Can the NDIS fund a companion robot? What the rules say

Families sometimes ask whether an NDIS plan can pay for a robot: a robotic pet for comfort, a robot vacuum to save a support worker's time, or a camera robot for check-ins. The NDIS rules don't mention companion robots by name, so the answer depends on how a robot fits the rules for assistive technology, the list of things the NDIS doesn't fund, and a newer option called replacement supports. Here's what the official guidance says, and how to ask. Checked 3 November 2026.

By Domestic Robot · Editor: Christian Ganaban · Updated 3 November 2026

Researched, not testedThis explainer summarises NDIS and Australian Government rules and guidance, linked below, as at 3 November 2026. It isn't legal, financial or health advice, and only the NDIA can decide what your plan funds. NDIS support rules are under review, so check the current versions before you rely on them.

Quick answer

Possibly, but there's no rule that says companion robots are funded, and many won't be. Any support must meet the NDIS “reasonable and necessary” tests, including relating to your disability and being value for money. Since 3 October 2024 the NDIS has had lists of what it does and doesn't fund; standard household items, toys, tablets, smart watches and standard computers are on the “not NDIS supports” list, and robots aren't named either way. A replacement support can let you buy a standard item, such as a household appliance or tablet, instead of an NDIS support if the NDIA approves it first and it costs the same or less. Robot vacuums were among the items people asked to add to that list in a 2025 consultation. The practical path is a written recommendation from an occupational therapist or other AT advisor, then a plan variation or replacement-support request. Over 65? The NDIS doesn't apply; see Support at Home below.

The short answer by robot type

Robot	How the rules treat it	What that means
Robotic pet or companion robot (Joy for All, Loona, Vector)	Not named in NDIS rules	Toys and standard recreational items aren't NDIS supports. A therapist would need to show it relates to your disability and is value for money; we found no NDIS guidance on robot pets
Robot vacuum or robot mower	Not named	Standard household and garden appliances aren't NDIS supports, but a replacement support for a standard household item can be approved if it increases independence and replaces paid support
Camera or telepresence robot (EBO X)	Not named	Similar to smart devices; tracking devices can be a restrictive practice, so get advice
Robotic feeding aid or robotic arm	Assistive technology	Eating aids are an NDIS AT category; the NDIA has featured a participant who uses a robot to eat independently. Usually mid or high cost, needing an assessment

Our summary of the NDIS support lists, replacement supports and assistive technology guidance linked under Sources, checked 3 November 2026. Not a ruling on any individual plan.

The tests every NDIS support must meet

Every NDIS support has to be “reasonable and necessary”, and all of the criteria must be met. In plain terms, the NDIA's guidelines say a support must relate to your impairments, be value for money, and be effective and beneficial. For assistive technology (AT), the NDIA groups items by cost:

Tier	Cost	Evidence the NDIA asks for
Low cost	Under $1,500 per item	Usually bought from the Consumables part of your Core budget; no quote needed
Mid cost	$1,500 to $15,000 per item	Written advice from an allied health practitioner or AT advisor; not necessarily a formal assessment
High cost	Over $15,000 per item	A quote and an assessment report from a qualified AT assessor, such as an occupational therapist; the NDIA may ask you to trial or rent first

Most companion robots and robot vacuums sold in Australia cost well under $1,500, so if one were accepted as AT it would usually be low cost. But being cheap doesn't make an item an NDIS support. The NDIA also separates low-risk AT, which is easy to set up without advice, from higher-risk AT that needs advice before you buy, such as anything that could be used as a restrictive practice.

What the “not NDIS supports” list says

Since 3 October 2024, transitional rules under section 10 of the NDIS Act set out what is and isn't an NDIS support. The “not NDIS supports” list includes, among other things:

“Standard household (including garden) items, appliances, tools and products.”
Standard recreational equipment and tools, including toys.
Mobile phones, tablets and internet devices, and watches including smart watches.
Standard computers, accessories, consoles and games.

Robots aren't mentioned by name. Whether a particular robot counts as a standard household item or a toy is a question of interpretation, and the NDIA decides it for each request. A robot vacuum is sold as a standard household appliance; a robotic plush pet is sold as a toy or companion product. The NDIA's own AT code guide makes the same distinction for household AT: it doesn't include standard items everyone uses, such as a kettle or broom.

Replacement supports: the newer option

The NDIA can approve a replacement support: a standard item you buy with NDIS funds instead of an NDIS support, where it does the job for the same cost or less. The NDIS lists examples including standard household items such as a washing machine or dishwasher, smart watches, tablets, smartphones and accessibility or communication apps. The key conditions:

You must apply and be approved before you spend your funds.
It must cost the same or less than the NDIS support it replaces.
A household item must increase whole-task independence and reduce or remove the need for a support worker or disability-specific AT.
Approval lasts for your current plan. A quote is optional.

In the Government's 2025 consultation on the support rules, people asked for robot vacuums to be added as replacement supports, alongside smart home and automation devices. Revised rules were out for consultation from August to October 2026 and aren't final. Until they change, a robot vacuum isn't on the replacement-support list by name, so ask the NDIA how it would treat yours.

Companion robots and robot pets specifically

We found no NDIS guidance that mentions companion robots, robotic pets or telepresence robots. Robot pets have been studied in Australian aged care, for example a Griffith University pilot with a robotic seal and a current University of Queensland and Metro North Health study with robotic pets for people living with dementia, but these are research trials, not funding programs, and we found none involving NDIS participants.

If a companion robot is part of a therapy plan, the evidence that matters is a written recommendation from your occupational therapist, psychologist or other practitioner explaining how it relates to your disability, what goal it supports, and why it's better value than alternatives. Even then, the NDIA may treat it as a toy or standard item. Our companion robot guide lists what's sold here, and our privacy guide covers what connected robots record, which matters if the robot is for a child or someone who can't easily consent.

How to ask

Talk to your therapist or AT advisor first. Ask whether a robot genuinely meets a need linked to your disability, and whether there's a cheaper or more suitable option.
Get the recommendation in writing. For mid-cost AT the NDIA asks for written evidence from an allied health practitioner or AT advisor.
Choose the right request. Use a plan variation to add recommended AT, or apply for a replacement support before buying a standard item.
Know the timeframes. The NDIA says it decides a plan variation within 21 days of having the evidence, and you can ask for an internal review if you disagree.
Check who you can buy from. If your plan is NDIA-managed you must buy from a registered provider; plan- and self-managed participants can use other suppliers.

Don't buy first and claim later unless the item is clearly within your approved low-cost AT funding. The NDIS website and your planner or local area coordinator are the places to confirm.

Aged 65 or over: Support at Home, not the NDIS

People who first need support after 65 usually go through My Aged Care (1800 200 422) rather than the NDIS. The Support at Home program, which began on 1 November 2025, includes an Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme with low (under $500), medium (up to $2,000) and high (up to $15,000) funding tiers. The AT-HM list, updated July 2026, includes vacuum cleaners as low-risk housecleaning aids, personal emergency alarms and robotic manipulators, but doesn't name companion robots, robot pets, telepresence robots or robot vacuums, and excludes usual household or discretionary expenses. See our guide to robots for an elderly parent living alone.

Looking at specialist equipment rather than companion robots? See assistive robots for people with disability: feeding robots, wheelchair robotic arms and telepresence.

Common questions

Does the NDIS pay for robot vacuums?

Not as a standard rule. Standard household appliances are on the “not NDIS supports” list. A robot vacuum could only be funded if the NDIA approves it, for example as a replacement support that increases your independence and costs no more than the support it replaces. Apply before buying.

Can NDIS funding be used for a robotic pet?

There's no NDIS rule or guidance that names robotic pets. Toys and standard recreational items aren't NDIS supports, so you'd need strong written evidence from a practitioner that it relates to your disability and is value for money, and the NDIA may still decline.

What is a replacement support in the NDIS?

A standard item, such as a household appliance or tablet, that the NDIA approves you to buy instead of an NDIS support. It must cost the same or less, and you must be approved before using your funds.

Do I need a quote for low-cost assistive technology?

No. Low-cost AT (under $1,500 per item) is usually bought from the Consumables part of your Core budget without a quote. High-cost AT over $15,000 needs a quote and an assessment.

Can people over 65 get funding for a robot?

Not through the NDIS for most people. Support at Home's AT-HM scheme funds items on its AT-HM list; companion robots and robot vacuums aren't named, and usual household expenses are excluded. Ask your provider or an occupational therapist.

Sources

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