Funding for ADHD Workplace Support
The Australian Government reimburses many of the workplace supports that help ADHD brains work well, including structured ADHD coaching. Most people have never heard of it. This page explains the Employment Assistance Fund in plain English. And because government paperwork is exactly the kind of thing ADHD brains bounce off, the free EAF Application Assistant below cuts through the overwhelm: it helps you work out whether you are likely to be eligible, shows you which areas of support you could benefit from, and builds a sample of the two hardest application fields so you can make the wording your own.
General information only. This page explains the EAF in plain language. It is not a formal eligibility assessment or government advice. Always confirm your eligibility with JobAccess on 1800 464 800 before applying. Lighthouse ADHD Coaching does not lodge, manage, or guarantee outcomes of EAF applications.
What is it?
The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) reimburses the cost of workplace changes, equipment and specialist support for people with disability, and ADHD counts. It is run by JobAccess for the Australian Government.
One rule shapes everything else: the EAF is a reimbursement, not an advance. You apply, you get written approval, and only then do you buy the item or book the support. Buy anything early and it cannot be funded. No exceptions.
Could this be for me?
You need all four. If one does not fit yet, the tool below will point you at your next step.
Australian Resident
Citizen, permanent resident, or TPV/SHEV visa holder.
Formal Diagnosis
A current ADHD diagnosis from a GP, psychiatrist or registered psychologist.
Working 8+ Hours
8+ hours a week, for 13 weeks or more. Employees, new starters with an offer and self-employed all count.
Essential for the Job
The support must be necessary for your work, not something every employee gets anyway.
What it can pay for
Specialist Support & Coaching
Structured ADHD coaching that targets specific work barriers such as task initiation, time management and deadlines can be funded up to $1,770.44 per employee per 12 months. A matching amount exists for ADHD awareness training for your team.
The wording matters. The application must describe structured, goal-directed workplace support, not general wellness or life coaching. The tool below shows you a sample of exactly that wording.
Equipment & Technology
Physical and digital supports are funded under a separate cap of $70,847.47, indexed annually. The five most commonly funded categories for ADHD are below. Each needs to be tied to a documented barrier in your application.
Noise-cancelling headphones
For open-plan focus and auditory distraction.
Speech-to-text
When ADHD affects written output speed.
Reading support
Text-to-speech for reading fatigue.
Standing desk
Where restlessness is a documented barrier.
Timers & recorders
For time blindness and working memory.
What it will not pay for
Anything bought before written approval. This is the one that catches people out.
Standard equipment every employee gets: desk, phone, computer
Medical and therapy items: medication, therapy sessions, glasses, hearing aids
Anything your NDIS plan already funds
General life coaching, counselling or wellness services
How to apply
Six steps. Click or swipe through them at your own pace.
1
Check your eligibility
Use the tool below, then confirm directly with JobAccess on 1800 464 800.
2
Gather your evidence
A current letter from your GP or specialist confirming your ADHD and how it affects your work.
3
Get a written quote
From your chosen support provider, for the item or service you are applying for.
4
Apply online
At jobaccess.gov.au. Give yourself unhurried time and work through the five steps with your sample beside you.
5
Talk to the assessor
A Workplace Modification Assessor may call to discuss your needs before approval.
6
Wait for written approval
Then, AND ONLY THEN, purchase or book.
Tips for a stronger application
Name ADHD specifically and describe its impact on your actual job tasks. Vague applications stall
Connect every item to a specific barrier: not just headphones, but headphones because open-plan noise cuts your sustained focus
Describe ADHD coaching as structured, goal-directed workplace support, never as therapy or life coaching
Have your employer’s ABN and your start date ready before you begin
If you have not disclosed your ADHD to your employer yet, consider that first. JobAccess will contact them during the assessment
Keep copies of everything
The EAF Application Assistant
Answer seventeen quick questions about how ADHD shows up in your work, and this tool builds a sample draft of the two hardest application fields, in wording you can shape into your own.
No catch: your full sample appears right here in this browser window without giving us any details. If you would like a copy for later, you can choose to email it to yourself at the end.
EAF questions, answered
Yes. The EAF funds specialist support and training for people with mental health conditions and specific learning disorders, which is where ADHD sits. You need a current, formal diagnosis from a GP, psychiatrist or registered psychologist, and the condition must have lasted (or be expected to last) at least two years and substantially affect your work. If you are still wondering whether ADHD is the right explanation at all, start with the free ADHD self-assessment.
Yes. Self-employed people, sole traders and contractors qualify if they have worked at least 8 hours a week for the past 13 weeks and earn at or above the National Minimum Wage. You will need records that show it: appointment diaries, ATO records, or a note from your accountant.
Yes, under the specialist support and training category, up to $1,770.44 per employee per 12-month period. The application must describe the coaching as structured, goal-directed support for specific work barriers, not general wellness or life coaching. That wording matters, and the tool on this page shows you a sample of it.
A current letter from your GP, psychiatrist or psychologist confirming your ADHD diagnosis and how it affects your work, your employer’s ABN and your employment details, and a written quote from your chosen support provider for the item or service you are applying for. It also helps to arrive with your own structured record of the impact: the free ADHD impact assessment scores functional impairment area by area, including work, and produces a summary you can hand over.
It varies with the complexity of the request and whether a workplace assessment is needed. Simple applications can move quickly; allow a few weeks and apply before you need the support, not after. JobAccess can give you a current estimate on 1800 464 800.
No. This is the strictest rule in the whole program. The EAF only reimburses items and services purchased after written approval. Anything bought earlier, even one day earlier, cannot be funded.
The EAF cannot fund anything your NDIS plan already covers. If your plan includes workplace supports, talk to your NDIS planner before applying so the two do not overlap.
The tool on this page is a free, self-serve sample generator. Use it as much as you like. Hands-on help with the application itself, or working out which supports fit your situation, is structured work and is available as a paid consult. The free discovery call is for one thing only: finding out whether we would work well together as coach and client.
Curious whether coaching would fit?
The free discovery call is a short compatibility check: how you work, how I work, whether we would fit. It is not an application workshop. If you want hands-on help with the EAF form or choosing supports, that is available as a paid consult, so just say so when you book.
Full disclaimer
General information only - not government or professional advice. The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, professional, or government advice. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, program rules, eligibility criteria, and funding caps are set by the Australian Government and are subject to change without notice.
Lighthouse ADHD Coaching is not a government agency, is not affiliated with JobAccess or the Department of Social Services, and is not a registered employment service provider. We do not assess eligibility, lodge applications, or act as your agent or representative in any government funding process.
Before acting on any information on this page, you should confirm current details directly with JobAccess (1800 464 800) or at jobaccess.gov.au and read the full EAF Guidelines.
Nothing on this website creates a client relationship or professional obligation in relation to government funding applications. Application outcomes are determined solely by JobAccess and the Department of Social Services. Lighthouse ADHD Coaching makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the likelihood of any application being approved.
Privacy: Answers you give in the tool on this page stay in your browser and are not transmitted to us. If you choose to email yourself a copy, your name, email address and sample are used solely to send that email. We never share this information with anyone. Ever. View our Privacy Policy.
To the maximum extent permitted by the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2, Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)), Lighthouse ADHD Coaching excludes all liability for loss or damage arising from reliance on information contained on this page.