Get to know your NDIS supports

November 5, 2020

NDIS support

Get to know your NDIS supports

Whether you are on your way to receiving your first NDIS plan, you’re switching plan management options or your circumstances have recently changed, chances are there will be some NDIS supports in your plan that you may be a little confused about.

If you’re unsure about how NDIS support funding works, we cover everything you need to know below!

What is NDIS support?

This is the name given to the NDIS support services that can be delivered under the NDIS. Depending on what is deemed ‘reasonable and necessary’ for your individual needs, you may receive funding in your plan to access a range of different supports.

Reasonable and necessary supports are defined by the NDIA as those that assist you to pursue your goals, increase independence and social participation and develop capacity to actively take part in the community.

When you receive your new plan, you will notice that your goals are clearly defined along with information about you, your disability, what your daily life looks like, and information about your NDIS funded supports.

Your funding is broken up into the three NDIS areas of support below that are each designed to help you in different ways.

  1. Core budget

Types of support within this budget category are designed to help you in your everyday life.

The four types of support with your core budget include assistance with daily life, transport, consumables and assistance with social and community participation.

Your core budget funding is flexible, meaning it can be used across any of the four support categories, depending on what you need the most assistance with.

  1. Capital budget

Your capital budget category includes funding for specialised equipment, home or vehicle modifications that you may require to assist with mobility limitations caused by your disability.

Unlike your core budget funding, capital funding is not flexible and must be used for the specific category that was assigned to you based on your needs.

The two categories within your capital budget are assistive technologies (AT) and home modifications. One example of AT is a wheelchair whereas a home modification could be widening doorways.

  1. Capacity building budget

Funding you receive for capacity building supports is all about developing your skill set and ability to perform tasks. Without having these skills, it is difficult to build independence which is an important part of life.

The types of support within this budget category include:

    • Support Coordination – A fixed amount of funding for you to access a Support Coordinator, such as Disability Plan Services, whose job it is to connect you with disability service providers and help to put your plan into action.
    • Improved Living Arrangements – This funding is about helping you to find suitable accommodation for your needs.
    • Increased Social and Community Participation – Assistance to develop life skills that enable you to participate in your community and with social and recreational activities.
    • Finding and Keeping a Job – Help to find and keep employment by way of employment related support, training and assessments.
    • Improved Relationships – Support to build positive behaviours that help you interact with people in your life and deal with social interactions.
    • Improved Health and Wellbeing – Help with understanding positive exercise and diet habits to improve living with the impacts of your disability. This does not include funding for gym memberships.
    • Improved Learning – Advice or training to help you transition into higher education.
    • Improved Life Choices – Funding to access a Plan Manager, such as Disability Plan Services, that looks after the administration of your plan funding, including paying service providers, record keeping and budgeting.
    • Improved Daily Living Skills – Help to build your independence and confidence with doing everyday activities and engaging within your community.

Supports that are not NDIS funded

According to the NDIS Act, a support will not be funded if it:

  • is not related to your disability;
  • duplicates other supports already funded by a different mechanism through the NDIS;
  • relates to day-to-day living costs that are not related to your support needs; or
  • is likely to cause harm to you or pose a risk to others.

If you have any questions about any of these NDIS funding categories, contact the team at Disability Plan Services for a chat about the supports in your plan.

At Disability Plan Services, our only focus is on improving your quality of life through supports and meaningful relationships. We are so much more than NDIS Support Coordinators and Plan Managers. Our team is passionate about teaching you how to understand your plan and take the time to understand you, your goals and needs.

To take control of your NDIS plan with a little help from your partners at Disability Plan Services, complete the contact form here to get in touch.

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