Understanding the recent changes to NDIS respite supports is essential for participants, carers and families — especially here in Victoria where many people are navigating how this support fits into psychosocial and daily living needs.
In 2025, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) updated how it describes and applies this support. What was once known as Short Term Accommodation (STA) is now officially called Short Term Respite (STR) — and there’s an updated operational guideline to match.
This post breaks down what’s changed, what the guideline says, and how you can use this support effectively in your NDIS plan.
What Is “Short Term Respite”?
According to the official guidelines document:
Short Term Respite allows you to have time apart, for at least one night, from your primary informal supports who provide significant daily support.
The focus here is support, not simply a place to stay.
Key elements of STR from the guidelines include:
It allows you to be supported by someone else while your informal supports (like family or carers) take a break.
It includes standard accommodation, such as a hotel, short-stay rental, or dedicated respite provider — as long as it’s appropriate and necessary.
STR doesn’t cover holiday travel, tours, activities, or entertainment costs — these are everyday living costs and aren’t funded.
Why The Change From “Accommodation” To “Respite”?
The terminology shift is more than cosmetic.
Previously, many participants and families saw Short Term Accommodation and assumed it was a housing support — like temporary housing or a hotel holiday.
But the updated Short Term Respite definition:
emphasises support over place,
prioritises sustaining family/carer wellbeing,
clarifies it isn’t a holiday or housing solution,
and focuses on meeting disability-related support needs.
This shift aligns the wording with what it actually does — giving both participants and carers a break from usual support routines.
What the Guideline Covers
The updated guideline clearly explains:
- What short-term respite is
- How decisions are made about funding it
- What supports can — and can’t — be funded
- How STR is included in your NDIS plan
The document’s first few pages outline the basics:
STR provides time apart from primary informal supports — essential for sustaining long-term support arrangements.
It covers accommodation plus the support needed for personal care and community access — not extras like meals or activities.
You can choose from a range of accommodation types, including your own home if that’s where you get support from someone else.
Funding: How Much STR Is Available?
By default, the guideline says:
Most participants can access up to 28 days per calendar year,
Usually up to 14 days at a time.
This is flexible, meaning you can spread it out — e.g., one weekend a month — or take longer blocks if that’s what you need.
And in exceptional circumstances, where your functional or carer support needs are significant, you may be able to request more than 28 days — particularly if it helps sustain your ongoing support arrangements.
Who Can Access STR?
The guideline is clear:
STR is for participants who:
live with or receive daily drop-in support from family/carers, and
have significant informal support needs (generally 6+ hours per day).
It is not for:
- people who live independently with no informal supports
- Participants with extensive paid supports already in place
- situations like homelessness or housing shortages — mainstream and specialist services exist for those situations.
For children, STR is only funded in exceptional circumstances where the family’s caring role is genuinely at risk.
What STR Can (and Can’t) Be Used For
According to the guideline:
STR can be used for:
- Accommodation where support is delivered
- Support workers staying with you to help meet your disability support needs
- Community, social or cultural access support — as long as it relates to your disability needs
STR cannot be used for:
- Holiday costs like tours, flights, entertainment or ticketed events
- Paying for someone other than your support worker to accompany you
- Accommodation costs for family or friends
- Meals or extras that aren’t directly related to your support needs
How STR Links With Your Goals
The guideline stresses that any STR funding must:
support your disability-related support needs, and
help you pursue your goals (such as sustaining living arrangements or supporting participation in your community).
This means that simply going somewhere for a break isn’t enough — the support must tie back to your NDIS plan goals and needs.
What’s Different About the New Approach?
The updated guideline emphasises:
- Choice and flexibility — you have more say in how you use STR funding.
- STR should be planned with your provider — including level of support and location.
- STR doesn’t replace supports you already have — it supports breaks from usual care arrangements.
Why This Matters to Participants and Carers
For participants — especially those with psychosocial disability — STR can be a valuable tool to:
prevent crises
support carer wellbeing
provide structured breaks
reduce the risk of hospital stays
sustain long-term support arrangements
Using STR strategically — in alignment with your goals — can make a real difference to long-term wellbeing.
We Can Help You Access Short-Term Respite (STR)
Navigating the NDIS — especially when it comes to Short Term Respite — can feel confusing and overwhelming.
At Recovery Supports Australia, we support a number of participants every year to:
Successfully have Short Term Respite included in their NDIS plan
Strengthen the evidence needed to justify respite as reasonable and necessary
Link STR clearly to functional needs and plan goals
Prepare for planning meetings and plan reviews
Communicate effectively with Support Coordinators and Plan Managers
We understand what the NDIA looks for when assessing respite funding. We help you articulate:
The level of informal support you receive
Carer stress and sustainability risks
How respite prevents crisis or hospitalisation
How STR directly supports your recovery, independence and wellbeing
If you don’t yet have Plan Management in your plan, we can also guide you through how to request it and explain the benefits — including flexibility, reduced admin stress, and clearer financial oversight.
We regularly work alongside Plan Managers to ensure funding is used correctly, invoices are managed smoothly, and your supports are sustainable.
Book a Discovery Call
If you would like support to:
Get Short Term Respite approved
Strengthen your next plan review
Add Plan Management to your plan
Or simply understand what you’re entitled to
We invite you to book a free discovery call with our team.
Final Thoughts
The change from Short Term Accommodation to Short Term Respite reflects a clearer understanding of what this support actually is under the NDIS — a flexible, support-focused tool designed to sustain informal care, improve participant choice, and help people stay well in their everyday lives.
If you’d like help talking about STR in your NDIS plan, collecting evidence for your support needs, or writing submissions, Recovery Supports Australia can support you.
Learn more about our psychosocial and planning support services here:
https://www.recoverysupports.com.au/services/psychosocial-recovery-coaching/
Learn more about Recovery supports Australia Short-term Respite stays:
https://www.recoverysupports.com.au/services/respite-care/