Why Care Services Are Becoming One of the Most Profitable Businesses for Aussies

In Australia, care providers deliver essential, life-changing services to people with disabilities and the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) pays for this work. Providers do good for the community, participants receive vital support, and compassionate, loving people who may not enjoy corporate settings gain meaningful income doing what they love, sustained by a government-backed funding model.

The NDIS represents one of Australia’s most significant economic and social ecosystems. This dual outcome, social impact paired with financial viability has made the NDIS increasingly attractive to people seeking a new business venture. Demand continues to grow, funding is ongoing, and the work is deeply valued by the community. As more care providers start businesses, not all of these businesses are surviving. Analysts estimate that around 34% of NDIS care providers are making a loss in a recent financial year and 75% are considering closure. On the other hand, it’s a problem with the industry. There’s no shortage of opportunity. The total market value of the NDIS provider ecosystem in Australia is estimated at around A$44.7 billion, representing about 1.7 % of Australia’s GDP. Opportunities are abundant. So, why is there such a drop off in business who could be making it big?

For one, the NDIS is not a simple marketplace. It is a highly regulated system with defined pricing limits, compliance obligations, workforce requirements, and participant-led service expectations. The scheme rewards providers who understand these mechanics and penalises those who do not.

Vanessa Norman, a recognised authority in NDIS business strategy and operations, says this distinction determines whether a provider thrives or fails.

“The NDIS works extremely well as a business model when it’s approached with the right knowledge and structure,” Norman says. “Where people struggle is assuming it functions like a standard service business. It doesn’t.”

Providers are not selling a discretionary product. They are operating within a national framework designed to balance care quality, ethical delivery, and financial accountability. That framework creates opportunity, but only for those who understand how to work within it.

According to Vanessa, the most common mistake new entrants make is focusing solely on demand.

“Demand alone doesn’t make an NDIS business viable,” she explains. “You need to understand which services are commercially sustainable, how pricing actually works, and what compliance looks like in practice, not in theory.”

When those elements are aligned, the model is unusually strong, revenue is predictable, services are essential rather than optional and growth can occur through scale, service expansion, or geographic reach. Staff retention improves when systems are stable. Participants receive better outcomes when providers are not financially strained.

Vanessa has seen the difference firsthand. “I’ve worked with providers who were exhausted and underpaid despite being fully booked,” she says. “Once their structure, pricing, and systems were corrected, the same work became profitable, scalable, and far less stressful.”

This is where expertise becomes critical. The NDIS does not reward guesswork. It rewards precision.

Vanessa explains: “Successful providers understand the difference between registration categories, they need to know how to build a compliant workforce model, how to invoice correctly, and how to deliver services that meet both participant goals and scheme requirements. They balance treating the business as a business, without losing sight of the human responsibility involved.”

“Doing good and doing well are not opposing outcomes,” Vanessa says. “The providers who create the biggest impact are often the ones who run the strongest businesses. Financial stability allows you to serve people better.”

Positioned correctly, an NDIS business can generate significant wealth while delivering long-term value to the community. It is not dependent on trends, consumer cycles, or advertising budgets. It is built on systems, governance, and service quality.

For entrepreneurs looking for work that matters, and a business model that can genuinely reward effort, the NDIS offers a powerful opportunity. But it is not an open invitation to experiment.

“If you respect the scheme, understand its intricacies, and build the right foundations, the NDIS can be one of the most rewarding businesses you’ll ever run, financially and personally.”

The opportunity is real. The margin for error is not.