National Assistance Card | Personalised Disability Card Australia

About the National Assistance Card

The National Assistance Card is available to all people in Australia living with brain injury.

In Tasmania the Card is available to the autistic community, and people with other disabilities and health conditions.

The National Assistance Card Service hope that, in the future, the Card will be available to all people in Australia with disability and health conditions.

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Background of the Card

The National Assistance Card Service is owned by the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania.

The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) has provided an acquired brain injury (ABI) Identification (ID) Card Program for Tasmanians living with brain injury for over 20 years.

The Australian Government Department of Social Services has provided funding to the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania for a Project to expand its ABI ID Card Program nationally. The Project is the National Assistance Card Service.

About the Card →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Assistance Card?

The National Assistance Card is a personalised card to assist people with disability and health conditions in the community.

The Card can be used in everyday or emergency situations where a cardholder needs assistance or support.

The National Assistance Card can:

help cardholders communicate their unique areas of difficulty and the assistance they may need
give cardholders greater independence
assist cardholders to feel more confident in everyday social situations
provide peace of mind for families and carers
enhance community understanding of disability and health conditions
support positive community interaction with cardholders.

Who can apply for the National Assistance Card?

Disability

The National Assistance Card is available to all people in Australia living with brain injury.

In Tasmania the Card is available to the autistic community. We’re excited to announce that the National Assistance Card will be launched nationwide for the autistic community in early 2025. We’re currently welcoming expressions of interest (EOI) from autistic applicants who live outside Tasmania. You can click here to fill out the EOI form.

The National Assistance Card Service hope that, in the future, the National Assistance Card will be available to all people in Australia with disability and health conditions.

Please note: As part of your application, you must provide a supporting document from a medical or allied health professional that verifies any disability or health condition you choose to list on your Card.

Age

There are no age restrictions for applying for the National Assistance Card.

The Card is available to children and adults.

You can read more about who is eligible to apply for a Card here.

How do I apply for the National Assistance Card?

You need to complete the National Assistance Card online application using a computer, smartphone or tablet.

You can access the online application and How to Apply Guides here.

To help you with your application we recommend you:

read the 'How to' guides – you can download them here
watch the 'How to' videos included in the application
ask a family member, friend or support worker to help you with the application.

I have started an application - how do I log back in to my application?

If you have already started an application but not submitted it yet, please log in to your application to complete it.

How to log in to your application

Visit the application portal here
Click ‘Start’
Click ‘Existing’
Enter your details (make sure you enter the same information you used to start your application)
First Name
Surname
Phone number (no spaces)
Email address
Tick ‘I am not a robot’
Click ‘Next’
Complete the verification code screen
A 6 digit code will be sent to your email or phone (you can choose which)
Enter the code and click verify

This opens your application.

Please complete and submit your application.

If you cannot log in to your application, please contact us.

If you have submitted your application, your application is under review and you cannot log back in.

Please contact us if you would like to make any changes to your submitted application or have any questions.

How much does the National Assistance Card cost?

A new National Assistance Card costs $44 (including GST).

If you need a replacement Card, it will cost $22 (including GST) – a replacement is only required if the Card is lost or an update of the information printed on the Card is required.

Why is there a cost for the National Assistance Card?

The cost contributes to the Card production and helps to pay for information and education resources about the Card.

Can NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and other third party organisations pay for the Card?

Applicants have been successful in claiming the cost of the Card from their NDIS plan and third party organisations such as compensation insurers.

People whose NDIS Plan is self-managed or plan-managed may be able to claim the cost of their National Assistance Card under the line item:- ‘Low cost AT for personal care and safety 03_090000911_0103_1_1’ from their Consumables budget. 

You can forward your National Assistance Card invoice or receipt to the relevant organisation to request payment or reimbursement.

What if I cannot pay for my Card?

If you are unable to pay for your Card due to social or financial hardship you can select the 'Other' or 'Unable to pay' options on the payment screen of the application. A National Assistance Card Service team member will contact you to discuss your options.

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A personalised card to assist people with disability and health conditions in the community.

Information for Autistic People

Information for People with Brain Injury

Information for Cardholders

Information for Families and Carers

Information for Service Providers

Information for Businesses, Organisations and Government Services

About the National Assistance Card

Background of the Card

Features of the National Assistance Card

The National Assistance Card can help cardholders communicate their unique areas of difficulty and the assistance they may need.

Every National Assistance Card is personalised

The Card is easy to access and use

The Card contains helpful information

Additional information can be included

Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating the Holiday Season with Sensory Sensitivities

Celebrating Three Incredible Years of the National Assistance Card

Spotlight on the National Assistance Card stall at Adelaide’s Brain Injury Conference

"The National Assistance Card Service is a fantastic initiative to help our staff provide genuine and authentic support to our passengers."

Apply for the National Assistance Card