Key numbers on participants, providers and scheme spending, compiled from NDIA quarterly reports and public data. Updated quarterly; figures below as at the December 2025 quarterly report unless noted.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Active participants | 761,442 | NDIA Quarterly Report, Dec 2025 |
| Scheme payments, FY2024-25 (accrual) | $46.3 billion | NDIA Quarterly Report |
| Registered and active providers | ~269,000 | NDIA provider datasets |
| Largest single provider’s market share | ~1.3% | Sector analysis of NDIA data, 2026 |
| Share of payments to the 25 largest providers | ~10% | Sector analysis of NDIA data, 2026 |
| Largest state market | NSW | NDIA Quarterly Report |
Divide the participants by the providers and the scheme averages fewer than three participants per provider. That single figure explains the sector’s economics better than anything else: this is one of the most fragmented markets in Australia, nobody has meaningful market share, and the contest is local rather than national. The provider who owns three suburbs beats the provider who is vaguely present in thirty.
Fragmentation also means churn. Thousands of providers register every year and thousands quietly exit, with sector analyses showing financial strain even at the top: nine of the ten largest providers by revenue reported negative adjusted operating results in recent assessments. Scale does not protect margins; consistently filled capacity does, and that is a visibility and referral problem before it is anything else.
Three trends run through the recent quarterly data. Participant growth continues each quarter, concentrated in the outer-metropolitan growth corridors of the major capitals, the same corridors where new housing estates rise. The participant demographic is shifting toward autism and early childhood supports, changing which services see the strongest demand growth. And providers are specialising: the era of the everything-provider is ending as organisations exit financially unviable service lines.
Figures are drawn from the NDIA’s published quarterly reports and provider datasets, with derived figures (such as participants per provider) calculated from those sources. We refresh this page after each quarterly report; the date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Anything we cannot source publicly stays off the page.
This page is free to cite with a link: NDIS Growth, “NDIS Statistics (2026)”. Journalists and researchers who need the underlying references can contact us; we reply within four business hours.
There are 761,442 active NDIS participants as at the December 2025 NDIA quarterly report. The number grows each quarter, concentrated in the outer-metropolitan growth corridors of the major capitals.
Around 269,000 registered and active providers, based on NDIA provider datasets. Divided across 761,442 participants, that averages fewer than three participants per provider, which is why the market is so fragmented and so local.
The scheme paid about $46.3 billion in the 2024-25 financial year (accrual basis), making it one of the largest social programs in Australia. NSW is the largest single state market.
Dividing total scheme payments by active participants gives roughly $60,000 per participant per year on average. Individual plans vary enormously: supports like SIL can exceed $100,000 a year, while many plans are far smaller.
New South Wales is the largest state market by participant numbers, according to NDIA quarterly reporting, followed by Victoria and Queensland.
Yes. Participant numbers have risen every quarter, with growth weighted toward autism and early childhood supports. Demand is strongest in new-housing growth corridors, which is where provider competition is increasing fastest.
We map participant demand and provider competition for your specific regions as part of every free growth plan.
A specialist reviews your visibility against the providers competing in your catchment, and sends a written growth plan within two business days. You keep it either way.