Funding pathways
Almost nobody buys a power chair outright.
Powered wheelchairs are rarely bought outright. Four Australian pathways cover most people, and each asks for different evidence in a different format. This page explains how they work. Assessment, prescription and fitting are carried out by your clinician and your supplying provider; what we supply is the equipment and the documentation they need to cite.
Which one applies to you?
Pathway 01
NDIS
For participants with a permanent and significant disability. Assistive technology is funded from your Capital Supports budget.
Bars shown to scale. Powered wheelchairs and powered seating sit in the mid and high tiers.
The NDIS treats powered mobility as assistive technology that must be recommended by an assistive technology advisor, with setup and training included — not bought off a page. High-cost items need formal NDIA approval before purchase.
- Engage an AT assessor.An occupational therapist, physiotherapist or specialist AT advisor. Your plan manager or support coordinator can point you to one.
- Trial and assessment.Your assessor arranges trials through a supplying provider and writes the AT assessment report.
- Quote and evidence.We provide specifications, ARTG inclusion details and a written quote for any model under consideration.
- NDIA decision.High-cost items require formal approval before purchase.
- Supply and handover.Your provider delivers, configures and hands over the chair, and invoices your plan manager or self-managed account.
If a funded chair breaks down
Where a breakdown leaves you unsafe, urgent repairs can generally be authorised without waiting for prior NDIA approval, and claimed afterwards. Document the urgency, use a qualified repairer, and contact your support coordinator the same day. We supply spare parts and technical documentation to repairers on request.
Pathway 02
Support at Home
For older Australians. This program replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 — if you were told something different a year ago, it has changed.
Bars shown to scale. A power wheelchair sits in the High tier — the other two will not reach it. Tiers apply from 1 July 2026 and are indexed annually.
Equipment is funded through a separate stream called the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme. The important part: it sits outside your quarterly care budget, so you no longer have to sacrifice personal care hours to save up for a chair.
Powered wheelchairs are classified as prescribed assistive technology, which means a prescription from a qualified health professional is required — usually an occupational therapist or physiotherapist. Where your assessed need exceeds the High tier, funding above it can be sought with supporting evidence.
- Aged care assessment through My Aged Care.This is where the AT-HM tier is decided. Ask specifically about assistive technology — it is assessed separately from your ongoing services.
- Prescription from an OT or physio.Required for powered mobility. Your provider can usually arrange this.
- Quote and evidence lodged.We provide the quote and specifications; your provider lodges them with the prescription against your My Aged Care record.
- Supply and handover.Carried out by your provider. AT funding generally runs for 12 months and does not accumulate.
Contributions
Some participants pay part of the cost depending on income and assets. Your Notice of Decision sets this out. Quotes we issue state the equipment price, so your provider can set out the funded and out-of-pocket figures before you commit to anything.
Pathway 03
DVA
For eligible veterans and war widows or widowers.
Mobility equipment is supplied through the Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP), following assessment and prescription by a DVA-recognised health provider. Your card type determines what you are eligible for.
Start with your GP or a DVA-recognised occupational therapist. We provide equipment specifications and registration details to the provider supplying against your prescription.
Pathway 04
State schemes & private purchase
For people who fall outside NDIS and Support at Home, or who need a chair before a decision lands.
State and territory equipment schemes are often the right answer for people who do not meet NDIS or aged care criteria — the Community Aids and Equipment Program (CAEP) in Western Australia, EnableNSW, and the Aids & Equipment Program in Victoria among them. Criteria, subsidy levels and waiting times differ considerably by state. Tell us where you live and we will point you to the right one.
Buying privately. Eligible wheelchairs are GST-free, so listed prices carry no GST. One quirk worth knowing: purpose-designed spare parts are also GST-free, but generic replacement batteries are taxable, because they are not specifically designed for the chair.
Waiting on a decision?
Many providers offer interim hire while an application is decided, and in some cases that hire can itself be funded. Ask your assessor or provider what is available in your state.
What we prepare
What we provide
Applications stall on missing or mis-formatted evidence more often than on eligibility. These are the documents we make available to any clinician, provider or funder who asks.
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Formatted quotes
Written quotes with model numbers, ARTG inclusion, warranty terms and specifications, issued to you, your clinician or your provider.
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Technical specifications
Turning circle, kerb climb, tested range, weight capacity, seating dimensions and transit rating — the figures assessors have to cite.
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Conformity documentation
Test evidence against the ISO 7176 series, and the registration details for the market a device is supplied into.
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Comparison documentation
Funders frequently ask why this chair and not a cheaper one. We set out the specification differences that answer it.
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Instructions for use
Supplied with every device and available separately for clinicians assessing suitability.
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Spare parts information
Part numbers, availability and technical documentation for repairers, including at plan review or replacement.
Common questions
How long does approval take?
It varies widely by pathway and by the quality of the evidence submitted. The delays we see most often come from incomplete assessment reports or quotes in the wrong format, both of which are avoidable. We would rather spend two extra weeks on documentation than have an application bounce.
Can I use funding at any supplier?
Generally yes — you choose your supplier. What matters is that the device is ARTG-included and that the supplier can produce compliant documentation. Ask any seller for their ARTG number.
I was on a Home Care Package. What happened to my equipment funding?
Home Care Packages were replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025. Equipment now comes from the separate AT-HM stream rather than your care budget, which for most people is an improvement. If you transitioned across and are not sure what you were approved for, your Notice of Decision and support plan will say.
Do I need an occupational therapist?
For a powered wheelchair, effectively yes, under every pathway. It is classified as prescribed assistive technology, which means a qualified health professional has to be involved in the assessment and prescription. We supply the equipment and its documentation; the clinical assessment is theirs.
Is a power wheelchair GST-free?
Eligible wheelchairs are GST-free, along with spare parts specifically designed for them. Generic parts — replacement batteries being the common example — are taxable. Our listed prices already reflect this.
Do I need a licence or insurance to drive one?
No. Under the Australian Road Rules, a motorised wheelchair that cannot exceed 10 km/h on level ground, used by a person who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking, is treated as a pedestrian — no licence, registration or compulsory insurance. Third-party personal liability cover is not required, but it is worth considering.
Need documentation for an application?
Specification sheets, ARTG inclusion details and written quotes are available on request — to you, your occupational therapist, or your provider. Write to support@debanhealthcare.com.
This page is general information, not clinical or financial advice, and does not take your individual circumstances into account. Powered mobility devices should be prescribed following assessment by a qualified health professional.
Eligibility criteria, funding tiers, subsidy amounts and program rules are set by the Australian Government and by state and territory governments, and change over time. Confirm current details with the NDIS, My Aged Care, DVA or your state scheme before making a decision.
Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Any manufacturer warranty we offer is in addition to those rights.
Last reviewed: July 2026