NDIS Guides

NDIS Respite Accommodation: Short Term Accommodation Explained

Name: 1 Care Connect
Address: Rosehill, NSW, 2142, AU
Telephone: 1300 264 942

August 20, 2026

NDIS respite accommodation gives you a supported stay away from your usual care arrangements, so the people who support you can take a break. Most people know it as short term accommodation, or STA. The NDIS now also calls it short term respite. This guide explains who can get it, the 28 day rule, where a stay can happen, what the funding covers, and how to ask for it in your plan.

Quick summary

Short term accommodation, short term respite and NDIS respite accommodation all describe the same support.
It funds time apart from your usual care arrangements while your family or carers take a short break.
You may be eligible if you get more than 6 hours a day of disability-related support from family, friends or a carer.
It is usually funded for up to 28 days a year, used flexibly across your plan.
A stay can be in your own home, a shared setting or an individual setting.
It covers your supports and standard accommodation, but not holidays, flights or food.

Short term accommodation, short term respite, respite accommodation: one support

The names cause a lot of confusion, so it helps to start here. In October 2025, the NDIS announced that short term accommodation is now called short term respite. It said the new name better reflects the purpose of the support. That purpose is time apart from your usual care arrangements while your primary informal supports take a short break, so they can keep caring for you.

The NDIS also said the new name shifts the focus to the support being provided, whether at home or in shared settings, rather than the accommodation. However, the NDIS participant page is still called “What is short-term accommodation”, and most people still search for STA. So you will hear all three names, and they mean the same thing. At 1 Care Connect, these stays run through our NDIS respite care service.

Who can get NDIS respite accommodation

The NDIS links this funding to your informal supports. You may be able to get short term accommodation funding if you:

live with your primary informal supports, like family, friends or a carer, or get daily drop-in support
get disability-related support from your primary informal support for more than 6 hours a day.

For participants younger than 18, the NDIS may fund it in some situations. One example is when a child’s disability-related support needs are more than what is typical for their age, and a break would help the family keep caring. It does not replace normal parenting, such as helping a child go to the toilet, settling them to sleep or babysitting.

The 28 day rule for NDIS respite accommodation

Short term accommodation is usually funded for up to 28 days per year. You can use it flexibly. For example, the NDIS mentions a block of up to 14 days at a time, or one weekend per month.

There is one trap to watch. The funding must last the whole length of your plan. The NDIS notes that you may use it all before the end of your plan if you use more support than you need. So it pays to plan your breaks across the year. If your plan does not have the support you need, or your situation has changed, you can ask to change your plan.

Where a stay can happen

The name suggests a respite house, but NDIS respite accommodation is wider than that. The NDIS says you can choose to use short term accommodation in your own home, a shared setting or an individual setting. In practice, the funding can be used for:

supports to help you with everyday activities, like showering, cooking and toileting
standard accommodation, like a hotel, motel, short stay rental, cabin, cottage, hostel or respite accommodation
support to stay in your own home, or a homestay arrangement with a support worker, if you usually need overnight support.

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 outside it. If staying at home suits you better, our guide to NDIS in home support explains how support at home usually starts.

What NDIS respite accommodation costs

The NDIS funds short term accommodation at the level of support you usually need. That means you can keep doing the things you normally do during the stay. The line items sit in the NDIS pricing schedule, and you should only pay for the supports you actually use. Our guide to NDIS respite care cost explains the pricing side in plain English.

What it cannot pay for

This is where most mix-ups happen, so the NDIS is specific. Short term accommodation funding cannot pay for:

cruises, holiday packages, holiday accommodation and airfares
passports, visas, or travel and vehicle insurance
accommodation or travel for family members or support workers supporting you on holiday
theme parks, music, theatre, cinema, sporting events and conferences
food or meals.

It also does not replace normal time apart, like school, work or community activities, or mainstream supports such as crisis accommodation. The full list is on the NDIS page what is short-term accommodation.

Short term accommodation vs medium term accommodation

The two names sound alike, but they do different jobs. Short term accommodation is a planned break from your usual care arrangements. Medium term accommodation is funding to live somewhere for up to 90 days, and only in specific circumstances. For example, you may be waiting for a specialist disability accommodation vacancy, waiting on home modifications, or leaving hospital before your long term home is ready. Our guide to NDIS medium term accommodation explains who is eligible and what evidence you need.

Both sit alongside the other home and living supports. Our guide to NDIS home and living sets out all seven.

How to ask for short term accommodation in your plan

First, talk to your my NDIS contact if you think you need this funding. It helps to describe your care arrangement honestly. Who supports you, for how many hours a day, and what happens when they are unwell or need a rest? The NDIS also notes there may be other options, such as a support worker in your home, or community and mainstream supports.

Then, once the funding is in your plan, choose a provider and plan your breaks across the year. For background on the rename and the updated guideline, see the NDIS news item short term accommodation is now called short term respite.

Frequently asked questions

What is short term accommodation in the NDIS?

An NDIS support that gives you time apart from your usual care arrangements, like your family, friends or carers, while they take a short break. The NDIS now also calls it short term respite.

Is short term accommodation the same as respite?

Yes. The NDIS renamed short term accommodation to short term respite in October 2025. NDIS respite accommodation, STA and short term respite all describe the same support.

How many days of short term accommodation can I get?

It is usually funded for up to 28 days per year. You can use it flexibly, for example a block of up to 14 days or one weekend a month, as long as it lasts your whole plan.

Can I have short term accommodation in my own home?

Yes. The NDIS says you can choose to use it in your own home, a shared setting or an individual setting. If you usually need overnight support, it can fund support to stay at home or a homestay with a support worker.

Does NDIS short term accommodation cover food?

No. The NDIS lists food and meals among the things this funding cannot pay for.

Can I use respite funding for a holiday?

No. It cannot pay for cruises, holiday packages, holiday accommodation, airfares or event tickets. It funds your supports and standard accommodation during a short stay.

Can children get short term accommodation?

In some situations, yes. The NDIS may fund it when a child’s support needs are more than what is typical for their age and a break would help the family keep caring.

What is the difference between short term and medium term accommodation?

Short term accommodation is a planned break from your usual care arrangements. Medium term accommodation funds somewhere to live for up to 90 days when your long term home is not ready, or in other specific circumstances.

How 1 Care Connect can help

1 Care Connect is a registered NDIS provider with a nurse led team. We offer NDIS respite accommodation, from a single night or a weekend to a longer planned break, built around the support you usually receive. Our nurse-led team means participants with health needs are properly supported, so carers can genuinely rest. Contact our team or call 1300 264 942 to plan a break that works for your family.