NDIS Funding Explained
NDIS Resources
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
Name on NDIS portal – “Daily Activities”. This budget will cover all your expenses related to assisting you to undertake daily tasks. This could include:
• Meal preparation, personal care, cleaning or gardening.
• Assistance with laundry – Linen service.
• Access to alternative living arrangements.
• Short and Medium Term Accommodation and Assistance (including the provision of
respite care).
• Supported independent living options.
• Assistance with daily life tasks provided in Residential Aged Care facility.
• Support Coordinator to assist you with plan implementation, connecting you with
supports and budgeting.
• 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.
• Specialized 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 AT 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 center.
• 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 NDIA.
05: Assistive Technology
Specialised technology or equipment, like a smart device, wheelchair, or app.
CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORTS
The capacity building supports budget is funding specifically allocated to assist you to build your skills and achieve your goals.
CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORTS
The capacity building supports budget is funding specifically allocated to assist you to build your skills and achieve your goals.