NDIS respite accommodation gives you a short, supported stay away from your usual care arrangements. Meanwhile, the people who normally support you take a break. The NDIS now calls this support short term respite. It used to be known as short term accommodation or STA. This guide explains what the funding covers, who can get it, how the 28 day rule works, and how to use it well.
Quick summary
- Short term respite is the new name for short term accommodation. The NDIS renamed it in October 2025.
- It funds time apart from your usual care arrangements, so your family or carers can recharge and keep caring well.
- Funding is usually up to 28 days per year, used flexibly. That might be a block of up to 14 days, or shorter stays across the year.
- Eligibility centres on informal support: more than 6 hours of disability related support a day from family, friends or a carer.
- It covers your supports and standard accommodation, but never holidays, flights or theme parks.
What NDIS respite accommodation is
The NDIS describes short term respite as a support that gives you time apart from your usual care arrangements. That means time apart from your family, friends or carers. The break works both ways. You get a change of scenery and new experiences. Your carers get time to look after their own health and wellbeing. The NDIS funds it because a rested carer can keep caring for the long haul.
At 1 Care Connect, these stays run through our NDIS respite care service. A nurse led team plans each stay around the support you usually receive at home.
Why the name changed from STA to short term respite
In October 2025 the NDIS announced that short term accommodation is now called short term respite. The reason is worth understanding, because it tells you how the NDIS thinks about the support. Participants, families and carers told the NDIS the old name put the focus on the accommodation. The real purpose is the break itself, and the value of sustaining informal care relationships. Alongside the new name, the NDIS updated its guideline to make the support easier to understand and use.
Who is eligible
The NDIS links NDIS respite accommodation funding to your informal supports. You may be able to get it if you:
- live with your primary informal supports, such as family, friends or a carer, or get daily drop in support
- receive disability related support from them for more than 6 hours a day.
For children under 18, the NDIS may fund short term respite in some situations. One example: a child’s support needs are well beyond what is typical for their age, and a break would help the family keep caring. It does not replace normal parenting responsibilities like settling a child to sleep, and it is not babysitting.
How much you get: the 28 day rule
Short term respite is usually funded for up to 28 days per year. The flexibility is the best part. You can use it as one block of up to 14 days at a time. Or you can spread it out, for example one weekend a month. Different patterns suit different families, so it is worth planning the year rather than booking ad hoc.
Two practical rules apply. The funding has to last the whole length of your plan, so pacing matters. And you should only pay for the supports you actually use. The funding level is based on the support you usually need at home. That means your normal routine can continue during the stay. Standard rates sit in the NDIS pricing schedule. Our guide to NDIS respite care cost explains how the pricing works in plain English.
What NDIS respite accommodation funding covers
- Support with everyday activities during the stay, like showering, cooking and toileting.
- Standard accommodation, such as a hotel, motel, short stay rental, cabin, cottage, hostel or respite accommodation.
- Support to stay in your own home if you usually need overnight support. A homestay arrangement with a support worker also counts.
You should generally use the funding in your home state or territory. If you live in a remote area, the NDIS may fund a stay further afield.
What it cannot pay for
This is where most confusion lives, so the NDIS is specific. Short term respite funding cannot pay for cruises, holiday packages, holiday accommodation or airfares. It cannot cover passports, visas or travel insurance. The travel costs of family members or support workers joining you are also out. So are theme parks, concerts, cinema, sporting events, food and meals. Finally, it does not replace normal time apart at school, work or community activities, and it is not crisis accommodation.
A simple test: the funding pays for the support during a modest stay, not for a holiday. The full detail sits on the NDIS page what is short-term accommodation.
Respite is not a housing support
NDIS respite accommodation sometimes gets mixed up with the NDIS housing supports, because the old name had accommodation in it. They are different tools. Respite is measured in days and exists to sustain care arrangements. Long term housing needs are answered by other NDIS home and living supports. One example is specialist disability accommodation, for people with very high support needs. If the housing side is what you are exploring, start with our explainer on what is SDA.
How to get respite into your plan
Talk to your my NDIS contact if you think you need this support. It helps to describe your informal care arrangement honestly. Who supports you, for how many hours a day, and what happens when they are unwell or exhausted? If your current plan does not include the respite support you need, you can ask for a change to your plan. The same applies if your situation has changed.
Frequently asked questions
What is NDIS respite accommodation called now?
Short term respite. The NDIS renamed short term accommodation in October 2025 to put the focus on the break rather than the building. Many people still say STA or respite accommodation, and providers understand all three.
How many days of respite does the NDIS fund?
Usually up to 28 days per year, used flexibly. You might take a block of up to 14 days, or shorter stays spread across the year.
Can I use respite funding for a holiday?
No. The NDIS states the funding cannot pay for cruises, holiday packages, airfares or event tickets. It funds your supports and standard accommodation during a short stay.
Who is eligible for NDIS respite accommodation?
It is linked to your informal supports. You live with family, friends or a carer, or get daily drop in support. And you receive more than 6 hours of disability related support from them each day.
Does respite funding cover my food during the stay?
No. The NDIS lists food and meals among the things this funding cannot pay for.
Can children get NDIS respite?
In some situations, yes. The NDIS may fund it where a child’s disability related support needs are more than what is typical for their age. A break must also help the family continue caring.
Is respite the same as medium term accommodation?
No. Medium term accommodation is a bridge of up to 90 days when your long term home is not ready. Respite is a planned short break from your usual care arrangements.
How 1 Care Connect can help
1 Care Connect runs nurse led respite and short term accommodation stays across Western Sydney and NSW. We plan each stay around the support you usually receive. So the break feels safe for you, and genuinely restful for your carers. Call 1300 264 942 or send us a message. We will help you work out what NDIS respite accommodation could look like within your plan.
Related reading
Sources: NDIS, What is short-term accommodation; NDIS news, Short term accommodation is now called short term respite (both at ndis.gov.au, read 19 August 2026). This article is general information only and is not financial, legal or clinical advice. NDIS funding, eligibility and pricing are set by the NDIS and can change. Always check the current details on the NDIS website or with your planner or support coordinator. Last updated: 19 August 2026.
