Last updated: 30 October 2026
NDIS short term accommodation gives a participant a planned stay away from their usual carers, so the family or friends who support them every day can rest and keep caring. If you have been searching for “STA”, you may notice the NDIA now calls it short term respite. The support is the same idea, but the rules were rewritten in late 2025 and the way providers charge for it changed in the 2026-27 pricing schedule. Here’s who it suits, what it pays for, what it costs now, how many days you can expect and how to book a stay.
Key takeaways
- Short term accommodation (STA) is now officially called short term respite. Its purpose is to give your main informal carers a break.
- The NDIA generally funds up to 28 days per calendar year, for up to 14 days at a time.
- To be eligible, an adult usually lives with (or gets daily drop-in support from) family or carers who provide more than 6 hours of disability-related support a day, plus at least one extra factor such as high intensity needs or carer stress.
- From the 2026-27 pricing schedule, STA is charged as hourly support items plus a separate daily accommodation item ($162.85 a day national maximum), not one bundled daily rate.
- It is not a holiday. Airfares, cruises, entry tickets and (in most settings) meals are not funded.
Contents
- What is NDIS short term accommodation (short term respite)?
- Who can get it
- What it covers and what it doesn’t
- 2026-27 price limits for STA
- How many days you can use
- How to find and book a stay
- What to pack and prepare
- STA vs MTA vs SIL
- How the October 2026 changes affect respite
- Getting support around respite with Skillwise in Western Sydney
- Frequently asked questions
What is NDIS short term accommodation (short term respite)?
Short term respite is an NDIS support that funds time apart from your usual care arrangements, such as family, friends or carers you live with. While you are supported by paid staff, your carers can take a break and then continue in their caring role.
The NDIA announced the name change in October 2025, saying it “better reflects the purpose of the support”. It also published an updated Short term respite guideline (16 October 2025) that sets out who can use it and how decisions are made.
The pricing schedule still uses “Short Term Accommodation” in item names, so you will see both terms on quotes and invoices.
A stay can be in a hotel, motel, short-stay rental, respite house or centre, or in your own home with a support worker if you usually need overnight support. It should generally be used in your home state or territory, with some exceptions for remote and border-town participants.
Who can get it
The 2025 guideline is much clearer than the old one. For adults, the Short term respite guideline says all of the following usually need to apply:
- You live with your primary informal supports, or they give you daily drop-in support.
- They give you disability-related support for more than 6 hours a day, on an ongoing basis.
- At least one extra factor applies:
- you receive high intensity supports, such as complex bowel care, enteral feeding, severe dysphagia management, tracheostomy, catheter or ventilator management, subcutaneous injections or complex wound care
- you have intensive or complex behaviour support needs, or need specialist behavioural intervention
- you live where other in-home supports aren’t widely available
- your carers’ wellbeing and capacity to keep caring is at risk
- your carers have other caring responsibilities
Who usually won’t get it
The guideline says respite is not funded if you live alone without drop-in support, receive more than 18 hours of paid support at home each day, or live in supported independent living (SIL). In SIL, paid staff already provide most of your daily support, so there is no informal carer who needs the break.
Children under 18
The NDIA says it only funds short term respite for children “in exceptional situations”. The child’s needs must go well beyond what is typical for their age, and the support must help the family keep caring. It does not replace normal parenting tasks such as settling to sleep or babysitting.
What it covers and what it doesn’t
| Usually funded | Not funded |
|---|---|
| Support with everyday tasks your carers would normally help with, such as showering, cooking and toileting | Holidays, cruises, holiday packages and airfares |
| Standard accommodation with no extra inclusions | Passports, visas, travel or vehicle insurance |
| Overnight support where you need it | Theme parks, entertainment, sporting events and conferences |
| Accommodation for a support worker when they must stay overnight to support you | Tickets, entry fees, equipment and memberships for activities |
| Meals in a centre or group residence, where included in a daily rate | Meals in an individual setting such as a hotel (a personal living cost) |
Sources: NDIS short term respite page and the Short term respite guideline.
The guideline puts it simply: “Short term respite isn’t for holidays.” The NDIS funds the support and accommodation, not the activity itself.
2026-27 price limits for STA
The NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 took effect on 24 September 2026, after the Minister made the first pricing determination under the new NDIS laws. The announcement says the limits are effective immediately.
The big change for families is that STA is no longer one bundled daily price. Providers now claim:
- hourly support items for the time staff spend supporting you, and
- a separate daily item for the accommodation itself.
Accommodation items (per day)
| Item number | Item name | National | Remote | Very remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01_250_0115_1_1 | Short Term Accommodation – Participant Accommodation | $162.85 | $227.99 | $244.28 |
| 01_251_0115_1_1 | Short Term Accommodation – Support Worker Accommodation | $162.85 | $227.99 | $244.28 |
The schedule says these amounts cover standard accommodation “with no extra inclusions” for each overnight stay, for stays of up to 14 days.
Support items (per hour, standard intensity)
| Item number | Time | National | Remote | Very remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01_200_0115_1_1 | Weekday daytime | $73.58 | $103.01 | $110.37 |
| 01_201_0115_1_1 | Weekday evening | $81.07 | $113.50 | $121.61 |
| 01_205_0115_1_1 | Weekday night | $82.57 | $115.60 | $123.86 |
| 01_202_0115_1_1 | Saturday | $103.54 | $144.96 | $155.31 |
| 01_203_0115_1_1 | Sunday | $133.50 | $186.90 | $200.25 |
| 01_204_0115_1_1 | Public holiday | $163.46 | $228.84 | $245.19 |
| 01_206_0115_1_1 | Sleepover (each) | $311.79 | $436.51 | $467.69 |
High intensity support
Where a participant needs high intensity support, separate hourly items apply (01_252 to 01_257). National maximums range from $79.60 an hour on weekday days to $176.84 an hour on public holidays.
All figures are maximums from the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 (PDF). They apply to NDIA-managed and plan-managed participants. A provider can charge less, but not more.
A simple worked example
This is an illustration only, using national maximums for one-to-one support. Say someone stays one weeknight with a provider:
- 4 hours weekday evening support: 4 x $81.07 = $324.28
- 1 sleepover: $311.79
- 3 hours weekday daytime support the next morning: 3 x $73.58 = $220.74
- 1 night of participant accommodation: $162.85
Total: $1,019.66. Weekend stays cost more because the Saturday and Sunday hourly rates are higher. If support is shared, ask the provider to explain in writing how your share of staff time is worked out.
The NDIS respite page also says you should only pay for supports you actually receive, so if you use less than a full day, the cost should be adjusted.
How many days you can use
The guideline says: “We generally fund up to 28 days of short term respite per calendar year, for up to 14 days at a time.” More may be funded in exceptional cases.
You can use the days flexibly. The NDIA gives examples such as one 14-day block or one weekend a month. Because funding is based on your usual level of support, a person who needs 2:1 support or high intensity care will use their budget faster than someone with lighter needs.
Spread your stays across the whole plan period, and ask for a plan change if your situation changes, for example a carer becomes unwell.
How to find and book a stay
- Check your plan. Make sure respite funding is included in your plan. If it isn’t and you think you meet the criteria, talk to your planner, local area coordinator or support coordinator about a plan change.
- Search for providers. Use the NDIS Provider Finder, which you can also access through the myplace portal. Your support coordinator or LAC can help shortlist options.
- Ask the right questions. What level of support will staff provide overnight? Is the house shared, and with how many people? Are meals offered, and at what personal cost? Can the provider meet any high intensity needs, such as PEG feeding or catheter care?
- Get a written quote. It should list the support items, hours, sleepovers and accommodation days. Compare it with the price limits above.
- Sign a service agreement. Read the cancellation terms carefully. Our guide to NDIS service agreements explains what to look for.
- Book early. School holidays and long weekends fill quickly. We find that families who plan respite dates a few months ahead have more choice of provider and setting.
What to pack and prepare
Before the first night, share:
- a one-page profile: likes, dislikes, routines, communication style and what helps when the person is upset
- medication list and any medication charts, plus enough medication for the whole stay in original packaging
- any health care, mealtime or behaviour support plans
- continence products, mobility aids, chargers and assistive technology
- clothes, toiletries and a familiar item such as a pillow or blanket
- money for personal costs like meals or outings, since these are not funded in most settings
A short visit or daytime trial before the first overnight stay can help someone settle.
STA vs MTA vs SIL
| Short term respite (STA) | Medium term accommodation (MTA) | Supported independent living (SIL) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A break for your informal carers | Somewhere to stay while your long-term home isn’t ready | Ongoing paid support in a shared or individual home |
| Length | Generally up to 28 days a year, up to 14 at a time | Up to 90 days | Ongoing |
| Who it suits | People living with family or carers who give more than 6 hours of daily support | People waiting for SDA, SIL, ILO or home modifications, or leaving hospital or the justice system | People who need significant paid support at home each day |
| What it pays for | Support plus standard accommodation | The accommodation cost only; personal care is funded separately | Support workers in your home; accommodation is funded or paid for separately |
| 2026-27 price | Hourly items plus $162.85 a day accommodation | $162.85 a day (01_082_0115_1_1) | Based on a roster of care |
Sources: NDIS MTA page, Short term respite guideline, NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27.
If you are weighing up a longer-term move, our guides to what SIL is and SIL vs SDA vs ILO go into more detail.
How the October 2026 changes affect respite
From 1 October 2026, the government began a budget reset under the new NDIS laws. Budgets for social, civic and community participation supports are being reduced by 50 per cent, and capacity building daily activity budgets by 10 per cent. The changes apply as plans are renewed or reassessed over about 12 months.
The official page does not mention short term respite by name, and we could not find an official statement that respite budgets will be cut. Check your new plan carefully and ask your planner if respite has changed.
Other dates worth knowing:
- 1 December 2026: claims must be made within 90 days of the support being delivered.
- 1 December 2026: SCHADS Award changes take effect, and the NDIA has said the 2026-27 pricing schedule will be updated later this year to reflect any required changes. STA hourly rates may change.
- 1 February 2027: unspent funds will no longer roll over at plan renewal, so plan your respite days within each plan.
Our article on the new NDIS planning framework covers these changes more broadly.
Getting support around respite with Skillwise in Western Sydney
To be clear: Skillwise does not currently provide short term respite or medium term accommodation. Our two SIL homes in the Mount Druitt and Rooty Hill area are long-term homes for the people who live there, not respite houses.
What we can do is support the participant and family around respite:
- Personal care and daily living support at home, giving carers regular time off during the week.
- Daily living and life skills such as packing a bag, managing a routine away from home or preparing simple meals.
- Travel and transport to and from a respite provider, where your plan has transport funding.
- Support for life stage transitions, including planning a future move into SIL when respite is no longer enough.
Our staff speak Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Dari and Pashto, which many local families find helpful when sharing care routines. You can contact our Rooty Hill office on 0474 151 264 to talk through your options.
Frequently asked questions
Is NDIS short term accommodation the same as short term respite?
Yes. The NDIA renamed short term accommodation to short term respite in October 2025. The pricing schedule still uses “Short Term Accommodation” in its support item names, so both terms are in use.
How many days of respite does the NDIS fund?
The NDIA generally funds up to 28 days of short term respite per calendar year, for up to 14 days at a time. More may be funded in exceptional situations.
How much does NDIS short term accommodation cost in 2026-27?
Under the 2026-27 pricing schedule, STA is charged as hourly support (from $73.58 an hour on weekday days, national maximum) plus participant accommodation of up to $162.85 a day. Sleepovers are up to $311.79 each.
Can I use NDIS respite for a holiday?
No. The guideline says short term respite isn’t for holidays. Airfares, cruises, holiday packages, entry tickets and most meals are not funded. You can use respite while taking part in activities, but you pay for the activities yourself.
Can I get short term respite if I live in SIL?
Generally no. The guideline says respite isn’t funded for people living in supported independent living or for people who already get more than 18 hours of paid support at home each day.
Support near you in Western Sydney
Skillwise is based in Rooty Hill and supports NDIS participants across the region. Read about our NDIS support in Blacktown, NDIS support in Mount Druitt, NDIS support in Rooty Hill and NDIS support in St Marys, or see all the areas we cover.
