Equipment and Modification Services
Please note that disability support services are now provided by MSD. We are working on updating these pages.
Disability Support Services' Equipment and Modification Services (EMS) provide free or subsidised equipment and modifications to disabled people.
On 18 March 2024 the purchasing rules governing what disability funding can be used for changed and a new prioritisation process was implemented. For more information:
- Download the EMS prioritisation and portal update - April 2024 (DOCX 95KB)
- View our Prioritisation Guideline, Priority One rating form and Q&As webpage.
- Download the letter to assessors regarding the new prioritisation process (DOCX 391KB).
- View general Questions and Answers related to the 18 March 2024 changes
- Download the EMS letter to the disabled community - 18 March 2024 (DOCX 389KB)
What EMS covers
Equipment and Modification Services (EMS) cover:
- equipment
- housing modifications
- vehicle purchase and modifications.
EMS principles
DSS funds equipment and modifications to support disabled people to live as independently and safely as possible.
It is not always able to provide funding to meet all the needs identified by disabled people.
To ensure that provision of services is affordable within defined budgets, service allocation can be evaluated against the following principles:
- They make an effective contribution towards helping disabled people to live, as far as possible, as others do in their own home and communities.
- They represent value for money both now and in the future.
- They are allocated fairly through a consistent, principled and equitable approach.
- They reflect a lifetime perspective by recognising that the services that are most appropriate for a person may change over time.