Summary

While the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is expected to largely replace the current provision of services to people with disability under the National Disability Agreement (NDA), many users of disability services were still receiving support under the NDA in 2015–16.

Around 332,000 people used disability support services

In 2015–16, around 332,000 people used disability support services under the NDA. This is an underestimate as the Australian Capital Territory Government did not provide data in 2015–16 (see Box 1.1).

The average age of service users was 35

Around three-quarters (72%) of service users were aged under 50, 22% were aged 50–64 and 6% were aged 65 and over, with an average age of 35.

Many service users had an intellectual or learning disability

Forty-three per cent of service users had an intellectual or learning disability, 42% had a physical or diverse disability, 29% had a psychiatric disability and 18% had a sensory or speech disability.

Close to one-third of service users aged 15 and over were not in the labour force

Almost one-third (30%) of service users aged 15 and over were not in the labour force. Of those in the labour force, more than two-thirds (67%) were unemployed.

Two-thirds of service users had an informal carer

Sixty-six per cent of service users had an informal carer, most often their mother (73%). Around 1 in 8 service users (12%) had an informal carer who was aged 65 and over.

Around 3,500 service users transitioned to the NDIS

Around 3,500 NDA service users transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) during the year. This is an underestimate as the Australian Capital Territory Government did not provide data in 2015–16 (see Box 1.1 in report).