Does disability funding impact employment prospects? A study of Australian disability funding recipients and their carers
Maathumai Ranjan
Tuesday, 28 October 2025, 2pm to 3pm
Date and time: Tuesday 28 October, 14:00 hours
Location: LG1 Seminar Room, Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus, Headington, OX3 7LF
To Join: This is a free event, which will be taking place both in-person and online via Zoom/Microsoft Teams. Register
Abstract:
We estimate the effects of access to Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on income and labour market outcomes for people with disability and their carers. Using linked administrative microdata and a staggered difference-in-differences design, we find large and heterogeneous impacts by baseline labour force attachment. For previously non-employed individuals, NDIS access increases income and reduces volatility, consistent with improved financial security and labour market inclusion. In contrast, for those already engaged in the labour market, income declines and volatility rises likely driven by reduced work capacity or shifting preferences under support. A CRRA-based welfare framework indicates that the marginal value of public funds (MVPF) from labour market impacts alone is low at approximately 0.2 but rises to between 1.05 and 1.90 when incorporating the consumption value of in-kind supports.
Bio:
Maathu Ranjan is a Sir Roland Wilson Scholar at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. Her doctoral research investigates the impact of government support schemes on diagnoses and outcomes for people with disability and their carers. She is a Fellow of the Actuaries Institute Australia with experience in the disability, heath and general insurance sectors and has held leadership roles across the Australian Public Service.