't do yourself because of your disability, such as cleaning, laundry and changing bed linen. A worker can do the job for you or with you.
Domestic assistanceWhat this support
can include.
01Cleaning
Vacuuming, mopping, dusting, and cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and toilet. Your support plan can list the jobs that matter most to you, so visits can start with those.
02Laundry
Washing, hanging out, drying, folding and putting clothes away, using your own machine and products. This can help if bending, lifting or fine hand movements are hard for you.
03Bed linen and towels
Stripping and remaking beds, and washing sheets and towels. If your disability means linen needs changing more often, tell us so it can be planned into your visits.
04Dishes and kitchen tidying
Washing up, loading or emptying the dishwasher, wiping benches and taking out rubbish and recycling. A worker can also put things back where you can reach them.
05Meal preparation
Help to plan, cook and store meals. The NDIS list of household tasks includes meal preparation, but the food itself is an everyday cost you pay for.
06Building your own skills
If you want to do more housework yourself, a worker can work alongside you instead of doing it for you. NDIS pricing calls this assistance with personal domestic activities.
What to know before you start.
When the NDIS may fund cleaning, and when it won't
The NDIS can only fund supports that relate to your disability. Its list of NDIS supports describes household tasks as help with essential household tasks that you are not able to do yourself because of your disability. Whether it's funded depends on your plan and what the NDIA agrees is reasonable and necessary.
Everyday living costs are treated differently. The NDIA says it won't fund day-to-day living costs, such as rent, groceries and bills. This is because they are not caused solely and directly by your disability support needs. The NDIA also considers what it is reasonable to expect family, friends or the community to help with.
These are on the NDIA list of supports that are not NDIS supports, or belong to other systems:
- Groceries, including cleaning and household products.
- Standard appliances, such as a washing machine, dishwasher or fridge.
- Costs of meeting a lease, such as bond, pest control and exit cleaning.
- Standard household items, such as bedding, kitchen utensils and crockery.
How household tasks are funded in your plan
Domestic assistance is paid from your Core supports budget, in the support category Core – Assistance with Daily Life. Providers claim it under household task items, such as house cleaning and other household activities. Help to do or learn household tasks yourself may be claimed as assistance with personal domestic activities. That item applies if you own your home or are fully or mostly responsible for keeping it up.
Core funding is usually flexible, so you can use it across your daily life supports. Some items work differently. For example, a linen service, where clean linen is supplied to you, needs a quote and must be a stated item in your plan.
Maximum prices for household task supports are set in the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27. The current version took effect on 24 September 2026. These are upper limits for NDIA-managed and plan-managed funding, not set fees. Heart for Care's prices are written in your service agreement before support starts.
Who domestic assistance is for
This support is for people whose disability makes housework hard, unsafe or not possible. You might have limited strength or movement, pain or tiredness, or find it hard to plan and organise tasks.
If you are not an NDIS participant, the Australian Government's Disability Gateway lists other services that help with cleaning and household chores.
Getting started with domestic assistance
Contact us on 1800 148 857, at admin@heartforcare.com.au or through our online form. We then ask you to fill in an intake form about your home and the jobs you want help with.
You sign a written service agreement before the first visit. We complete a risk assessment and write a support plan that lists your tasks, how often you want them done and how you like them done.
We match a worker to your needs and preferences, and review your plan regularly and whenever your needs change. If something isn't right, you can give feedback or make a complaint to us, or contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Information checked against official NDIS sources in October 2026. Your plan and the NDIS rules decide what can be funded.
Getting started with this support.
- 01
Tell us what you need
Share your goals, location and the support you’re looking for.
- 02
Talk through the options
Discuss suitable support, funding and availability with our team.
- 03
Choose how to proceed
Decide on your next step with the information you need.
Before support starts, ask about availability, costs and your agreement. What to check
Questions people ask.
Have another question? Ask our team.
/01Does the NDIS pay for cleaning?
Cleaning help can be in an NDIS plan if your disability stops you doing essential household tasks yourself, and the NDIA agrees it is reasonable and necessary. It must be in line with your plan. Cleaning products and other day-to-day living costs are not included.
/02How many hours of cleaning can I get on the NDIS?
There is no set number of hours. It depends on your needs, your goals, the help others can reasonably give, and what is in your Core budget. We can help you work out a routine that fits your funding.
/03Can NDIS funding pay for a bond clean or end-of-lease clean?
No. The NDIA lists costs of meeting a tenancy agreement, such as bond, pest control and exit cleaning, as things the NDIS does not fund. Regular cleaning help during your tenancy is a separate question that depends on your plan.
/04Is cooking part of domestic assistance?
It can be. The NDIS list of household tasks includes meal preparation and delivery. A worker can help you plan and cook meals, but you pay for the food.
/05Can I get help with cleaning if I'm not on the NDIS?
Yes, there may be other options. The NDIS points people to the Disability Gateway, a government website that lists help with cleaning, household chores, shopping and meals.
