New spending rules in the NDIS

After a brief period of public consultation, the Australian Government has introduced new rules designed to clarify the supports participants can (and can’t) spend their National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding on.

The rules, which came into effect on 3 October 2024, mean participants can only use their funding to purchase ‘approved supports’.

To help everyone better understand what’s approved – and what isn’t – support lists have been released, and the rules around how decisions are made have been explained.

The concept of a ‘replacement support’ has also been introduced, allowing the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to substitute existing NDIS supports or supports in a participant’s plan with a different service, item, or piece of equipment. Only some supports can be replaced and only if the NDIA approves the purchase in writing.

Participants can also continue to access the stated supports in their plans, as well as supports found to be reasonable and necessary by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal – even if those are now excluded.

This page on the NDIS website contains all the information you need.

The new support lists present a big change in the NDIS and come after the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No 1) Bill 2024 passed through the Parliament of Australia and became law.

“We now have a central place, set in law, where NDIS participants, their families, carers and providers can go to see what they can use their NDIS funds for,” said Bill Shorten MP, Minister for the NDIS.

“While there have been administrative guidelines previously, we have made it much easier for participants and providers to understand what funding can and can’t be spent on.”

There’ll be a ‘transition period’ for the first year of the new NDIS support lists to give participants and providers time and space to learn and understand them. During this time, the NDIA says it’ll work with participants and take an ‘educative approach’.

If you’re unsure what you can spend your NDIS funding on, you can speak to your NDIA planner, Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood Partner, or support coordinator. Alternatively, you can call the NDIA on 1800 800 110.

And of course, we’re here to help. If you have any questions, you can email us at enquiries@myplanmanager.com.au or call us on 1800 592 405 from 8am-5.30pm, Monday to Friday.