Two figures are often set beside each other: the ABS estimated that 5.5 million Australians, or 21.4% of the population, had disability in 2022, and the NDIA recorded 782,013 active participants at 30 June 2026. They measure different things on different dates, so dividing one by the other says nothing about who is eligible or who is missing out. This article sets out what each number can and cannot tell you.
The figures below were checked on 22 September 2026. The reference dates remain part of each figure.
Disability in Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that 5.5 million Australians, or 21.4% of the population, had disability in its 2022 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers.
This is a broad survey measure of disability. It is not a count of people who meet NDIS eligibility requirements.
NDIS participation
The NDIA's data recorded 782,013 active participants at 30 June 2026. The measure concerns people in the scheme under the NDIA's participant definition.
This count has a different date and purpose from the ABS disability estimate. Dividing the two figures does not establish the share of currently eligible people receiving support. It also cannot show that everyone outside the scheme was never intended to qualify.
To examine unmet eligibility or access barriers, additional evidence would be needed about people outside the scheme and the relevant requirements.
Personal income
For people aged 15 to 64 living in households whose income was reported, the ABS 2022 survey recorded median gross personal income of $575 a week for people with disability and $1,055 for people without disability.
These are medians for the specified survey populations. They are not household income figures, current pension rates or a measure of income among NDIS participants specifically.
A median also does not describe every person's finances. It should not be used to assume what a particular reader earns or can afford.
NDIS funding is not personal income support
An NDIS plan provides funding for eligible supports. It is different from a payment intended to meet general living expenses, such as the Disability Support Pension.
A person's NDIS budget therefore should not be described as the amount they have available to live on. Likewise, an advertised maximum DSP rate does not establish what every person with disability receives.
What this means when discussing assessment costs
Cost can be a barrier to obtaining evidence, but a population statistic cannot tell an assessor which option is affordable for an individual.
Before commissioning a report, identify the information required, consider existing evidence and check whether an appropriate assistance service is available. A private assessment should be quoted clearly, without using broad income statistics to pressure a person into purchasing it.
When using disability data, keep the population, measure and reference period beside the number. Conclusions about eligibility, disadvantage or an individual's circumstances need evidence that actually addresses those questions.
Further information
- ABS: Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia - 2022
- NDIA data and research: Explore data
- DSS Social Security Guide: NDIS amounts