Understanding New NDIS Short Term Respite (STR) Rules with MediStays

TL;DR: The NDIS has introduced significant changes to Short Term Respite (STR) funding for accommodation, effective July 1, 2026, including new daily limits for participants and support workers. MediStays is dedicated to helping NDIS participants and their families understand these updates and find suitable accommodation options that align with the revised guidelines, ensuring continuity of essential support.

See our complete ndis-short-term-respite-str-accommodation-funding-changes guide

What is Short Term Respite (STR) and Why Has It Replaced STA?

Short Term Respite (STR) is the new term introduced by the NDIS on October 16, 2025, to replace what was formerly known as Short Term Accommodation (STA). This change clarifies the primary purpose of this support: to provide a planned break for primary informal supports while ensuring NDIS participants continue to receive necessary care. STR is vital for maintaining the sustainability of caring roles, allowing family and friends who provide significant informal support to recharge, attend to personal matters, or simply take a break, knowing their loved one's needs are met. This support helps participants maintain their usual living arrangements by strengthening the informal support network around them, promoting both their independence and overall wellbeing. It’s designed to be a temporary arrangement, offering continuity of care in a different setting or with alternative support, without disrupting long-term living situations.

Why the Shift from STA to STR Terminology?

The transition from Short Term Accommodation (STA) to Short Term Respite (STR) reflects a clearer emphasis on the 'respite' component for informal carers, highlighting the program's core intent. While STA implicitly included respite, the new terminology explicitly centres on providing a break for informal supports, ensuring the participant continues to receive the care they need in a supportive environment. This change aims to reduce ambiguity and ensure that funding is directed towards its intended purpose: to sustain informal caring arrangements and enhance the participant's overall support system, rather than simply covering a temporary stay. Participants can typically use STR for up to 14 days at a time, with a total limit of 28 days per NDIS plan year, ensuring these breaks are regular and manageable for all involved.

Who is Eligible for STR Funding Under the New NDIS Guidelines?

Eligibility for Short Term Respite (STR) funding is determined by whether it is considered 'reasonable and necessary' in relation to a participant's disability support needs. Generally, the NDIS funds STR when a participant relies significantly on informal supports, and those supports require a break to continue their vital role. You may be eligible if you reside with, or consistently receive daily drop-in assistance from, informal supports who provide more than six hours of disability-related assistance per day. Additionally, eligibility is often considered if your informal carers need a planned break to sustain their ongoing caring responsibilities. Participants requiring high-intensity or complex supports, such as bowel care, feeding assistance, or management of tracheostomies or ventilators, are also strong candidates for STR, as their informal supports often face significant demands.

Accessing STR helps to prevent carer burnout, fostering long-term stability in a participant's informal support network. The NDIS assesses each situation individually, looking at how STR will help you maintain your current living arrangements, develop your skills, and ensure your informal supports can continue their valuable contribution without reaching exhaustion. This proactive approach to support sustainability is a key driver for STR funding.

How Have NDIS Accommodation Funding Rules for STR Changed from 1 July 2026?

From July 1, 2026, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has introduced specific maximum daily funding limits for the accommodation component of Short Term Respite (STR). These changes mean that while participants can still access STR, the amount the NDIS contributes towards accommodation costs is now capped. There are separate daily funding limits applied to the participant's accommodation and, if required, their support worker's accommodation. The NDIS can now contribute up to $162.85 per day towards the participant's accommodation. This is the maximum amount the NDIA will fund for the accommodation portion of the STR stay.

In cases where a participant requires overnight support and their disability support worker needs a separate bedroom, the NDIS may also contribute up to an additional $162.85 per day for the support worker's accommodation. This means the combined maximum accommodation funding for a participant and their support worker could reach up to $325.70 per day. It is crucial to understand that these limits apply only to accommodation costs. Funding for direct support services (such as personal care or community access) remains separate and should be claimed in line with your NDIS plan and the actual supports received. If your preferred accommodation option exceeds these new NDIA funding limits, you have the option to pay the difference directly, ensuring you can still choose settings that best meet your needs.

What Does NDIS Short Term Respite Funding Actually Cover?

NDIS Short Term Respite (STR) funding is specifically designed to cover temporary accommodation and the necessary support services that ensure a participant's daily needs are met while their informal supports take a break. This includes essential personal care, such as assistance with showering, dressing, eating, and medication management, ensuring a seamless transition of care. It also covers daily living activities like light cleaning, meal preparation, and other household tasks that maintain a comfortable living environment. Furthermore, STR can include support to access community, social, or cultural activities, promoting the participant's independence and engagement during their respite stay. The core focus is on maintaining continuity of support, ensuring that the same level of care usually provided by informal supports is upheld.

It is important to clarify that while STR can take place in various settings, including hotels or serviced apartments, the funding is not intended for a 'holiday' in the conventional sense. The NDIS will not cover costs typically associated with leisure travel, such as sightseeing tours, entertainment tickets, or meals beyond what is considered reasonable for daily living. However, if overnight support is required, your NDIS plan may also include funding for your support worker's accommodation, ensuring they can be nearby or onsite to deliver consistent care. MediStays helps navigate these nuances, ensuring that any chosen accommodation and support arrangements align with NDIS guidelines and pricing while meeting the participant's specific needs for respite.

How Can MediStays Help You Navigate These New STR Accommodation Rules?

MediStays plays a pivotal role in helping NDIS participants, their families, and support coordinators understand and effectively navigate the new Short Term Respite (STR) accommodation funding rules. While MediStays did not implement these changes, our expertise lies in interpreting the updated guidelines and translating them into practical, accessible accommodation solutions. We are committed to empowering participants by explaining the new maximum daily funding limits for participant and support worker accommodation, ensuring you are fully informed about what your NDIS plan can contribute. Our team assists in identifying and booking accommodation options that meet your specific needs, whether it's a hotel, serviced apartment, or alternative setting, always ensuring compliance with NDIS guidelines and pricing arrangements. Beyond just booking accommodation, MediStays can also coordinate the necessary care. We can assist in arranging disability support workers to deliver care directly in your chosen temporary accommodation or even facilitate support workers to provide care within your own home, if preferred. For participants requiring overnight support, we can coordinate accommodation that ensures your support worker stays conveniently nearby or onsite, maintaining the continuity of essential care. Our goal is to simplify the process of accessing STR, providing transparent information and tailored solutions, so you can focus on receiving the support you need and your informal carers can genuinely benefit from their well-deserved break.

Key Takeaways

• Understand New Terminology: Short Term Respite (STR) has replaced Short Term Accommodation (STA) from October 16, 2025, clarifying the focus on carer respite.
• Learn New Funding Caps: From July 1, 2026, the NDIS has set maximum daily accommodation limits for STR (e.g., up to $162.85 for participant, plus up to $162.85 for a support worker if needed).
• Check Eligibility: STR is for participants relying on significant informal support whose carers need a break, particularly those requiring complex or high-intensity supports.
• Differentiate Funding: STR accommodation funding is separate from support services funding; direct supports are claimed as per your NDIS plan.
• MediStays' Support: MediStays helps you find compliant accommodation, understand funding limits, and arrange necessary care, including support worker accommodation, ensuring your STR stay meets NDIS rules and your individual needs.