What is a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)?

Key Takeaways 

• A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) looks at how your disability impacts day-to-day life. This evidence helps the NDIA determine which supports are right for you. 
• FCA reports are usually done by an Occupational Therapist and cover areas like daily life, mobility, communication, and cognition. 
• Your FCA can shape how your funding is set up over 12 months. Sometimes you’ll need your Improved Daily Living (IDL) budget frontloaded so supports are available straight away. 

A Functional Capacity Assessment is a type of assessment that can determine whether you have the right level of support and funding to achieve your goals. The assessment will look at your capability or limitations across a range of activities and environments, to see how well you’re able to manage your everyday tasks – and provide recommendations for how your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan can better support you. 

Using an FCA will help ensure you (as an active NDIS participant) are getting the right supports by determining exactly what you need assistance with, and to what level. It does this by determining how disability impacts your day-to-day life – your functional capacity to do what you need to do every day. 

How do Functional Capacity Assessments fit into your plan? 

Functional Capacity Assessments are typically requested as part of a new plan, a plan review, or if you have had significant changes in your needs – for example, if your disability-related needs have become greater or more complex. 

Essentially, it provides the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) with objective evidence, from a qualified professional, to guide future funding decisions. This includes the supports you’re funded for – under recent changes to the NDIS, this will also impact how your funds will be structured over the 12-month period (your NDIS plan funding periods).

 

What gets assessed by a Functional Capacity Assessment? 

An FCA includes an evaluation of capabilities in: 

• Personal care (such hygiene and grooming, dressing for the day, toileting) and everyday household activities 
• Work related activities (lifting, carrying, and operating machinery in a labour environment; or if you work in an office, typing, walking and standing)
• Communication through speech, writing or other means
• Leisure and social participation (your ability engage in hobbies, social activities, sports)
• Mobility (your ability to move around independently or with aids)
• Cognitive function (tasks that require thinking, memory and decision-making – like managing finances or following instructions) 

Think of it like a ‘big picture’ report of what your everyday life looks like; what you’re struggling to do independently, and what kind of help you need to reach your goals.

Who can do a NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment? 

In most cases, Occupational Therapists complete FCAs. This is because OTs have the most appropriate training and skills to assess all the aspects of your daily life, and to deliver a comprehensive functional capacity evaluation. 

In some cases, another allied health professional or medical specialist could complete an FCA if they were better suited to your needs. These professionals may also work with an OT to provide a fuller assessment. Examples include: 

• Physiotherapists 
• Speech pathologists 
• Medical specialists such as neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons 

What happens during a NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment? 

The NDIS hasn’t issued a standardised process for this, so your experience may vary a little depending on what your needs are and how your therapist approaches the process. However, it should still follow the same general format. 

Here’s an overview of what you can expect: 

1.     Initial interview 

This will cover things like your medical history, communication skills, any assistive therapies you’re currently receiving that may impact your functional abilities – as well as lifestyle factors like your study or work, what you do for fun, your sleep patterns, your goals, and your current strengths or challenges.  

All of this helps to get a clear overview of your life, your current capabilities, and any barriers due to the impact of your disability. 

Your OT or healthcare professional might also gather information from members of your support team – like doctors, therapists, carers or your loved ones. 

2.     Assessment of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) 

This part will assess your ability to perform ADLs like grooming, bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, and mobility. 

Your professional might choose to observe you performing these tasks as you usually would, or they can use standardised methods to gather data. 

3.     Assessment of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) 

IADLs are the more complex activities that are necessary for independent living. This area looks at how you are able to perform activities like making meals, housekeeping, medication management, shopping, and managing your finances. 

4.     Functional mobility assessment 

This looks specifically at your mobility, and your ability to move safely and independently in various environments – such as at home, at work, or in the community. It typically includes practical tasks like walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of bed or chairs. 

5.     Cognitive and communication assessment 

Depending on your needs and circumstances, your therapist may also evaluate specific cognitive abilities like problem-solving, memory, and communication skills – things you use to carry out work tasks, social activities, and more complex tasks in your daily life. 

6.     Environmental assessment 

This is where your home environment and other relevant places (like your work, your school, or other areas where you regularly spend time in your everyday life) are assessed to identify any barriers, and potential modifications to support your independence and safety. 

7.     Documentation and recommendations 

The OT or other qualified healthcare professional will document their assessment findings and provide recommendations, which will be unique to each person’s functional abilities.  

These can include:  

• Strategies for improving your functional abilities 
• Modifications to your environment 
• Referrals to other professionals or community resources 
• Training on assistive technology devices 
• Ongoing support or follow-ups 

All of this will be covered in the Functional Capacity Assessment report, which you will receive a copy of from your therapist. 

How long does a Functional Capacity Assessment take? 

The actual evaluation will often take between 2-4 hours, while the report preparation will take another 5-8+ hours depending on complexity. 

In terms of turnaround, you can expect the end-to-end process to take between 2-6 weeks. Your provider (your Occupational Therapist or other appropriate specialist) will likely be able to advise you of a more specific timeframe. 

How are Functional Capacity Assessments funded? 

Assessments like Functional Capacity Assessments, Assistive Technology Assessments and Occupational Therapy Assessments would sit under Improved Daily Living (Capacity Building).  

If you need FCA early in your plan cycle, you will need to request having this Improved Daily Living support frontloaded into your current plan. Similarly, if you have changing needs or know you may need more support over time, you should ask for therapy supports to be added to your plan for later. 

If you don’t have this type of funding in your plan, you can request a review at any time from the NDIS. Your Local Area Coordinator can help you organise this, or you can contact your NDIS Planner. If funding for an assessment is deemed reasonable and necessary by the NDIS, it can be added to your plan. 

Functional Capacity vs Occupational Therapy vs Assistive Technology: Which assessment do you need? 

Here’s a comparison of the different assessments and the outcomes they support in your NDIS journey: 

Assessment	What it’s for	Who usually does it	Main outcome
Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)	A comprehensive assessment that looks at your overall ability to do daily tasks and participate in life.	Occupational Therapist (sometimes physio, psychologist, or other allied health).	Report for NDIS funding decisions and recommendations for supports.
Occupational Therapy Assessment	Focuses on a specific goal or task (e.g. home modifications, building daily living skills).	Occupational Therapist	Recommendations for therapy or supports linked to that goal.
Assistive Technology Assessment	Decides what equipment or technology you need to live more independently.	Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, or Speech Pathologist	Report to justify funding for equipment (e.g. wheelchair, communication device).

  

What can NDIS participants do to prepare for FCAs? 

Similarly to planning meetings with the NDIS, it’s a good idea to be prepared for your FCA ahead of time: 

1. Bring past reports, medical documents, and information about any assistive technology you may be using (or that you think would help you). 
2. List out your daily tasks, challenges and goals.
3. Consider whose input would strengthen the report (such as friends, family, allied health professionals) 

Be honest about the challenges you face. If you’re worried about being assessed on a ‘good day’ and missing out on an accurate evaluation, your support network’s input can be helpful to reinforce the impact of disability on your daily life. 

Using your Functional Capacity Report for NDIS Funding 

Your FCA report provides evidence to the NDIA about what you need in your plan. It links strategies and recommendations to your goals, and your therapist will explain how each recommended support aligns with NDIS criteria. After the report is completed, you can take it to your next planning meeting or review as evidence. The NDIA will ultimately decide if each recommended support is ‘reasonable and necessary’. 

This evidence also helps to shape your NDIS funding periods. For example, if you need intensive therapy or equipment trials, these will often need a higher allocation of therapy hours earlier in the plan year (new and renewed plans will be on 12-month cycles). The evidence from your FCA report can justify this frontloading, where it may have otherwise been spread out over your funding periods. 

Do I need an FCA to be eligible for the NDIS? 

It’s not a requirement to have an FCA in order to apply for NDIS support, but it can help to supply evidence of ‘substantially reduced functional capacity’ in one of your life areas. 

Related: NDIS Eligibility: A Complete Guide on How to Apply for Funding 

How partnering with NDSP can help you 

When it comes to the financial management of your NDIS plan, working with plan management specialists can help free up your time and energy for more important things – like using your supports to live your best life. 

NDSP Plan Managers are dedicated to empowering NDIS participants by providing comprehensive, accessible plan management services. From our easy-use online Nappa portal to our responsive, friendly team, we make it easy for you to stay across your budgets and ensure your providers are paid on time. To learn more about NDIS and plan management, try our free online participant toolbox – or call our team on 1800 63 63 77 for a chat. 

If plan management sounds right for you, or you’re looking for a new plan management provider, why not contact NDSP today for more information – we’d love to help!