NDIS participants pursuing interests

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary for First Nations and non-Indigenous participants?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, by Indigenous status. In 2025–26 Q2, 62% of First Nations NDIS participants and 67% of non-Indigenous participants spent free time doing activities that interest them.

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  Indigenous status	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  First Nations	62%
  Non-Indigenous	67%
  Missing/Not stated	72%
  All persons	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Indigenous status is voluntarily self-reported based on the ABS Indigenous Status Standard.
  6. Indigenous status was not reported for 16% of NDIS participants who answered either 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?' (numerator).

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Sex and gender

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary by gender?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, for males and females. In 2025–26 Q2, 70% of male NDIS participants spent free time doing activities that interest them, compared with 64% of female participants.

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  Gender	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  Males	70%
  Females	64%
  All persons	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Age group

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary by age?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, grouped by age. In 2025–26 Q2, 77% of NDIS participants aged 15–24 spent free time doing activities that interest them, compared with 61% of those aged 45–64.

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  Age group	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  15–24	77%
  25–44	66%
  45–64	61%
  All ages	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2025–26 Q2, 58% of NDIS participants from CALD backgrounds spent free time doing activities that interest them, compared with 68% among the non-CALD group.

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  CALD	58%
  Non-CALD	68%
  All persons	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people born in countries other than main English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Canada, Republic of Ireland, and South Africa), and/or those who mainly speak a language other than English at home.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Remoteness

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, grouped by remoteness. In 2025–26 Q2, 72% of NDIS participants in regional areas with populations between 15,000 and 50,000 spent free time doing activities that interest them, compared with 66% in major cities.

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  Remoteness	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  Major cities	66%
  Regional – population greater than 50,000	70%
  Regional – population between 15,000 and 50,000	72%
  Regional – population between 5,000 and 15,000	71%
  Regional – population less than 5,000	70%
  Remote and very remote	70%
  All areas	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Areas of remoteness are classified by the NDIS using the Modified Monash Model (MMM). Major cities includes Missing/Not stated.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Disability group

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them vary by disability group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who spend free time doing activities that interest them, by disability group. In 2025–26 Q2, 87% of participants with Down syndrome spent free time doing activities that interest them, compared with 49% of NDIS participants with psychosocial disability.

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  Disability group	% of NDIS participants pursuing activities of interest
  Acquired brain injury	58%
  Autism	74%
  Cerebral palsy	80%
  Down syndrome	87%
  Hearing impairment	81%
  Intellectual disability	76%
  Multiple sclerosis	61%
  Psychosocial disability	49%
  Spinal cord injury	66%
  Stroke	52%
  Visual impairment	67%
  Other neurological	63%
  Other physical	63%
  Other sensory/speech	76%
  Other	55%
  All disabilities	67%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to 'Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?'.
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Disability group 'Other' includes missing.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview