Government funding may help cover the cost of a washlet where an assessment finds it meets your individual needs. Two programs are relevant in Australia: the NDIS, for people under 65 with a permanent and significant disability, and the Support at Home program, for older Australians receiving in-home aged care. Neither program approves products in advance. Funding is decided individually, based on a formal assessment of what you need to live safely and independently at home. This guide explains how each pathway works, what a complete quote should include, and how to get started.
Why a Washlet Helps with Toileting Difficulty
Difficulty reaching, twisting or gripping can make toileting painful, unsafe or impossible without help. For many people, this means relying on a carer for one of the most personal tasks of daily life.
A washlet is a practical solution. It washes and dries at the press of a button, which reduces physical strain, supports personal hygiene, and restores independence in a part of the day most of us take for granted. For carers, it reduces the need for hands-on assistance. For the person using it, it restores privacy and dignity.
Features vary by model, but many washlets include self-cleaning nozzles, heated seats, warm-air dryers, automatic lids and flushing, and remote or side-panel controls. Remote and automatic functions are useful where reaching, gripping or shoulder movement is limited.
Funding Through the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia's primary government-funded program for people under 65 living with permanent and significant disability. It funds "reasonable and necessary" supports connected to a participant's disability and goals, including assistive technology and home modifications. The NDIS is being reformed under 2026 legislation, with changes rolling out through 2027. Check ndis.gov.au for the latest rules.
Who the NDIS Is For
The NDIS is available to Australian residents who:
- Are aged under 65 at the time of application
- Have a permanent disability that significantly affects their ability to take part in everyday activities
- Require support to live more independently
To join, you register with the NDIS and complete a formal assessment that determines the support you need. You can check your eligibility at ndis.gov.au or by calling 1800 800 110.
How a Washlet May Be Funded
A washlet may be funded as assistive technology where an assessment establishes it as a reasonable and necessary support for that individual. The NDIS Assistive Technology, Home Modifications and Consumables Code Guide lists a support item called Toilet Attachments and Accessories, covering raised or special seats, bidets and other toilet attachments used to address functional limitations in toileting. Your occupational therapist will confirm what applies to your plan.
An occupational therapist (OT) must assess your needs and provide a clinical justification report. The report outlines the functional difficulties you experience and how a washlet addresses them. Without this report, funding is unlikely to be approved.
Ordering Through Your NDIS Plan
Austpek Bathrooms supplies self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants and Support at Home participants. We are not a registered NDIS provider. We provide itemised quotes with the specifications your occupational therapist or plan manager needs.
Self-managed and plan-managed participants can purchase from unregistered providers. If your plan is agency-managed (NDIA-managed), you will need to purchase from a registered NDIS provider, as the NDIA only pays registered providers directly.
Our pricing is the same regardless of how a purchase is funded.
Funding Through Support at Home
Support at Home is the Australian Government's in-home aged care program. It commenced on 1 November 2025, replacing the Home Care Packages Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. It helps older Australians remain living safely and independently at home.
Who Support at Home Is For
Support at Home is for:
- Australians aged 65 and over, or
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, who
- Need assistance with daily living tasks to remain at home
Eligibility is determined through an aged care assessment, arranged through My Aged Care. You can register at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422.
The AT-HM Scheme
Within Support at Home, funding for equipment and home changes comes through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme. This funding is upfront and separate from your ongoing Support at Home services budget, so you do not need to save up from your regular care funding.
Bidets, along with douches and air dryers for attachment to a toilet, appear on the Government's published AT-HM List under home modifications. All home modifications on the list require a prescription from a suitably qualified health professional.
Funding is allocated in tiers, set by your aged care assessment. The amounts below apply from 1 July 2026:
|
Funding tier |
Funding amount |
Access period |
|
Low |
Up to $513 |
12 months |
|
Medium |
Up to $2,052 |
12 months |
|
High |
Up to $15,390* |
12 months |
*Higher amounts for assistive technology can be approved with evidence. High-tier home modification funding is capped at $15,390 per lifetime, not per year. The 12-month period is the window in which to spend an allocation.
Your tier is determined by assessment, not by the item you want. Complex home modifications can have the funding period extended to 24 months in total where you and your provider can show the process has started.
How the Pathway Works
Under Support at Home, your registered provider manages the process. Your aged care assessment approves you for the AT-HM scheme and records a funding tier in your Notice of Decision and support plan. Your provider then discusses your needs with you and organises an assessment with a health professional, who can prescribe home modifications such as a washlet installation. This differs from the NDIS, where you can approach an occupational therapist directly.
The Commonwealth Home Support Program
The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provides lower levels of support to older people at home. In August 2026, the Australian Government extended CHSP funding to 30 June 2029, with the program continuing separately from Support at Home while the Government consults on its long-term design. If you receive CHSP services and have toileting difficulties, raise them with your provider or through My Aged Care, who can advise on assessment options.
What a Complete Quote Covers
A washlet quote that covers only the unit is usually incomplete, and incomplete quotes are harder to approve. A complete quote accounts for four things.
The unit itself. Model, specifications and warranty terms, itemised so your occupational therapist or plan manager can match them to the assessment.
A power point beside the toilet. Electric washlets need a power point within reach of the toilet, on a safety-switch (RCD) protected circuit. Many Australian bathrooms, particularly older ones, do not have one. Installation must be done by a licensed electrician, and wiring rules restrict where outlets can be placed in bathrooms, so this cost belongs in the quote from the start.
Plumbing connection and backflow prevention. Connecting a washlet to the water supply is regulated plumbing work in every Australian state and territory. A licensed plumber must carry out the connection, fit any required backflow prevention, and issue a compliance certificate. Whether a separate backflow device is needed depends on the product and its installed position, which is one more reason to confirm the model before the quote is finalised.
Pan compatibility. Not every washlet fits every toilet pan. Pan shape, seat fixing positions and cistern clearance all affect fit.
Our guide to finding the right washlet for your toilet walks through how to measure your toilet and identify your pan shape. Send us those measurements along with a photo of your toilet and the location of the nearest power point, and we'll confirm which models fit before quoting.
Browse our TOTO Washlet range.
How to Get Started
The steps differ depending on which program applies to you.
If You Are Applying Through the NDIS
- Step 1: Check your eligibility or speak with your team. If you are already a participant, speak with your Support Coordinator or plan manager. If not, visit ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110 to start an access request.
- Step 2: Discuss your toileting difficulties with an occupational therapist. The OT will assess your functional needs, such as difficulty reaching, gripping or maintaining hygiene, and determine what supports address them. If a washlet is appropriate, the OT prepares a clinical justification report as part of an assistive technology request.
- Step 3: Get an itemised quote. Once a washlet is recommended, request a quote covering the unit, electrical work, plumbing and installation. We can prepare this with the specifications your OT needs.
- Step 4: Submit the report and quote. Your OT's report and the quote go to your plan manager or Support Coordinator. If approved, funding may be released to cover all or part of the purchase and installation. Confirm whether the program covers full or partial costs, and whether any co-contribution applies.
If You Are Applying Through Support at Home
- Step 1: Register with My Aged Care. Call 1800 200 422 or apply at myagedcare.gov.au. An assessor will visit you at home. Raise any toileting difficulties during this assessment, as it determines whether you are approved for the AT-HM scheme and at which funding tier.
- Step 2: Work with your provider. Once you have a Support at Home provider, discuss your toileting needs with them. They will organise the health professional assessment required to prescribe a home modification.
- Step 3: Prescription and quote. If a washlet is prescribed, your provider arranges the purchase and installation. We can supply an itemised quote covering the unit, electrical work, plumbing and compatibility confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a washlet covered by the NDIS?
- A washlet may be funded as assistive technology where an assessment establishes it as a reasonable and necessary support for that individual. There is no automatic approval for any product. An occupational therapist's report is required.
Does Support at Home fund bidets or washlets?
- Bidets and toilet-attachment douches with air dryers appear on the Government's AT-HM List under home modifications. Funding depends on your assessed tier and a prescription from a suitably qualified health professional.
Do I need an occupational therapist's report?
- For the NDIS, yes: an OT report providing clinical justification is required for an assistive technology request. For Support at Home, all home modifications require a prescription from a suitably qualified health professional, arranged through your provider.
Does a washlet need a power point?
- Yes. Electric washlets need a power point within reach of the toilet on an RCD-protected circuit, installed by a licensed electrician. Many bathrooms do not have one, so include this in your quote.
Will a washlet fit my existing toilet?
- Not every washlet fits every pan. Fit depends on pan shape, seat fixing positions and cistern clearance. Send us a photo and your measurements and we'll confirm which models fit. We'll come back to you within two business days.
Can Austpek accept NDIS funding?
- We supply self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants and Support at Home participants. We are not a registered NDIS provider, so agency-managed participants will need a registered supplier. Our pricing is the same regardless of how a purchase is funded.
Explore Your Options
Maintaining independence, dignity and comfort in personal care matters, and the right washlet can make a measurable difference to daily life. If you are starting the funding process, the best first steps are an aged care assessment or NDIS access request, and a conversation with a health professional about your toileting difficulties.
When you are ready to look at models, browse our TOTO Washlet collection online. If you need an itemised quote for a funding application, or want to confirm a model fits your toilet, send us a photo and your measurements and we'll confirm which models fit.
Austpek Bathrooms is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the NDIA or the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Funding eligibility is determined by your individual assessment and plan.
Information current as of 23 October 2026. Government funding programs change. Please confirm current details with the relevant agency before making decisions.
