Incontinence Pads and Government Subsidy: What You Can Claim
By Kim Hando
, Owner & Founder
│ 01 July 2026
Last reviewed: 21 June 2026
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The cost of continence products adds up quietly. A few packs a week becomes a regular line in the budget, and most people only start looking into help once they have been paying out of pocket for a while. The good news is that an incontinence pads government subsidy does exist in Australia, and more than one pathway can apply depending on your situation.
There is no single scheme that covers everyone. What you can claim depends on your age, whether you have an eligible permanent condition, and whether you are an NDIS participant. This article walks through the main options so you know which door to knock on, then points you to the detailed guides for the paperwork.
The two main pathways
For most Australians, continence funding comes down to two Commonwealth pathways: the Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) and the NDIS. You generally use one or the other, not both at the same time. State and territory schemes sit alongside these and can help in specific circumstances.
Which one fits you usually sorts itself out quickly. If you are an NDIS participant, continence supplies are typically funded through your plan. If you are not on the NDIS but have an eligible permanent and severe condition, CAPS is the scheme to look at. We will take each in turn.
CAPS: the main Commonwealth subsidy
The Continence Aids Payment Scheme is the long-standing Australian Government payment for people with a permanent and severe loss of bladder or bowel control caused by an eligible condition. It is paid as an annual lump sum to help with the cost of continence products, and you choose where to spend it.
CAPS is administered by Services Australia. The annual payment rate is reviewed each year, so rather than quote a figure that dates, the current amount as at 2025-26 (subject to annual indexing) is published on the Services Australia website along with the eligibility criteria and the application form.
Eligibility is the part that catches people out. CAPS is not income or asset tested in the usual sense, though for some non-neurological conditions you will need to hold a Pensioner Concession Card. It does require an eligible underlying condition and, in most cases, a continence assessment to support the application. If you are unsure whether you qualify, the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 is a free government-funded service staffed by continence nurses, and they can talk you through it before you apply.
One thing worth knowing early: you cannot receive CAPS and NDIS continence funding for the same need at the same time. If you move onto the NDIS, your continence supplies shift across to your plan and the CAPS payment stops.
The NDIS pathway
If you are an NDIS participant, continence products are funded through your plan rather than through CAPS. They sit under the Core Supports budget, in the Consumables support category, which is the part of your plan that covers regular everyday items used because of your disability.
How much is available and how it is managed depends on your individual plan, so we will not quote dollar figures here. The right people to ask are your plan manager or support coordinator, who can confirm what your plan covers and how to order. For the official position on eligibility and what consumables cover, ndis.gov.au is the source of truth.
Comfort First is a registered NDIS provider, so if continence supplies are in your plan you can order the range through us and have it handled the same way as any other approved supply. The detail on how plan-managed and self-managed orders work sits in our complete guide to NDIS continence funding, which is the right next read if the NDIS is your pathway.
State and territory schemes
The Commonwealth schemes are not the whole picture. Several states and territories run their own continence assistance programs, often aimed at people who do not qualify for CAPS or who need help with the gap. These vary a fair bit in who they cover and how much they offer.
These state schemes sit alongside CAPS rather than replacing it, and the rules differ from one state to the next. The National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) keeps track of what is available where, which makes it the simplest single call to find out whether your state has something you can use.
Choosing the product the subsidy pays for
A subsidy only stretches as far as the product is right for the person using it. The most common reason people burn through their budget faster than they should is fit. A pad or pull-up that gaps at the leg leaks regardless of its absorbency rating, so the person uses more of them, and the cost climbs.
This is where it pays to get the size right before you commit a subsidy to a particular product. Sizing is by waist measurement, not by what size clothing you wear, and every brand sizes differently. Our guide on how to measure for the right size walks through it in a couple of minutes, and if you are between two sizes the smaller one is usually the better first try.
For people who are mobile and manage their own toileting, Comfort First pull-up pants are the usual starting point. They come in four sizes across a waist range of 60 to 180cm, so most people find a fit without sizing up unnecessarily. If you want to test fit and feel before a subsidy goes anywhere, you can order a free sample pack and try the product first.
This article sits within our wider guide to Choosing the Right Product, which covers product types, sizing, and how to match a product to the level of need.
Where to go next
The short version: if you are on the NDIS, continence supplies come through your plan, so speak to your plan manager. If you are not, CAPS is the scheme to check, and Services Australia holds the form and the criteria. State schemes can fill gaps, and the National Continence Helpline is the one number that covers all of it.
If you would rather talk it through with a person who knows the products, call us on 03 5443 2239. We speak with people working out funding and fit every day, and we are happy to point you in the right direction even if the answer is not a Comfort First product.