NDIS participants capacity to self-advocate

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves 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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, by Indigenous status. In 2025–26 Q2, 34% of First Nations participants and 39% of non-Indigenous participants felt able to advocate for themselves.

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  Indigenous status	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  First Nations	34%
  Non-Indigenous	39%
  All persons	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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.

  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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves vary by gender?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, for males and females. In 2025–26 Q2, 37% of male NDIS participants felt able to advocate for themselves, compared with 40% of female participants.

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  Gender	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  Males	37%
  Females	40%
  All persons	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves vary by age?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, grouped by age. In 2025–26 Q2, 48% of NDIS participants aged 45–64 felt able to advocate for themselves, compared with 26% of those aged 15–24.

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  Age group	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  15–24	26%
  25–44	40%
  45–64	48%
  All ages	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves 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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2025–26 Q2, 36% of NDIS participants from CALD backgrounds felt able to advocate for themselves, compared with 39% among the non-CALD group.

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  CALD	36%
  Non-CALD	39%
  All persons	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, grouped by remoteness. In 2025–26 Q2, 44% of NDIS participants in remote and very remote areas felt able to advocate for themselves, compared with 38% in major cities.

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  Remoteness	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  Major cities	38%
  Regional – population greater than 50,000	41%
  Regional – population between 15,000 and 50,000	39%
  Regional – population between 5,000 and 15,000	40%
  Regional – population less than 5,000	43%
  Remote and very remote	44%
  All areas	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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 feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves vary by disability group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants (aged 15–64) who feel able to advocate (stand up) for themselves, by disability group. In 2025–26 Q2, 82% of NDIS participants with spinal cord injury felt able to advocate for themselves, compared with 16% of participants with Down syndrome.

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  Disability group	% of NDIS participants who feel able to advocate for themselves
  Acquired brain injury	37%
  Autism	27%
  Cerebral palsy	39%
  Down syndrome	16%
  Hearing impairment	66%
  Intellectual disability	25%
  Multiple sclerosis	78%
  Psychosocial disability	33%
  Spinal cord injury	82%
  Stroke	51%
  Visual impairment	71%
  Other neurological	54%
  Other physical	72%
  Other sensory/speech	33%
  Other	65%
  All disabilities	39%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who responded to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer 'Yes' to the question 'Do you feel able to advocate (stand up) for yourself? That is, do you feel able to speak up if you have issues or problems with accessing supports?'.
  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