Hoarding Clearance: What Funding Is Available in NSW?

Hoarding situations are complex, and so is the path to addressing them. If you're navigating this — whether for yourself or someone you care about — you're likely doing it quietly, carefully, and with a lot of questions. This article focuses on one of the most practical of those questions: whether NDIS funding or other support programs can help cover the cost of a clearance in NSW.

We keep this straightforward. No judgment. Just information.

What hoarding is — and what it isn’t

Hoarding is not the same as being untidy, having a busy home, or struggling to keep on top of housework. It usually means someone finds it very difficult to let go of possessions, even when those items are no longer useful or safe to keep. For the person living with it, those decisions can feel overwhelming — and over time, the belongings can build up until parts of the home become hard to use, clean, or move through safely.

Hoarding disorder is recognised as a mental health condition in its own right. It can also sit alongside other things a person may be dealing with, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, ADHD, OCD, or changes in health and capacity. That’s why it helps to approach hoarding with care, rather than blame. It is not laziness, stubbornness, or a refusal to clean.

In many situations, the best first step is to bring in the right support around the person — a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist, occupational therapist, support coordinator, or trusted family member. A clearance team can help with the practical side of making the home safer and more liveable, but the most lasting progress usually comes when the practical work is handled alongside emotional, clinical, and everyday living support.

Hoarding clearance is different from a standard home clearance

It's worth saying upfront: a hoarding clearance requires a different approach to a standard home clearance. The volume is typically much greater, the emotional stakes are higher, and the work often happens alongside allied health professionals — psychologists, occupational therapists, or support workers — who are helping with the behavioural and emotional aspects of the situation.

The most effective hoarding clearances happen collaboratively (often gradually), with the person living in the home actively involved in decisions about what stays and what goes. It’s important that the support people work with the person, so by the time the clearance team comes in, it’s clear what needs to go.

At Crackers Clearout, we're experienced with hoarding, squalor and extreme clearance situations. We work sensitively, without judgment, and we're comfortable working alongside allied health teams and support people.

What the NDIS can cover

If someone living with a hoarding situation is an NDIS participant, there may be funding available to contribute to the clearance — though it depends on how their plan is structured and what support they’re eligible for.

NDIS funding for hoarding clearance is most commonly accessed through two support categories:

•      Core Support - Assistance with Daily Life: This category can fund support workers who help with tasks like cleaning and maintaining a safe living environment. For hoarding situations, this may include hands-on support for clearing, sorting, and organising.

•      Capacity Building Support - Improved Living Arrangements: If the hoarding situation has made the home unsafe or unsuitable to live in, supports under this category may help fund the work needed to make it liveable again.

Whether a professional clearance service is funded directly — or whether it sits alongside NDIS-funded supports — depends on the individual's plan and their plan manager or support coordinator. The most reliable way to find out is to contact the NDIS directly, or to work with a plan manager or support coordinator who knows the participant's specific circumstances.

Working with a plan manager or support coordinator

If the person you're supporting has a plan manager, they can help identify whether there's existing funding that can cover or contribute to a clearance. They can also help build the case for additional funding if the current plan doesn't cover it — particularly if the home environment has become unsafe and there's documentation from an occupational therapist or other allied health professional to support the request.

An occupational therapist (OT) can assess the home environment, provide a formal report on the risks and what needs to change, and work with the clearance team to ensure the process is done in a way that's sustainable for the person living there.

What if NDIS isn't an option?

Not everyone in a hoarding situation has access to the NDIS. Here are some other avenues worth exploring in NSW:

•      My Aged Care: For older Australians, home support services funded through My Aged Care may be able to help with cleaning and home maintenance — though like NDIS, what's available depends on the individual's assessment and approved supports.

•      Local council services: Some councils in the Greater Sydney area have social support programs that include home maintenance assistance for eligible residents. It's worth contacting your local council directly.

•      Community housing and tenancy support: For people living in social housing or experiencing tenancy issues related to a hoarding situation, some community organisations and support services offer practical assistance.

•      Self-funded clearance, done in stages: For situations where external funding isn't available, a staged approach — clearing one room or one area at a time — can make the cost more manageable while still making meaningful progress.

What to expect from a hoarding clearance in Sydney

If you're at the point of booking a clearance — whether NDIS-funded or privately — here's what the process typically looks like with a professional team.

We begin with a walkthrough to understand the scale of the job and what the priorities are. This is a conversation, not an assessment — we're trying to understand what the person needs, not judge them.

The clearance itself happens at a pace that's agreed in advance. We can work in stages to accommodate the person and budget.

We're comfortable working alongside support workers, OTs, and family members. We're also comfortable working quietly and discretely, without a lot of people present, if that's what works better.

One step at a time

The most important thing to know about a hoarding clearance is that it doesn't have to happen all at once, and it doesn't have to be perfect. Meaningful progress toward a safer and more comfortable living environment is what matters. That can happen gradually, with the right support around it.

If you're not sure where to start, the first conversation doesn't commit you to anything. We're happy to talk through what might be involved, answer questions, and give you a clear picture of what we can help with.

Call 1300 257 688 to have a confidential, no-obligation conversation. Or visit our website to learn more about how we work.