Are you eligible for the NDIS?
It is possible to use NDIS funding to pay for an Angel Assistant, with no out-of-pocket costs.
The NDIS offers a package of supports called Individualised Living Options (ILO). If you have ILO within your plan, your NDIS funding can be used to create supportive living arrangements that suit your needs and preferences. This is a more flexible alternative to Supported Independent Living (SIL) that allows a range of alternative living arrangements. With the ILO package, you have the flexibility of living with a host, in your own premises (either owned or rented) or in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).
Having an Angel Assistant (helpful housemate) fits within the ILO category. The Angel Assistant would be considered your primary support and can provide up to 14 hours of active help each week in return for free food and board. This could include assistance getting up in the morning, taking medications, picking out clothes, cooking and cleaning, or any other types of daily living tasks you may need help with. Further assistance and on-going monitoring of the arrangement can be structured into your plan through a team of support workers if necessary.
The NDIS offers funding for ILO in two stages: Design & Exploration (where you determine the type of help you want and how you'd like the arrangement to work), then Support (where the ILO plan is implemented). The funding for Stage One typically ranges between $3,000 to $10,000 depending on your needs, while the funding for the implementation of ILO ranges between $105,000 to $230,000 per year. These amounts are in addition to other categories of support that you may need. This means that it is possible to have an Angel Assistant while still receiving the optimal level of care.
Unlike other forms of support which are experiencing extreme worker shortages at the moment, it is possible for Angel Assist to arrange an Angel Assistant within just two weeks following approval from the NDIA.
Is an Angel Assistant allowable under NDIS criteria?
As long as it is consistent with the stated goals of your plan, it is easy to demonstrate that having an Angel Assistant addresses all of the NDIS criteria:
Is it legal to have an Angel Assistant?
Yes. The Angel Assistant is a carefully screened and matched helpful housemate who receives free food and board in return for their support. They are not an employee. It is important that the terms of the housemate agreement made between you and the Angel Assistant are consistent with laws in each state and territory.
Is the Angel Assistant considered as 'income replacement'?
No. Having an Angel Assistant to assist with independent living is not a type of income replacement. It is possible, however, for the Angel Assistant's portion of the rent to be paid for by the NDIS, opening up a number of new housing options for NDIS recipients that may otherwise have been unaffordable.
Is the support likely to cause harm?
No. Angel Assist undertakes comprehensive screening of all Angel Assistants. A trial period is undertaken at first to ensure compatibility. We are sensitive to the vulnerable nature of many of our clients and have comprehensive supports and systems in place to quickly identify and address any concerns if they arise.
Is the support related to your disability?
The help you receive from your Angel Assistant is able to be tailored according to your needs. If you need specialised help, we can arrange for the Angel Assistant to receive the appropriate training.
Is the support related to a 'day-to-day living cost'?
No. While your funding cannot be used for your own living expenses, the extra costs incurred by having the Angel Assistant lving in your home would be considered as a necessary expense related to your disability support needs. This means that the Angel Assistant's food and board costs are likely to be reimbursable.
Does the support help you pursue your goals?
Having an Angel Assistant can help you pursue many goals. For instance, they can enable you to live independently in your own home, build friendships, help you integrate with the wider community and support you in learning new skills. We encourage you to help us understand your goals so we can find the best Angel Assistant for your needs.
Does the support help you undertake activities to facilitate your social and economic participation?
We make sure we help you find an Angel Assistant who is able to help facilitate your social and economic participation. This could include driving you to activities or accompanying you and supporting you as necessary.
Does having an Angel Assistant represent value for money?
Absolutely! Even with the costs of the food and board for the Angel Assistant reimbursed by the NDIS, the total outlay for an Angel Assistant represents a potential saving of over 70% compared to similar supports offered under Supported Independent Living (SIL).
Is having an Angel Assistant effective and beneficial to you with regard to current good practice?
Research has demonstrated that many NDIS recipients feel constrained by a lack of self-determination within group homes, with minimal ability to control who they live with, feeling disempowered and deprived of the chance to do things for themselves. Likewise, the Independent Advisory Council (IAC) to the NDIS noted in 2020 the 'illusion of inclusion' of SIL group homes, with 62% of participants not having a strong connection to anyone outside their family or paid support. In another damning report in 2019, the IAC noted that group homes are expensive and associated with abuse and neglect. The council advised that the NDIS should move away from "Supported Independent Living (SIL) in favour of alternative housing paradigms.
By contrast, there are many studies that demonstrate the benefits of Angel Assist's model of having housemates support people with extra needs including:
Would the support provided by the Angel Assistant be considered reasonable for families, carers, informal networks or the community to provide instead?
Much of the benefit of having an Angel Assistant is the reasonable expectation that they will usually be present each night. This reassuring presence at random hours offers many people the right balance of independent living that may not be possible otherwise.
How can we get an Angel Assistant funded through the NDIS?
It is not necessary to wait until your formal plan review before requesting Individualised Living Options support. We can guide you through every step of the process including submitting your initial ILO request, creating the Service Proposal or working with your Support Coordinator. To get this process started, please call Angel Assist on 1300 717 441 or fill in the form below.