19/11/2025
🚨 NDIS Update: STA Is Now STR 🚨
Short Term Accommodation (STA) has officially been renamed Short Term Respite (STR).
What STR Really Is:
“Short term respite gives you time apart from your usual care arrangements. It also gives your primary informal supports a chance for a short break.”
It’s not for building new skills — its main purpose is respite, not recreation.
STR funding comes from your Core budget and must align with your NDIS plan.
Who Qualifies:
You’re eligible if you “live with, or get daily drop-in support from, your primary informal supports” for more than ~6 hours/day.
STR is not for those in Supported Independent Living or with Individualised Living Options.
For under-18s, STR is only funded “in limited circumstances when the child’s disability support needs are beyond what is typical for their age.”
Limits & Use:
Most participants can access up to 28 days/year, max 14 days at a time.
STR covers standard accommodation and needed support, but not holiday-style extras: “You can’t use short term respite funding to go on a holiday … airfares … tickets or entry fees … are not NDIS supports.”
Travel to and from the accommodation is generally not funded under STR.
What You Should Do:
Confirm STR is listed in your NDIS plan as a Core support line.
Talk to your planner or support coordinator to make sure your booking follows NDIA’s rules.
Use itemised invoices for accommodation and support so everything aligns with the guideline.
Bottom Line: STR is not a “holiday fund” — it’s a carefully defined break for informal carers and structured support. Know the rules, use it properly.
Short term respite https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/families-and-carers/how-we-can-help-carers/short-term-respite?
Short term respite gives you time apart from your usual care arrangements. It also gives your primary informal supports, a chance for a short break so they can continue in their caring role.
