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NDIS funding explained

A woman in wheelchair using laptop computer.

It’s common for people to be overwhelmed by their NDIS plans and wonder what all the categories mean. Don’t worry, we can explain.

There are three types of support budgets that may appear in your NDIS plan: core, capacity building and capital supports. Your NDIS planner will tailor your NDIS plan with support budget categories and funding connected to achieving your goals and supporting you in your day-to-day life.

Core Supports

The core supports budget is funding to support all your assistance with day-to-day tasks that relate to your plan and life goals. Your core funding is where all your carer, support worker, cleaning and other regular expenses will be paid from. The core budget is often flexible across the four support budget categories meaning you can choose to spend your funding interchangeably between them. For example, you may want to spend more of your total core funding on continence products and less on your transport expenses. The four budget support categories under core support are:

01: Assistance with Daily Life

Name on NDIS portal – “Daily Activities”. This budget will cover all your expenses related to assisting you to undertake daily tasks. This could include:

  • personal care, cleaning, gardening or meal preparation (with approval from the NDIS)
  • assistance with laundry – linen service (with approval from the NDIS)
  • access to alternative living arrangements
  • short and medium term accommodation and assistance (including the provision of respite care)
  • Supported Independent Living (SIL) options
  • assistance with daily life tasks provided in residential aged care facility
  • nursing care to assist with your disability related health needs

02: Transport

Funding to cover transport expenses related to the impact of your disability, such as:

  • taxi expenses if you are unable to access public transport
  • specialised transport services to attend school, educational facility, employment, or the community

03: Consumables

Funding to pay for everyday items and low risk/low cost products, like:

  • products related to your disability like nutritional supplements or continence products
  • interpreting and translating support
  • Auslan or signed English training
  • low-cost assistive technology for personal care and safety, such as modifed cutlery and hand rails to improve your independence and/or mobility – you may also use these funds to do minor repairs to aids and equipment (assistive technology), for example wheelchair tyre puncture repair
  • low cost assistive technology for prosthetics and orthotics

04: Assistance with Social, Economic and Community participation

Name on NDIS portal – “Social, community and civic participation”. Covers cost to access and participate in the community, such as:

  • assistance with engaging in a community, social or recreational activity
  • support can be provided in a range of environments such as in a community setting or centre
  • one-to-one support to assist you with attending a social outing, holiday, camp, class or specific interest/hobby i.e. art, music, drama class
  • participate in sport and exercise including joining a sporting club
  • assistance to attend a community event such as the movies
  • activity based transport including cost per km, parking, road tolls and public transport fares
  • support to maintain your current employment

Capital Supports

The capital supports budget pays for products to reduce the impact of your disability. These budgets are not very flexible and usually cover specific items which were discussed in your planning meeting and have been approved in your plan by the National Disability Insurance Agency.

05: Assistive Technology

Specialised technology or equipment, like a smart device, wheelchair, or app.

06: Home Modifications

Funding for modifications to be made to your home to make it easier for to live your everyday life where your disability creates barriers. This may include modifications to your kitchen or bathroom equipment.

Capacity Building Supports

The capacity building supports budget is funding specifically allocated to assist you to build your skills and achieve your goals.

07: Support Coordination

A support coordinator can be claimed from this budget. Support coordinators help you put your plan in action and organise your supports. They can assist you to build connections with the community and broader systems of support; develop and design support options to help you work towards your goals; and work with you to prepare for review and report on what you’ve achieved.

08: Improved Living Arrangements

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Home Living”. This funding is for help for you to find suitable accommodation to live more independently, and could cover someone to assist you with inspecting properties or negotiating your contract. Supports may including assistance with applying for a rental property, meeting tenancy obligations and ensuring the home is appropriate for your needs.

09: Increased Social and Community Participation

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Social Community and Civic Participation”. This is to pay for support to help you build your skills in accessing the community. This may include funding a mentor or therapist to assist with learning skills for independence in the community.

This category of funding can be used to pay for tuition fees, art classes, sports coaching and similar activities that build skills and independence. You can use this category to pay for camps, classes and vacation activities that have capacity-building components. Activity based transport is also included.

10: Finding and Keeping a Job

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Employment”. Funding to support you to find a job and have assistance in your work. This budget can pay for a support worker to assist you at your job or helping you to find a job that’s right for you, including:

  • on the job training to assist you manage the demands of the job
  • other options may include life and work coaches, private recruitment specialists, career counsellors and employment mentors

11: Improved Relationships

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Relationships”. Supports to help build your skills to connect and build relationships in your community. This could include funding to pay for someone to help you build your social skills or behavioural therapy services.

12: Improved Health and Wellbeing

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Health and Wellbeing”. Services that improve your health and wellbeing, like a personal trainer, exercise physiologist or dietitian to improve your skills in maintain your own health and wellbeing.

13: Improved Learning

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Lifelong Learning”. Access to services that will help you to transition from school to further education. This budget could fund a support worker to help you to go to university or TAFE.

14: Improved Life Choices

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Choice and Control”. This budget pays for your plan manager.

15: Improved Daily Living

Name on NDIS portal – “CB Daily Activity”. Funding to cover your therapies and other programs to build your capacity to reduce the impact of your disability. This could be a physiotherapist, speech pathology, OT or any other therapy that assists you to become more independent with your daily living tasks.

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My Plan Manager acknowledges the objectives of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

My Plan Manager acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present.
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