How Much Respite Are You Allowed on the NDIS?
There's no fixed number of hours of in-home respite on the NDIS. It's paid from the participant's flexible Core budget, so the limit is the funding in the plan and what the NDIA agrees is reasonable and necessary. For short stays away from home, the NDIA generally funds up to 28 days a year, up to 14 days at a time, with more only in exceptional circumstances.
Is There a Limit on In-Home Respite Hours?
Not a set number. The practical limit is the Core budget, which also pays for other everyday supports, and it has to last the whole plan.
Because Core funding is flexible, you decide how to spend it across NDIS supports in line with the plan. If you use more respite than planned, you may run short later. The NDIA says you need to make sure your funding lasts the length of the plan, and you can ask for a change if your situation changes.
How Do You Work Out How Many Hours the Budget Covers?
Divide what's left in the Core budget by the price of the shifts you want, after allowing for your other Core supports.
| Pattern | About a year |
|---|---|
| 3 hours on a weekday daytime, once a week (52 x 3 x $73.58) | $11,478 |
| One sleepover a fortnight (26 x $311.79) | $8,107 |
| 4 hours every Saturday (52 x 4 x $103.54) | $21,536 |
These are rounded and before any travel charges. Your provider's prices may be lower than the maximum. Check what's left in the plan's Core budget with your plan manager or the NDIA.
Need a Break at Home?
We'll connect you with a registered NDIS provider who can send a support worker to your home.
How Many Days of Short-Term Respite Away From Home?
Generally up to 28 days a year, for up to 14 days at a time. You can use it flexibly, for example one weekend a month.
The NDIA may fund more than 28 days in exceptional circumstances. For children at risk of not being able to stay in the family home because of significant disability support needs, it says it generally won't fund more than 60 days a year.
Can You Get More Respite Funded?
Yes, if you can show the need. Ask for a change to the plan and include evidence.
Describe the care the family gives, what's changed, and the risk to the family's ability to keep caring. Reports from allied health professionals help. Our guide to getting respite in your NDIS plan goes through it step by step.
What About Aged Care Respite?
That's a different system with its own rules, through My Aged Care.
If you're asking about respite days for an older person, see My Aged Care. This guide only covers the NDIS.
Questions People Ask
How many hours of respite does the NDIS give?
There's no fixed number for in-home respite. It's paid from flexible Core funding, so it depends on the budget in the plan.
How many days of short-term accommodation can you get?
The NDIA generally funds up to 28 days a year, up to 14 days at a time. More may be funded in exceptional circumstances.
Can I use all my Core budget on respite?
You can use flexible Core funding on any NDIS supports in line with the plan, but it also has to cover your other everyday supports for the whole plan.
Keep Reading
- NDIS respite fundingWhich part of an NDIS plan pays for in-home respite, how flexible Core funding works, what the NDIA looks at first, and what respite funding can't buy.
- NDIS respite ratesWhat in-home respite costs on the NDIS in 2026-27: maximum hourly prices for support workers by time of day, the sleepover price, travel and cancellation rules.
- Getting respite in your NDIS planA step by step guide to getting in-home respite into an NDIS plan: what to write down, the evidence that helps, who to talk to and what to do if it's a no.
- NDIS respiteHow NDIS respite works: support workers at home paid from Core funding, short stays away from home, who qualifies, and where carers fit into the plan.
- Overnight respiteOvernight respite at home on the NDIS: what a sleepover shift is, when you need an active overnight worker instead, how each is charged, and how to set one up.
- How it worksHow we connect you with a respite provider, and what happens to your details.
We share your details with one provider at a time, never a list. Privacy policy