The safest starting point is to separate the technology from the support. A participant may need a support worker to learn how to use a device, communicate online, access community services or build independence with everyday digital tasks. That can be very different from asking the NDIS to pay for an ordinary phone, internet plan, game subscription or general computer repair.
The NDIS currently describes support workers as people who can help participants develop skills and work towards their goals. Its Core Supports guidance also says support workers may help people become more independent in community and personal interests, while Capacity Building supports can help participants find and join activities that interest them. Whether a specific technology-related session is fundable still depends on the individual plan and current NDIS rules.
Short answer
Technology support may fit where the funded support is the disability-related assistance or skill-building — not simply the consumer technology itself. Do not rely on a website provider to make the funding decision for you. Check the participant’s plan and, where needed, confirm with the plan manager, support coordinator or NDIA.
Examples that may be worth discussing
Depending on the participant’s circumstances, goals and funding, a technology-related support session might involve:
- learning to use a phone, tablet or computer more independently;
- practising email, video calls or communication apps;
- setting accessibility options and learning how to use them;
- building confidence with online forms or digital services;
- learning safer password and scam-awareness habits;
- using technology to stay connected with family or community;
- developing digital routines that support everyday independence.
Those examples are not a promise that the NDIS will fund a particular session. They show the difference between supporting the participant and merely selling an ordinary technology product or service.
What should not be assumed to be funded
Ordinary living costs remain ordinary living costs unless there is a specific NDIS basis for them. A participant should not assume their NDIS plan will pay for:
- a standard phone, laptop, gaming PC or console simply because they use the NDIS;
- internet access or ordinary mobile plans;
- games, subscriptions and entertainment purchases;
- ordinary commercial computer repair with no disability-related support purpose;
- general household technology that everybody would normally buy themselves.
Assistive technology has its own NDIS rules and evidence pathways. A support worker also should not pretend to be an occupational therapist, speech pathologist, AT assessor, cybersecurity specialist or hardware-repair technician when the task requires that expertise.
Core Supports versus Capacity Building
There is no single universal “NDIS tech support” line item that makes every technology task claimable. The relevant pathway depends on what the support actually is and how the participant’s plan is structured.
The NDIS says Core Supports can include assistance with social and community participation, where a support worker helps a participant become more independent in the community and personal interests. Capacity Building can include Increased Social and Community Participation, where supports help a participant find and join activities that interest them and build relevant skills. The participant’s plan determines what funding is actually available.
This is why a provider should be cautious about telling someone “NDIS pays for tech support” as a blanket statement. The better approach is to describe the task clearly and confirm how, or whether, it fits the plan.
What TrueSide means by technology support
TrueSide’s technology and digital-confidence support sits within our Support Work offering. It is designed for practical, patient help with everyday devices and skills where that support is appropriate to the participant.
We focus on things such as device confidence, communication apps, accessibility settings, basic connections, online-safety habits and step-by-step digital skills. We do not advertise formal assistive-technology assessments, specialist cybersecurity, data recovery or advanced hardware repair.
Gaming and technology interests can also be part of support
Technology is not always a problem to solve. For some participants it is a genuine interest. Gaming, computers or online hobbies can be a shared-interest starting point for interest-matched support work, just as another participant might prefer football, the gym, cooking or community outings.
The important distinction is that ordinary gaming costs are separate from the support-worker service. TrueSide does not describe consoles, games or subscriptions as automatically NDIS-funded.
Four questions to ask before booking
- What do I actually need help with? Describe the task in plain English rather than starting with a funding code.
- How does the support relate to my disability-related needs or goals? Be specific about what extra assistance is required.
- What funded supports are in my plan? Check the current plan rather than relying on assumptions from an older plan.
- Who should confirm the claiming pathway? If you are unsure, ask the plan manager, support coordinator or NDIA before committing funding.
Official NDIS guidance
The NDIS pages below are the best place to check the underlying rules and descriptions:
- What is a support worker?
- What are Core Supports?
- What are Capacity Building supports?
- Assistive technology provider information
NDIS information reviewed 22 August 2026. Rules and individual plans can change. Official NDIS information and the participant’s current plan take precedence over this general guide.