NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment: What It Measures and What to Expect

An NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment, usually shortened to FCA, is an assessment of how you manage everyday activities at home, at work and in the community. It looks beyond your diagnosis to understand what you can do independently, where you need assistance and how your disability affects day-to-day life.

Under current NDIS guidance, a Functional Capacity Assessment is not compulsory simply to be eligible for the NDIS. It can, however, provide useful evidence about how a permanent impairment affects your functional capacity and the supports you may need.

An FCA may be completed by an appropriately qualified Occupational Therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist or medical specialist. Occupational Therapists commonly undertake FCAs because their professional work focuses closely on everyday activities, participation and the relationship between the person, the activity and the environment.

This guide explains what functional capacity means, what happens during an FCA, what an FCA report may contain, when an assessment may be useful and what to consider before choosing a provider.

What does functional capacity mean under the NDIS?

Functional capacity is about what you are able to do in everyday life and how your disability affects those activities.

A diagnosis tells us about a health condition or impairment. Functional capacity describes the practical impact of that impairment.

Two people with the same diagnosis can have very different functional needs. One person may complete most daily activities independently. Another may need physical assistance, prompting, supervision, equipment or environmental changes to complete similar tasks.

This distinction matters because the NDIS considers how a person’s impairment affects their ability to undertake everyday activities rather than looking at diagnosis alone.

The six NDIS functional capacity areas

Current NDIS guidance describes functional capacity across six broad areas.

Communication

This considers how you communicate with other people and understand communication. It may include speaking, writing, understanding information or using other communication methods.

Learning

This considers how you learn new information, develop skills and apply what you have learned in everyday situations.

Mobility

Mobility relates to moving around and accessing the places you need to use. Depending on the person, it may include walking, transfers, moving through the home, accessing the community or using mobility equipment.

Self-care

Self-care includes activities such as showering, dressing, grooming, eating and toileting.

Self-management

Self-management relates to organising and managing everyday life. This can include planning routines, making decisions, managing appointments, organising tasks or managing aspects of your health and daily responsibilities.

Social interaction

This considers how you interact with other people, develop or maintain relationships and participate in social and recreational activities.

An FCA does not necessarily treat these six areas as isolated boxes. Difficulties in one area can affect another. For example, communication difficulties may influence community participation, while difficulties with planning or memory may affect personal care, meal preparation or attending appointments.

What can a Functional Capacity Assessment examine?

The exact assessment depends on the person and the reason the FCA is being completed.

An assessor may explore areas such as:

• showering, dressing and personal care
• meal preparation and cooking
• cleaning and household activities
• mobility and transfers
• getting around the community
• communication
• planning and organising everyday activities
• memory, decision-making or learning new tasks
• social participation
• work or study activities
• fatigue or endurance where relevant
• the assistance, supervision or prompting provided by other people
• assistive technology already being used
• environmental barriers
• safety or functional risks where clinically relevant

The goal is to build an accurate picture of everyday function, including both strengths and areas where support is required.

Who can conduct an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment?

Current NDIA guidance says a Functional Capacity Assessment may be completed by an appropriately qualified:

• Occupational Therapist
• physiotherapist
• psychologist
• medical specialist

It is therefore incorrect to say that only Occupational Therapists can complete an FCA.

The appropriate professional depends on the participant, the purpose of the assessment and the functional issues that need to be understood.

Why do Occupational Therapists commonly conduct FCAs?

Occupational Therapy focuses on participation in everyday activities and how a person’s abilities, the activity itself and the surrounding environment interact.

That makes Occupational Therapists well placed to assess many aspects of daily function, including personal care, domestic activities, community participation, routines and environmental barriers.

However, not every Occupational Therapist provides Functional Capacity Assessments, and some situations may be better assessed by another appropriately qualified professional or through multidisciplinary input.

If you want a broader explanation of Occupational Therapy, read our NDIS Occupational Therapist Melbourne guide.

Do I need a Functional Capacity Assessment for the NDIS?

Not necessarily.

Current NDIS guidance specifically states that you do not need to complete a Functional Capacity Assessment simply to be eligible for the NDIS.

An FCA may be useful where there is a genuine need for clearer evidence about how your impairment affects everyday function or what support you require.

In other situations, existing reports, assessments, information from treating professionals or evidence from you, family members, carers or support workers may already describe your functional impact adequately.

Before organising an FCA, it is worth understanding the question the assessment is meant to answer.

Examples might include:

• there is not enough current evidence describing your functional capacity
• your support needs have changed significantly
• a professional assessment of daily function has been requested
• your treating team needs a clearer picture of your support needs
• functional evidence is required alongside a particular NDIS request

An assessment should solve an evidence or clinical question rather than being arranged simply because FCAs are common within the NDIS.

What happens during a Functional Capacity Assessment?

There is no single FCA appointment format that applies to everyone.

The process may include several different types of information gathering.

Understanding why the assessment is being completed

The assessor should first understand the purpose of the FCA.

This may include discussing your current situation, the reason for referral, your goals and any particular functional questions that need to be addressed.

Talking through a typical day

You may be asked how you manage everyday activities such as getting ready, preparing food, travelling, completing household tasks, participating in the community, working or studying.

Useful assessment is usually specific. Rather than simply asking whether you “can cook”, the assessor may explore what parts you complete yourself, whether you need prompting or physical assistance, how long the activity takes and what happens when support is unavailable.

Functional observation

Where relevant, the assessor may observe how you perform an everyday activity.

This could involve movement around the home, completing part of a domestic activity, using equipment or demonstrating how a routine normally works.

Observation should be relevant to the purpose of the assessment and undertaken respectfully.

Reviewing your environment

The physical environment can affect function.

Where appropriate, an FCA may consider layout, accessibility, equipment or other environmental factors that make an activity easier or harder.

Reviewing existing information

The assessor may review relevant reports, medical information, therapy assessments or other documents you provide.

This can help avoid assessing the same issue repeatedly and provide important context.

Talking with people who support you

With your involvement and consent, the assessor may gather information from family members, carers, support workers or other professionals.

This can be useful where another person regularly sees how a particular activity works in everyday life.

Your own experience and preferences should remain central to the assessment.

Using standardised assessment tools

An assessor may use standardised tools where they are appropriate to the person and the purpose of the FCA.

There is not one single test that represents every Functional Capacity Assessment. The tools selected can vary according to age, disability, presentation, functional questions and the professional undertaking the assessment.

A standardised score should also be interpreted alongside real-world information rather than treated as the complete picture of someone’s daily life.

How long does a Functional Capacity Assessment take?

Current NDIA guidance says the assessment itself may take anywhere from approximately 1 to 10 hours, depending on the person’s disability and the health professional undertaking it.

That range should not be confused with the total time involved in providing the FCA service.

Depending on the assessment, additional professional time may be required for:

• reviewing existing information
• liaising with other people where consent has been provided
• scoring assessment tools
• analysing findings
• developing recommendations
• writing the final report

Before you agree to an FCA, ask the provider what their estimate includes and whether report preparation, liaison, travel or other work is charged separately.

What is included in a Functional Capacity Assessment report?

The exact report structure varies, but an FCA report may include:

• the reason for assessment
• relevant participant background and context
• the participant’s goals and priorities
• assessment methods used
• functional strengths
• areas where assistance is required
• observations from the assessment
• results from standardised tools where these were used
• the effect of disability across relevant functional areas
• current formal and informal supports
• environmental barriers or functional risks where relevant
• recommendations
• the clinical reasoning behind those recommendations

A well-written report should make the relationship between the evidence and the recommendations clear.

It should not simply list support requests without explaining why they are relevant to the participant’s functional needs.

What can an FCA report be used for?

An FCA can provide functional evidence that may help the NDIA understand how disability affects everyday life and the supports a person may require.

Depending on the circumstances, FCA findings may be relevant when considering areas such as:

• therapy supports
• assistive technology
• daily support needs
• environmental barriers
• home or workplace modifications
• a significant change in functional circumstances

The NDIA’s current FCA guidance specifically notes that assessment information may contribute to understanding support needs and may include recommendations relating to assistive technology, therapies or modifications to the home or workplace.

An FCA remains evidence. The assessor does not decide what the NDIA will fund.

Can an FCA help with an NDIS plan reassessment?

It may be relevant where the assessment provides evidence of a significant change in ongoing support needs.

Current NDIS terminology uses plan reassessment for significant plan changes, although many people still informally search for “plan review”.

Current NDIA guidance says that a plan reassessment request needs evidence showing the significant change in support needs. That evidence may include assessments or reports from treating health professionals, therapists or support workers.

The NDIA also states that recent evidence is generally expected when someone requests a reassessment.

An FCA is therefore one possible source of evidence. It is not automatically required for every reassessment and it does not guarantee that the NDIA will change a plan.

If you are unsure what evidence is needed, discuss the situation with your my NDIS contact before paying for an assessment solely for that purpose.

Can an FCA recommend assistive technology?

An FCA may identify that assistive technology could be relevant to a participant’s functional needs.

However, an FCA is not automatically a substitute for a specific assistive technology assessment.

Some assistive technology requires additional assessment, product trials or evidence from a suitably experienced assessor. The exact evidence depends on the type and risk of the item being considered.

That distinction matters because a broad functional recommendation such as “assistive technology may help with mobility” is different from assessing a specific item and demonstrating why it meets the participant’s needs.

Is an FCA the same as a home modification assessment?

No.

An FCA may identify environmental barriers or suggest that home modifications should be explored, but the NDIS has specific evidence requirements for home modification assessments.

Current NDIS guidance states that minor and complex home modification assessments must be completed by a qualified Occupational Therapist acting as a home modification assessor.

A general FCA should therefore not automatically be treated as the specialist home modification assessment required for a particular building modification.

Does an FCA determine SIL or SDA eligibility?

No.

A Functional Capacity Assessment may provide useful evidence about daily support needs, functional limitations, supervision, assistance or environmental barriers that are relevant to broader home and living discussions.

But an FCA does not independently approve Supported Independent Living, Specialist Disability Accommodation or any other NDIS support.

Home and living decisions involve their own requirements, evidence and NDIA decision-making processes.

If you are exploring Supported Independent Living more broadly, see Aligned Assist’s SIL Accommodation Melbourne information.

Functional Capacity Assessment vs other reports

Assessment or report	Primary purpose
Functional Capacity Assessment	Builds a structured picture of how disability affects everyday functioning and support needs.
Diagnostic or medical report	Provides medical or diagnostic information about a condition, impairment or treatment.
Therapy progress report	Describes therapy provided, progress, current goals and relevant recommendations.
Assistive Technology assessment	Assesses whether particular equipment or technology is suitable for the person’s disability support needs.
Home modification assessment	Provides specific evidence and recommendations about modifications to the participant’s home.

These documents can overlap in the information they contain. The important question is what evidence is actually needed and which professional is appropriately qualified to provide it.

How should I prepare for a Functional Capacity Assessment?

You do not need to rehearse or try to present yourself as more disabled than you are.

The aim is to give the assessor an accurate picture of everyday life.

Before the appointment, it can help to:

• think through what a typical day or week looks like
• identify activities you manage independently
• identify where you need physical help, prompting, supervision or another form of assistance
• consider how long activities take compared with what might normally be expected
• note any significant fluctuations in your function
• gather current reports that are relevant to the assessment
• make a list of equipment or home modifications you already use
• think about the goals that matter to you
• write down questions you want to ask
• decide whether you want a family member, carer or another support person involved

Avoid focusing only on an unusually good day or deliberately presenting a “worst day”. If your function varies, explain that pattern and how often different levels of support are needed.

What can families, carers and support workers contribute?

People who know you well may be able to provide useful information about your everyday function.

For example, they may be able to describe:

• what prompting is regularly needed
• what physical assistance they provide
• what happens when support is unavailable
• which routines are difficult
• how function changes across different settings or times

The NDIA recognises that information about functional impact can come from the person themselves, carers, treating professionals and other relevant sources.

The participant should still remain involved in the assessment and decisions about who contributes information.

For Support Coordinators and referrers

A clear FCA enquiry makes it easier for the assessing professional to understand whether the referral fits their scope and what the assessment actually needs to address.

Useful information may include:

• the reason for the FCA referral
• the evidence or decision question the assessment is intended to address
• the participant’s current goals
• current functional concerns
• relevant existing assessments or reports
• the participant’s living situation where it is relevant to function
• current formal and informal supports
• any genuine NDIS reassessment or evidence deadline
• communication or accessibility requirements
• who the participant consents to being contacted or involved

These are useful referral details, not mandatory Aligned Assist intake requirements.

Support Coordinators, Recovery Coaches, allied health professionals and other appropriate referrers can use the Aligned Assist NDIS referral pathway.

How to choose a Functional Capacity Assessment provider

The quality of an FCA depends on more than receiving a long report.

Before engaging a provider, consider the following.

Is the professional appropriately qualified?

Check the professional’s qualifications and registration where applicable.

Occupational Therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists are registered health professions in Australia. The Ahpra public register can be used to verify current practitioner registration.

Do they have relevant assessment experience?

Ask whether the professional regularly conducts FCAs and whether their experience is relevant to the participant’s functional presentation and the purpose of the assessment.

An FCA for predominantly physical mobility needs may raise different assessment questions from one involving complex cognitive, psychosocial or daily living needs.

How will the assessment be conducted?

Ask what the process involves, whether observation is required and whether assessment needs to occur at home, in the community or by another suitable method.

What is included in the quoted time or fee?

Clarify:

• assessment hours
• report preparation
• standardised assessment scoring
• liaison with other professionals
• travel
• follow-up or report clarification

There is no single fixed cost for every FCA. Complexity, professional time and service arrangements vary.

What report timeframe can they commit to?

If the assessment relates to a genuine NDIS deadline, tell the provider before starting.

Ask separately about:

• waiting time for the assessment
• how long the assessment process itself is expected to take
• report turnaround after the required assessment information has been collected

These are different timeframes.

Choosing an FCA provider in Melbourne

Melbourne’s size makes service logistics particularly important.

Before booking, confirm whether the assessor actually services your suburb and whether the assessment needs to occur in your home or another everyday environment.

Also ask about:

• travel arrangements
• appointment availability
• whether Telehealth is clinically suitable for the assessment being considered
• how environmental information will be gathered if the assessment is remote
• report deadlines
• fees and service agreement terms

A provider advertising “Melbourne” does not necessarily provide every assessment modality across every suburb.

Can a Functional Capacity Assessment be completed by Telehealth?

Some functional assessment work may be possible through Telehealth where this is clinically appropriate.

However, Telehealth is not automatically suitable for every participant or every FCA.

The assessor may need to consider whether direct observation of the participant’s home, mobility, equipment or everyday environment is important to the assessment question.

If Telehealth is proposed, ask how the professional will obtain enough reliable information to assess the relevant areas of function.

A note about NDIS functional capacity reforms from 2028

There are future changes planned to how functional capacity will be assessed for NDIS access, but those arrangements should not be confused with the FCA process described in this article.

Current Australian Government information states that there are no changes to how people access the NDIS before 1 January 2028.

From that date, planned access reforms will introduce a standardised, evidence-based functional capacity assessment for determining NDIS access. Existing participants are also expected to transition through reassessment over several years.

Those future government access assessments are a separate reform process. They do not mean the current participant-obtained Functional Capacity Assessment described on this page has already been replaced.

Functional Capacity Assessments through Aligned Assist

Aligned Assist has Occupational Therapy referral capacity and provides Functional Capacity Assessments.

Aligned Assist currently communicates a 24-48 hour FCA report turnaround. This refers specifically to FCA report turnaround and should not be interpreted as a guarantee that an assessment appointment or the complete FCA process will occur within 24-48 hours.

No-waitlist Telehealth Occupational Therapy is also available where clinically appropriate, and Australia-wide Telehealth Occupational Therapy may be available where clinically appropriate. Not every Functional Capacity Assessment or participant will necessarily be suitable for a fully remote assessment.

You can also explore Aligned Assist’s broader Therapeutic Supports in Melbourne.

If you want to discuss whether an FCA may be suitable for you or someone you support:

• Call: 1300 927 248
• Email: info@alignedassist.com.au
• Enquire: Contact Aligned Assist
• Refer a participant: Submit an NDIS referral

If you are not sure whether an FCA is actually the assessment you need, tell the team what functional question or evidence need you are trying to address. That conversation can happen before assuming that a comprehensive FCA is the correct next step.

Frequently asked questions about NDIS Functional Capacity Assessments

What is an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment?

An FCA is an official assessment of how you manage everyday activities at home, at work and in the community. It can provide evidence about the practical impact of disability and the supports you may need.

Is an FCA compulsory for NDIS eligibility?

No. Current NDIA guidance specifically states that you do not have to complete a Functional Capacity Assessment to be eligible for the NDIS. Other evidence may also demonstrate how disability affects everyday life.

Who can conduct a Functional Capacity Assessment?

Current NDIA guidance says appropriately qualified Occupational Therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and medical specialists may conduct FCAs. The appropriate professional depends on the participant and the assessment purpose.

How long does a Functional Capacity Assessment take?

The NDIA says the assessment may take approximately 1 to 10 hours depending on the participant and professional. Report writing, analysis, liaison and other professional work may require additional time.

Can an FCA increase my NDIS funding?

An FCA may provide evidence that the NDIA considers when making decisions about supports, but it does not guarantee a plan increase or any particular funding outcome.

How much does an FCA cost?

There is no single fixed price for every FCA. Cost can depend on the professional’s rate, assessment time, report preparation, liaison, travel and complexity. Ask for an estimate of the total professional hours and what the quote includes before starting.

Can an FCA be completed by Telehealth?

Some FCA work may be suitable for Telehealth where clinically appropriate, but not every participant or assessment can be properly assessed remotely. The assessor should determine whether the proposed method can provide reliable evidence about the relevant areas of function.

What should I bring to an FCA?

Bring relevant current reports, information about equipment or supports you already use, your questions and any other documents the assessor has requested. It can also help to think about a typical day and the activities where you regularly need assistance.

Does an FCA determine whether I qualify for SIL or SDA?

No. An FCA may provide relevant evidence about functional or support needs, but it does not independently determine SIL, SDA or other NDIS funding eligibility.