Short Term Accommodation (STA) is now called Short Term Respite (STR), and the NDIA has released new guidelines to help make it easier to understand and use.
Short Term Respite can play an important role in maintaining participant wellbeing, preventing burnout for carers and supporting families to continue providing day-to-day care. Here’s what you need to know about how it works and what it includes.
What’s new in Short Term Respite (STR)?
Short Term Respite (STR) has replaced Short Term Accommodation (STA).
The new name better reflects the real purpose of the support which is to give participants and their primary informal carers a short restorative break from their usual care arrangements.
The NDIA has clarified that the purpose of STR is for respite, not tourism, recreation or skill-building.
The new name aims to recognise the critical role of informal carers, ensure that respite stays are disability-related not leisure-driven, prevent funding misuse and inconsistent interpretations, and promote sustainability of care relationships.
The support has shifted from being about accommodation to being about temporary relief for participants and carers.
STR is:
- Not an accommodation support
- Not a holiday
- Not a skill-development program
STR is about time apart, allowing informal supports to rest and recharge.
New eligibility rules
Eligibility is now far more specific. A participant may be eligible if:
- They have one or more primary informal carers providing more than 6+ hours disability-related support per day
- Support is needed to prevent carer fatigue or breakdown
- The respite need arises due to the functional impact of the participants disability not everyday circumstances
- The participant lives with or is supported daily by informal carers
STR is not funded if
- The participant lives independently without daily informal support
- The participant lives in SIL, ILO, residential aged care or other 24/7 paid support settings
- They receive more than 18+ hours of paid supports per day
- They are not having a break from their primary informal supports.
- The support is a general living cost or a duplicate of other NDIS supports.
Please refer to the STR guidelines to understand the full eligibility criteria.
What STR includes and what it does not include
STR includes
- Standard accommodation
- Accommodation for a support worker (if overnight support is required)
- Meals or activities, only if included as part of the STR rate within a respite facility
- Supports for everyday activities (personal care, cooking, cleaning etc) that informal supports would usually provide
It may be delivered in
- Hotels
- Short stay rentals
- Respite facilities
- The participant’s own home if it still provides meaningful respite
STR does not include
- Holidays or leisure travel
- Flights, cruises or attraction tickets
- Skill-building programs
- Therapeutic sessions or goals training
- Recreational activities unrelated to disability or respite
The NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Price Limits set the maximum amounts that can be claimed for Short Term Respite.
Where STR is funded from
Short term respite is funded from the Core Supports budget, Assistance with Daily Life (Category 1).
Participants can generally use Short Term Respite for:
- Up to 28 days per calendar year, and
- Up to 14 consecutive days per stay
An exceptional circumstances clause has been added for rare cases requiring more days such as children in care or those at risk. This requires approval from an NDIS planner / delegate.
How we support you through these changes
As a Plan Manager, MyIntegra can help you stay informed and compliant.
Here’s what we do for you:
- Check invoices for required breakdowns before processing
- Help providers use correct line items
- Flag any risks that look like holidays instead of respite
- Help you understand eligibility for STR
- Provide advice so you know what the NDIS will and won’t fund when planning STR stays
If you are planning Short Term Respite for one of your participants or want help navigating these new guidelines, our team is here to help. You can contact us on 1800 696 347 or email [email protected].
Short Term Respite can be transformative for participants and families offering essential breaks for carers. Understanding what is and isn’t included helps ensure this support is used in the right situations and is aligned with each participant’s NDIS plan.
For more detailed information on Short Term Respite please refer to these resources on the NDIS website:
