NDIS respite care is paid support that gives you time away from the family or friends who support you most day-to-day. The NDIS calls them your “primary informal supports”.
It does two things at once. You get support from someone else, and your carers get a short break so they can keep going long term.
Caring for someone with disability is rewarding, but it’s also demanding. Carers need rest, and people with disability sometimes want time away from home too.
That’s where NDIS respite care comes in. It lets a participant stay elsewhere for a short time, with the right support, while their family or carers take a break. You may also hear it called NDIS short-term accommodation (STA). In this guide, we explain what it is, how it works, who can get it and how to find providers in Adelaide.
Respite can also help you build independence, meet new people or try new things. It’s one tool among many, and the NDIS usually looks at other supports first, such as extra help in your own home.
A quick note on terminology: The NDIS currently calls this support short-term accommodation (STA). It was temporarily renamed short-term respite (STR) in October 2025, but the name changed back to STA in July 2026. You may still see both terms in older articles and provider information.
What Is NDIS Respite Care?
NDIS respite care is funded support that gives people with disability a break from their usual routine while giving their family or carers time to rest. It can also help participants build independence, develop everyday skills and spend time in a different environment.
The NDIS commonly provides respite through Short-Term Accommodation (STA), which includes support and accommodation for a short stay away from home. However, respite needs can vary. Depending on the participant’s circumstances, extra support at home or other arrangements may be more suitable.
Respite funding is not automatic. The NDIS considers whether the support relates to your disability needs, meets the reasonable and necessary criteria, and is included in your plan. It generally will not fund a holiday simply for recreation.
What Is NDIS Short-Term Accommodation (STA)?
NDIS short-term accommodation is the “stay away” part of respite. You spend at least one night somewhere other than your usual home, with support from a provider you choose.
That might be:
- a dedicated respite house or facility
- a hotel, motel, cabin or short-stay rental
- a homestay with a private host (but not one run by friends or family)
- your own home, with support workers coming to you
Under the NDIS, Short-Term Accommodation (STA) provides temporary support and respite away from home to help meet care needs. This support is not meant for funding holidays or leisure travel.
How Does NDIS Short-Term Accommodation Work?
It Sits in Your Core Budget
Respite funding is flexible Core funding in your plan. You and your provider agree how to use it, based on your support needs and plan goals. The support must still meet NDIS funding rules and relate to your disability-related needs.
There are Time Limits
The NDIS generally funds up to 28 days of respite per calendar year, and up to 14 days at a time. You choose how to split it. You could take one 14-day block, or one weekend a month. In exceptional circumstances, the NDIS may fund more.
The Funding Matches Your Usual Support
The NDIS funds the level of support you normally get from your carers, so your routine continues while you’re away. This may include help with personal care, daily activities and other disability-related support needs.
Prices are Capped
STA providers must follow the pricing rules that apply to your funding and plan management arrangements. Check the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, and confirm the accommodation and support charges with your provider before booking. These limits help ensure you are charged within the permitted rates for eligible supports.
Some Costs aren’t Covered
Under the current guideline:
- Activities (tickets, entry fees, memberships) are day-to-day costs, not NDIS supports. However, the NDIS can fund the support worker help you need to take part.
- STA funding does not cover food or meals. You will need to budget for these everyday expenses separately, along with personal purchases and activity or entrance fees.
- You generally can’t use respite funding for transport if you can travel independently. If your plan has transport funding, you can use that to get to and from your stay.
- Respite is generally expected to happen in your home state or territory. Exceptions apply for remote areas and border towns.
Before booking, ask your provider for an itemised breakdown of accommodation and support costs, what is included in the quoted price, and which expenses you will need to pay yourself. This can help you understand the total cost of the stay and avoid unexpected expenses.
You can check the current NDIS pricing schedules for the applicable rules and price limits.
Who Is Eligible for NDIS Respite Care?
Respite has to meet the NDIS “reasonable and necessary” criteria, and the need must relate to your disability. The NDIS also considers whether the support helps you pursue your goals, participate in the community, and is value for money.
For Adults, the NDIS Generally Expects that You:
- Live with your primary informal supports, or get daily drop-in support from them
- Get more than 6 hours of disability-related support from them each day on a long-term basis.
You also need at Least One of these:
- You receive high-intensity supports, such as complex bowel care, tube feeding or tracheostomy management.
- You have intensive or complex behaviour support needs.
- You live somewhere in-home support is hard to find.
- Your carers’ health or ability to keep caring is at risk. For example, they’re ageing or unwell.
- Your carers have other caring responsibilities.
NDIS funding decisions depend on your individual circumstances, disability-related support needs and the applicable funding criteria. The following examples describe situations the NDIS may consider when assessing a request for Short-Term Accommodation (STA). They do not guarantee approval or mean that you will automatically be ineligible.
Respite is less likely to be funded if you:
- Live alone and do not receive drop-in support.
- Already receive more than 18 hours of paid support at home each day.
- Live in supported independent living (SIL).
- Need accommodation because of a housing crisis rather than disability-related support needs.
What About Children?
The NDIS may fund STA for children under 18 when their disability-related support needs are greater than those typically expected for their age, and the support meets the funding criteria. The decision considers the child’s needs and the family’s circumstances. STA cannot replace ordinary parenting responsibilities or be used simply for babysitting.
Providers must also meet applicable child-safety and state or territory requirements.
If you’re not sure whether you qualify, talk to your NDIS contact or Support Coordinator. They can look at your situation.
What Does NDIS Respite Accommodation Include?
NDIS respite accommodation covers the basics of a safe, comfortable stay:
- Standard accommodation: a clean, comfortable place with a bed, bathroom and the accessibility features you need. There are no extras or upgrades.
- Personal care and daily support: help with getting ready for the day, eating and drinking, cooking, cleaning and chores. This is the help your carers usually give you.
- Support to join community or social activities: the worker’s time is covered, but not the activity cost.
- Higher-intensity support, if you need it: your provider needs the right training and, for behaviour supports, the right registration. Talk this through before you book.
- Your support worker’s stay, if needed: if you need overnight support, or there are no local workers, the NDIS may fund their accommodation.
Respite can also be delivered in your home, with support workers coming to you. Only the supports are funded, not accommodation. You can also stay with a private host, as long as the host isn’t a friend or family member.
How to Find NDIS Short-Term Accommodation Providers in Adelaide
If you’re looking for short-term respite care in Adelaide, a good provider should make you feel safe, respected and supported. Here’s how to start:
- Check your plan. Look for respite or short-term accommodation funding in your Core budget. If it isn’t there, ask your NDIS contact or Support Coordinator about a plan change.
- Search the official tools. The NDIS provider finder lists providers near you. The NDIS Commission’s Provider Register shows who is currently registered. Registered providers are required if your plan is agency-managed.
- Ask the right questions:
- Do you have a vacancy on the dates we need?
- Can you support my needs, such as personal care, medication or behaviour support?
- Who will be supporting me, and can I meet them first?
- What’s included in the daily rate, and what isn’t?
- Can I do a short trial stay first?
- Visit if you can. Seeing the house and meeting staff makes the first stay much easier.
- Book early. Popular dates, such as school holidays, fill quickly.
Ready to Talk About Respite in Adelaide?
Respite helps carers recharge and gives participants a chance to build independence in a supportive space. If you’d like to know whether NDIS short-term accommodation in Adelaide could work for you or your family, our friendly team is here to help.
Looking for respite or Short-Term Accommodation in Adelaide? Contact EasAbility to discuss your support needs, ask about availability and arrange an initial conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the NDIS pay for respite care?
Yes, if it meets the NDIS funding criteria and is included in your plan. It’s funded from your flexible Core budget, at rates within the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Not everyone is eligible, and the NDIS decides this based on your individual circumstances.
How many days of respite care can you get with NDIS?
Generally up to 28 days per calendar year, and up to 14 days at a time. You can use them in one block or spread across the year. In exceptional circumstances, the NDIS may fund more. For children at risk of being unable to stay in the family home, the NDIS may fund more than 28 days, but generally not more than 60 days a year.
Can NDIS respite care be provided at home?
Yes. You can use respite funding to stay at home with support workers or in a homestay with a private host. In these cases, the NDIS funds the support you need, not the accommodation. Homestay arrangements with friends or family can’t be funded.
How do I find NDIS respite care near me?
Check your plan for respite funding, then use the NDIS Provider Finder and the NDIS Commission’s Provider Register. Your Support Coordinator or NDIS contact can also help. Contact EasAbility to ask about availability for NDIS short-term accommodation in Adelaide and discuss your support needs.
EasAbility Care – General Information Disclaimer
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, legal, or NDIS advice. While reasonable efforts are made to ensure accuracy, EasAbility Care makes no representations or warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information.
Please note:
- EasAbility Care supports NDIS participants by assisting them to explore suitable accommodation options and other disability supports.
- EasAbility Care provides SIL services, community participation, and other NDIS-related supports.
- EasAbility Care may not own, manage, or directly provide Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) housing and usually works with registered SDA providers to help identify appropriate options.
- Eligibility for SDA and related supports is determined solely by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
- Users should seek independent advice from the NDIA, Support Coordinators, or other qualified professionals before making decisions based on this information.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, EasAbility Care accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on the information contained on this website. This disclaimer may be updated at any time without notice.
