10 free types of evidence to boost your NDIS request

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To boost your chances of getting the support you need from the NDIS, evidence is key. While reports from your health professionals are crucial and hold significant weight here, they can be pricey and not always easy to get a hold of.

So, what can you do to beef up your NDIS request without spending a fortune or waiting on a wait list forever?

Here are 10 free ways you can boost your NDIS application or request for more support in your plan. Sure, they might take some work, but they'll give a much more comprehensive background to your request and give it a better shot.

Have we missed any free types of evidence? Login or signup to the Kinora community and add yours to the wisdom of the crowd!

1. Lived experience statement

A Lived Experience Statement is your chance to tell your own story. It's about sharing your experiences, challenges, and what you think will be best for you. This helps others see how your disability affects your daily life, including any obstacles you face and goals you hope to achieve. When you're asking NDIS for support, including this statement is key. It gives a real insight into what you're going through and what help you really need.

Why does it matter? Because it lets you share your story in your own words, and that's way more powerful than medical reports alone. Writing one means thinking about what you've been through and putting it into clear words. If you need help, you can always ask a family member, friend, support worker or advocate.

Sharing your lived experiences means you're speaking up for the support that would really make a difference in your life.

2. Carer impact statement

A Carer Impact Statement is a document that talks about how much help and support someone with a disability needs from their carer. This could be a family member, friend, or anyone the NDIS calls an "informal support". It shows the practical help and emotional support the carer gives, which helps to prove the need for NDIS support or services.

Putting this statement in your request helps the NDIS understand your situation better. It also shows how the support impacts those around you. The carer should write the statement first-hand and talk about their experiences, challenges, and how they help you every day. You could even get statements from different family members or people in your support network to show different perspectives.

By sharing these experiences, it paints a clearer picture of why you need the support you're asking for, and what might help your family and friends to provide more sustainable support.

Our good friends at My Plan Manager have put together a guide on writing both Carer Impact Statements and Lived Experience statements. Check it out here and write your own now.

3. “Day in the life” support calendar

A "day in the life" calendar is like a detailed schedule that shows all the things you need support with during a typical day, or even a whole week. It gives a quick look at the challenges you face and how much support you need to get through each day safely and well.

This calendar covers everything from getting ready in the morning to doing chores, going to appointments, therapy sessions, and any other tasks where you need a hand.

Adding a "day in the life" calendar to your NDIS request is a solid way to show exactly what kind of support you need and how your disability affects your daily life. It lets the NDIS see just how much help you need and where you really need it. And it's important to include not just the help you get from friends and family, but also any paid support you rely on.

It's okay to focus your calendar on the times when things are tough, even though it might feel hard to talk about your gaps instead of your strengths. But showing the whole picture gives a better understanding. You can also ask your support team to check it over, like family or support workers, to make sure you don't miss anything important.

4. Support roster notes

Support roster notes are like records that show what your support workers do for you, whether they're paid by another support system or funded independently. These notes usually have info about the tasks they do, how long they're with you, any observations they make, and if they notice any specific needs or preferences you have during their visit. You can extend this to different kinds of paid assistance, like cleaners, gardeners, or people who help you with transport.

Putting support roster notes in your NDIS request gives real proof of the help you get now and what you'll need in the future. They give details about what tasks you need assistance with, how often you need it, and if your needs change over time.

You can get these notes from your support provider or directly from the workers themselves. They're especially handy if you're moving to NDIS-funded support from another support system, or if you need more support than you currently have in your NDIS plan.

5. Health professionals case note history

Health professional case notes and history are like the paperwork kept by doctors, therapists, and other healthcare workers. They're detailed records about your health, including things like diagnoses, treatments you've had, and any ongoing health issues. Giving these notes with your NDIS request can help show how your disability impacts your life every day.

While getting reports from doctors can be expensive, asking for your case notes shouldn't cost extra. Adding these notes to your application or request lets the NDIS see your whole medical story, which helps them understand how your disability impacts you.

To get your case notes, you can ask your healthcare providers. Most places have a way to give patients copies of their medical records when they ask. You should only use relevant case notes though, protect your privacy by being selective about what you send to the NDIS.

6. Concise timeline of events

A concise timeline of events is like a summary of important moments in your life related to your disability. It brings together info from medical records, notes from support workers, and your own observations into one easy-to-read document. Making this timeline helps you see the big picture of your disability journey, showing important moments, how your condition has changed, and how it's progressed over time.

This document gives a snapshot of your story, from when your disability started, up to now. It helps the NDIS understand what you've been through. By putting all your evidence into one cohesive timeline, you make a compelling case for the support you need.

To make a concise timeline, gather all your important papers and organise them by date. Write down key events and milestones in short, clear sentences next to the dates. This could be things like diagnosis date, surgery date, when treatment began, when you started needing assistance with a certain task, or anything else major relating to your disability.

7. Letter from your child’s teacher or coach

If you're going through this process with your child, think about other important people in their life who can share their thoughts. A letter from a teacher, coach, or someone like that, can talk about your child's needs, challenges, and strengths in school or sports. This kind of letter gives real insights into how your child does in class or on the field.

This letter can cover lots of things, like if your child struggles with learning, behaves a certain way, or how they get along with others. It can also suggest ways to support them. Ask the school or team to get this input from the right person. They can share valuable observations and tips based on their experience with your child. It helps show what your child needs and how to support them in a different setting than home or the doctor’s office.

8. GP statement of evidence

A GP Statement of evidence is a formal document your general practitioner (GP) fills out. It talks about your health conditions, disability, and what kind of support you need. This statement can be really helpful when you're asking for NDIS funding, but keep in mind, you might have to pay for it if your doctor doesn't bulk bill.

Before you get the statement, ask your doctor about the fees. Sometimes, Medicare helps with part of the cost, so you might only need to pay a gap. Think about whether getting this statement is worth it for your NDIS request, considering the cost.

To get a GP Statement, book a long appointment with your doctor and let them know you need the form filled out.

Here’s a link to a comprehensive GP Statement of Evidence form you can give to your GP, put together by Inclusion Melbourne, CDDH Victoria, and Monash Health.

9. Academic source material

Adding scholarly articles, research papers, or studies from trusted academic journals can really boost your NDIS request. When NDIS looks at requests for certain supports, they want to know if those supports actually work. These kinds of sources give solid evidence about how different types of services can make a big difference for people with disabilities like yours.

Using academic sources in your request makes your evidence stronger. It shows you've done your homework and understand what kinds of support might help you. Just make sure the sources are legit, meaning they’re peer reviewed and have been checked by other experts in the field before they're published.

You can find academic sources online through places like Google Scholar, university libraries, or academic journals. Look up your condition or the service or support you're asking for. By including these sources in your request, you give strong proof that the supports really work, which helps make your case stronger.

10. Assessments from other government departments

Assessments you may already have done by other government departments in the past, like Health, Education, Housing, and Justice, can really back up your NDIS request. These assessments are done by pros in each department who check out your needs and personal situation.

Adding these assessments to your NDIS request makes your evidence stronger. It shows that trusted experts have recognised and written down what support you need. These assessments give a good look into different parts of your life, like what help you need because of your disability, your health, school needs, housing, and any legal stuff.

By including assessments from other government departments in your NDIS request, you give a full picture of what support you need in different parts of your life. This helps the NDIS really understand your situation and what you need to reach your goals and be happy and safe.

Different perspectives, better outcomes

Medical evidence is undeniably crucial when it comes to NDIS requests, but not everyone has equal access to it, whether due to cost or availability. Luckily, there are lots of ways you can support your request without spending a ton of money. By using things like your own story, and notes from people who help you, you can build a strong case for the support you need. Including these different perspectives helps to show a more comprehensive picture, and can lead to better outcomes.

Let's work together to find even more ways to tackle NDIS challenges. Join the Kinora online community and share your experiences to help others on their NDIS journey. Together, we can make things better.