SWEP: State-wide Equipment Program
Victoria's subsidised assistive technology pathway, separate from the NDIS.
SWEP funding subsidises the cost of assistive technology and related products for eligible Victorians. The program is a business unit of Grampians Health Ballarat, funded by the Victorian Department of Health, and it serves the whole state. SWEP is a separate program with its own rules and its own application process - NDIS rules do not apply to it.
Who it serves
Eligibility asks for two things: Victorian permanent residency (or an eligible visa, including asylum seekers and temporary protection visa holders), and a disability of a permanent nature or frail age, living at home. In practice the program picks up Victorians the NDIS does not, including people who miss NDIS access because of age or residency. There are exclusions worth knowing: recent hospital discharge involves a waiting period, DVA Gold Card holders can apply for a powered wheelchair or scooter only, and anyone pursuing workers' compensation, TAC, or a legal claim over their disability is directed to those avenues instead.
What it covers
SWEP runs a family of programs rather than one list: the Aids and Equipment Program for general assistive technology, the Continence Aids Program, the Domiciliary Oxygen Program, the Laryngectomy Consumables and Voice Aids Program, the Lymphoedema Compression Garment Program, the Supported Accommodation Equipment Assistance Scheme, and the Vehicle Modifications Subsidy Scheme. Home and vehicle modifications sit alongside the equipment programs.
How it works with the NDIS
SWEP does not publish a fixed rule list for NDIS participants. Its eligibility screen instead asks participants to contact the program's Safety Link Assist team to talk through what support is possible. Eligibility for SWEP is decided by the program itself. The official program pages have the current criteria and application forms.
Applying
You do not apply directly. Referral comes through a registered assistive technology practitioner - an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, pedorthist, respiratory physician, continence nurse, lymphoedema practitioner, or speech pathologist - who assesses your equipment needs and applies for funding on your behalf. The starting point is a conversation with your treating clinician about whether they prescribe to SWEP.
Official sources
- SWEP - State-wide Equipment Program
- SWEP eligibility checker
- Victorian Aids and Equipment Program - health.vic.gov.au
Program details verified against the official SWEP pages in . Rules change; the official site is always current.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs SWEP?
SWEP is a business unit of Grampians Health Ballarat, funded by the Victorian Department of Health. It administers subsidised assistive technology programs for the whole state, from aids and equipment through to vehicle modifications, domiciliary oxygen, laryngectomy consumables, and lymphoedema compression garments. Applications come through registered AT practitioners.
Can NDIS participants use SWEP?
SWEP's eligibility page asks NDIS participants to contact its Safety Link Assist team to discuss what support is possible, rather than listing set rules. The programs mainly serve Victorians outside the NDIS, including people who miss NDIS eligibility because of age or residency. Confirm your situation with SWEP directly.
Who can apply for SWEP funding?
Applicants need to be permanent Victorian residents, or hold an eligible visa, with a permanent disability or frail-aged need and living at home. A registered assistive technology practitioner, such as an occupational therapist or physiotherapist, assesses your needs and lodges the application on your behalf.
Does SWEP work alongside aged care packages?
It can. SWEP's eligibility screen sets out different rules by package: people on lower-level home care packages can apply broadly, while higher-level package holders and Support at Home participants at upper classifications can apply for a narrower set of items, such as home modifications or a powered wheelchair or scooter.
Related: EnableNSW, MASS in Queensland, and the Other Schemes & Aged Care guide. For the aged-care equipment pathway, see Support at Home & AT-HM and the AT-HM tier checker.