NDIS Continence Funding in Australia: A Complete Guide for Participants and Carers

Most people find out that the NDIS can fund continence products the same way: by accident, months into a plan, having paid for everything themselves. A support coordinator mentions it at a review. A friend in disability services brings it up over coffee. It’s rarely explained at intake, and the relevant sections of an NDIS plan aren’t always easy to interpret without help. The result is that a lot of participants spend money out of pocket every month on products their plan should be covering.

This guide covers NDIS continence products funding in Australia from start to finish: what’s eligible, which part of the plan pays for it, how to set up supply through a registered provider, what to do at plan reviews, and how the whole process works for carers, support coordinators, and plan managers.

Comfort First is a registered NDIS provider under Australian First Aid Distributions (ABN 54 153 377 185). Full ordering and product eligibility information is on our NDIS page.

What NDIS Continence Funding Actually Covers

The NDIS funds continence products under Core Supports, in the Consumables support category. Eligible products include pull-up pants, slips (wraparound style), insert booster pads, underpads and bed mats for surface protection, and continence hygiene wipes. Products must be linked to the participant’s disability. The annual consumables budget covers all disability-related consumable items, with a set annual limit your plan manager or the NDIS website can confirm for your current plan.

Not every continence product qualifies automatically. The NDIS funds items that are necessary because of the participant’s disability, not items they’d reasonably need regardless of it. In practice, for most NDIS participants with documented continence support needs, the standard range of products will qualify.

The key is documentation. Continence support must appear in the participant’s plan, with the need linked to their disability. Every product in the Comfort First range meets the eligibility test. As a registered provider, our team can confirm eligibility when you get in touch to place an order. For a more detailed breakdown of how continence products are categorised and funded, read our article on how NDIS funds continence products under the new framework.

The Consumables Budget and How It Works in Practice

Continence products fall under Support Category 03, Consumables, within the Core Supports budget. There is a set annual limit per participant across all disability-related consumables. Your plan manager or the NDIS website can confirm the current figure for your plan year. For participants with significant continence requirements, it’s worth planning the allocation with a plan manager to make sure supply doesn’t run short toward the end of the plan year.

How the budget is accessed depends on how the plan is managed:

• Self-managed participants can purchase products directly and submit claims through the myNDIS portal for reimbursement. They have the most flexibility in where they shop.
• Plan-managed participants have their plan manager pay the supplier’s invoice directly from the participant’s budget. Comfort First can invoice plan managers directly. Contact us on 03 5443 2239 or at sales@comfortfirst.au to set up a plan-managed account.
• NDIA-managed participants must purchase from a registered NDIS provider. Comfort First is registered, so NDIA-managed participants can order directly through our NDIS page.

The NDIS moved to the PACE system, expanding the scheme to 21 support categories. This hasn’t changed how continence products are categorised (still Core Supports, Consumables), but your plan manager can confirm the current support category structure is correctly reflected in your plan documentation.

How to Access NDIS Funding for Continence Products

If you’ve confirmed that your plan includes a Core Supports or Consumables allocation with continence needs documented, here’s how to get products flowing.

First, check your plan. Your NDIS plan document will show the support categories included in your budget. Your plan manager can confirm what’s available and how much of the consumables budget has already been used.

Second, trial products before committing to a large order. Fit matters more than almost anything else in continence care. Comfort First offers a free product trial so you can try before ordering in volume. Request a free trial to get samples sent out.

Third, place your order through a registered supplier. Contact Comfort First to set up your NDIS account. We handle invoicing directly with plan managers for plan-managed participants and supply NDIA-managed participants as a registered provider.

Fourth, set up a regular delivery schedule. Details are on our subscription plans page.

For a detailed walkthrough of the ordering process, read our article on setting up ongoing continence supply through a registered provider.

Choosing an NDIS Registered Continence Supplier

Not all continence product retailers are NDIS registered. For NDIA-managed participants, that distinction is non-negotiable. For plan-managed and self-managed participants, working with a registered provider still simplifies things because invoicing, documentation, and plan compliance are handled correctly from the start.

When assessing a supplier, a few things are worth checking. Do they carry pants, slips, boosters, and bed protection so you can consolidate all continence supply in one account? Can they invoice a plan manager directly? Do they offer product trials? Can they produce usage summaries for plan reviews?

Comfort First, the continence care brand of First Aid Distributions, is set up for all of this. We stock the full NDIS-eligible range, invoice plan managers directly, offer a free product trial, and can provide usage records for plan review purposes. Our team in Bendigo is reachable by phone and available to help with product selection, account setup, and ongoing ordering.

What to Do If Continence Needs Are Not in Your Current Plan

If you’re on an NDIS plan and continence products aren’t included, it doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be. In most cases, the need wasn’t raised or adequately documented during the original planning process.

The most direct path is to raise it at your next scheduled plan review. Before the review, ask your GP, continence nurse, or occupational therapist for a letter confirming the ongoing need and its link to your disability. That documentation is the strongest basis for having funding included. In some cases, the NDIS may also request a formal continence assessment from an occupational therapist or continence physiotherapist before including the support in a plan. Your LAC or support coordinator can advise whether this applies to your situation.

If your situation has changed before your next review, you can request an unscheduled plan reassessment. This works best with clear clinical evidence of a new or worsened need.

A Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or support coordinator can help you prepare. If you don’t have a coordinator and aren’t sure how to approach this, contact our team on 03 5443 2239. We can talk through the process with you.

NDIS Plan Reviews and Continence Funding

Plan reviews are the right time to make sure the current allocation is still adequate. Needs change. What was sufficient at one review may not be after a change in health status or living circumstances.

A strong case at a review comes down to documentation: a clinical letter from your GP or continence nurse, purchase records showing what’s been spent during the current plan period, and a usage summary from your supplier.

Comfort First can provide usage summaries for plan review preparation. Contact us on 03 5443 2239 and we’ll put together a record of your order history.

For a full walkthrough of preparing for a review, read our article on NDIS plan reviews and making sure continence funding keeps up.

CAPS vs NDIS: Two Different Schemes

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) is a Medicare-administered programme that provides an annual subsidy to help Australians with permanent and severe incontinence purchase continence products. It has no connection to the NDIS. It’s a separate scheme funded through Services Australia.

If you’re an NDIS participant, you can’t receive CAPS at the same time. When an NDIS plan is activated, the participant transitions off CAPS, and continence products are expected to be funded through the NDIS Core Supports consumables budget instead.

The transition is where people can fall through the gap. If a participant moved onto the NDIS without continence support being formally included in their plan, they may find themselves without funded products on either side. Raising it at the next plan review with clinical documentation is the immediate step to fix it.

For people currently receiving CAPS who are considering whether to apply for the NDIS, the amount available through the NDIS consumables budget depends on assessed needs and plan type, but for participants with moderate to high continence support requirements, it can be significantly higher than the CAPS annual payment. A specialist, support coordinator, or LAC can help you assess which pathway applies to your situation.

For a full comparison of both schemes, read our article on CAPS vs NDIS continence funding.

Support for Carers and Coordinators

If you’re a carer managing continence care on behalf of a family member, a lot of what you do is invisible to the wider system. Choosing the right products, managing reorders, making sure supply doesn’t run short. It all falls to you, and it adds up.

A few practical habits that make the job easier. Order ahead of need, not when you’re nearly out. Running out of continence products is stressful and avoidable with a modest buffer stock. Comfort First’s subscription delivery lets you automate reorders so this stops being a recurring concern.

Product fit is everything in continence care. Don’t commit to a carton until you’ve trialled samples. Use the free trial page to try before you order in volume, and if the first size isn’t quite right, our team can help you find the better fit.

Keep records. Usage summaries from your supplier and purchase invoices are the documentation that makes NDIS plan reviews go smoothly. Comfort First can provide these, so contact us on 03 5443 2239 and we’ll put together your order history.

For carers feeling the weight of this role, read our article on carer burnout and continence care. For practical day-to-day support on routines and product management, read our carer’s guide to managing incontinence at home.

For Support Coordinators Managing Multiple NDIS Participants

For support coordinators managing continence supply across multiple NDIS participants, First Aid Distributions offers trade accounts with consolidated invoicing, bulk pricing, and the full Comfort First professional catalogue alongside wound care and clinical supplies. Visit firstaiddistributions.com.au or call 03 5443 2239. You can also read our guide to ordering NDIS continence products as a support coordinator.

NDIS-Eligible Products Available Through Comfort First

Every product in the Comfort First range is available to NDIS participants through Core Supports consumable funding, provided continence support is included in the participant’s plan.

Pull-up pants are a discreet option for moderate incontinence and participants who manage their own continence care. Four sizes cover waist measurements from 60cm to 180cm, with absorbency from 2,300ml to 2,700ml. View pull-up pants.

For higher absorbency needs, including overnight use, heavier incontinence, or for participants who prefer a taped design, Comfort First wrap arounds (slips) provide the most capacity in the range. Four sizes cover a 60cm to 180cm waist, with absorbency from 3,190ml to 5,210ml.

Insert booster pads add 865ml of absorbency inside pants or slips. Practical for overnight use or situations where a full product change isn’t immediately possible.

Bed and chair protection is also NDIS-fundable. Regular underpads (60 x 40cm, packs of 50) are a practical surface protection option for daily use. For lighter requirements or use alongside other protection, small underpads (30 x 40cm, packs of 100) are also available. For overnight or higher-volume use, Comfort First Maxi Bed Mats (60 x 90cm, packs of 30) hold 3,000ml, substantial enough for overnight use without needing to be changed mid-sleep.

Comfort First body wipes are NDIS-eligible as a continence hygiene product. Bamboo fabric, unscented, hypoallergenic, vegan certified, and Made Safe Australian Certified Non-Toxic. Resealable packs of 50.

For help choosing the right product combination, request a free trial and we’ll send samples before you commit to a larger order.

For detailed guidance on matching product type and absorbency to your specific situation, read our complete guide to choosing the right incontinence product.

Getting Started

If you’re new to NDIS continence funding: check that your plan includes Core Supports or a Consumables budget, confirm your continence need is documented and linked to your disability, and contact Comfort First to set up your first order or arrange a product trial.

If continence support isn’t in your current plan, raise it at your next plan review with documentation from a GP or continence nurse. Our team can help walk through the process with you. Call 03 5443 2239 or email sales@comfortfirst.au, or visit our contact us page.

Plan managers and coordinators managing continence supply across multiple NDIS participants can access trade accounts, consolidated invoicing, and the full Comfort First professional catalogue through First Aid Distributions. Visit firstaiddistributions.com.au or call 03 5443 2239.

Related articles

• How NDIS Funds Continence Products Under the New Framework - A detailed explanation of Core Supports, the consumables budget, and what qualifies.
• Support Coordinators Guide: Ordering Continence Products for NDIS Participants - A practical step-by-step for coordinators managing supply across multiple participants.
• A Carer’s Guide to Managing Incontinence at Home - Practical guidance on daily routines, product management, and keeping the person you support comfortable.
• Carer Burnout and Continence Care - For carers carrying the emotional and practical weight of ongoing continence support.
• NDIS Plan Reviews: Making Sure Continence Funding Keeps Up - How to prepare, what documentation to gather, and how to make the case for increased funding.
• CAPS vs NDIS Continence Funding: What Is the Difference - A clear comparison of the two schemes and what happens when you transition between them.
• Setting Up Ongoing Continence Supply Through a Registered Provider - The transactional how-to: first order, ongoing delivery, and keeping supply consistent.
• Respite Care and Continence: Preparing for Short-Term Care Stays - Practical preparation for carers and families arranging respite care for someone with continence needs.