This budget covers higher-cost assistive technology items and equipment, home or vehicle modifications, and other one-off purchases. The other two types types of supports budgets are core supports and capacity building supports, and they cover expenses related to your day-to-day care and building skills and capability. Together, these three supports budgets help you work toward the goals in your NDIS plan.
Capital support has two budget categories: assistive technology and home modifications. Some assistive technology and equipment – low-cost and low-risk items – are claimed out of the consumables category in the core budget, which is flexible. The capital supports budget is not flexible and usually will only fund specific pieces of equipment or modifications which were discussed in your planning meeting and have been approved in your plan by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
This category covers specialised technology or equipment to assist to live more independently, like:
This category covers funding for structural modifications to be made to your home to make it easier for to you live your everyday life, where your disability creates barriers. This may include modifications to your kitchen, entrance or bathroom equipment.
This budget will include funding to pay for the assessment, delivery and set up, adjustment and maintenance costs associated with your home modification project.
This budget will also cover specialist accommodation for participants with very high needs who need specialist housing for their delivery of services.
The NDIA is usually very specific in how to spend your funding for assistive technology or home modification. In your planning meeting your planner or LAC will discuss with you how you can purchase items out of the budget and where you could purchase these from. If capital supports are needed, the LAC or planner will usually add the capital supports category to the plan pending a quote. This means you need to get a quote from provider (such as the store where you will buy your assistive technology, or the builder who will do your home modification). You then need to send the quote to the NDIA for approval before the funding can be made available to purchase the equipment, or start the project. Funding for repairs and maintenance may also be included.
The NDIA has recently announced that the three support budgets (core, capital and capacity building) will eventually be replaced with only two types: fixed and flexible. These changes will be phased in from the later half of 2021, as current plans end and new plans start. So if you are due for a new plan, expect it to be in the new format of fixed and flexible. Read more in Coach Amelia’s explanation on Kinora.
To find out more about the other types of funding or other NDIS lingo check out NDIS Category Confusion or NDIS Dictionary: Breaking down the jargon.
If you have any queries about how to use your funding please contact us via phone or email and we will be more than happy to assist.
