Make The Most Of Your Core Supports Funding

January 22, 2024

Your NDIS Core Supports budget opens up a world of possibilities for improving your life. In fact, you might not have even considered some of the exciting resources you can access to make the most of your plan – and lifestyle.    

What can you do with Core Supports funding? 

The primary goal of core supports funding is to help you preserve or enhance your independence, foster inclusion and equal opportunities, enable you to overcome physical and intellectual obstacles, and promote overall wellbeing. 

It aims to address your goals, both large and small, helping you with daily living, safety and accessibility as well as participation and meaningful engagement in recreational activities, education, and employment.  

This is very individual, so the supports can vary widely from one person to the next, depending on what is “reasonable and necessary” to effectively manage your disability-related needs.  

The 4 core supports categories 

Your potential core supports budget includes  

• Consumables  
• Daily Activities  
• Assistance with Social and Community Participation  
• Transport  

 We’ll provide lots of examples of each of these in detail below. 

Flex Your Options 

Because they are flexible, you can generally use Core Support funds across any of these categories, except transport. Note that this flexibility applies only if they are managed the same way, such as plan managed or self-managed. 

Other exclusions are core budget items for  

• Compensation 
• Specialised Disability Accommodation for people with significant functional impairment and/or very high support needs 
• In-kind  
• Stated items – these frequently require quotations upfront 

Let’s take a closer look at each category 

Here’s just some of the many core supports your NDIS budget may cover you for. 

Of course, don’t forget to tap into your support network for some ideas and advice – family and friends, carers that know you well, your plan manager, support coordinator, local area coordinator and allied health providers who are familiar with the wide range of supports and activities available and your needs and goals.

Consumables 

NDIS consumables can be single-use items or specialised products up to a value of $1500 that are deemed “reasonable and necessary” to manage your disability-related needs. There are thousands of clever options on the market, so it’s worth taking a deep dive into your research to discover the things that will make life easier for you. 

Personal care and daily living aids 

• Personal hygiene aids 
• adaptive clothing 
• service animals 
• eating and drinking aids such as large-handled cutlery 
• magnetic charging cables 
• pencil grips 
• key turners 
• elastic shoelaces 
• flexible tablet/phone holder 
• nonslip mats 
• calming blankets 

Mobility and assistive equipment 

• vehicle modifications 
• prosthetic devices 
• orthotic 
• toilet and bathroom aids 
• wheelchairs 
• scooters 
• walkers/canes/crutches 

Communication and sensory aids 

• augmentative and alternative communication devices 
• hearing aids 
• vision and reading aids 
• sensory integration equipment  
• language or sign language instruction 
• interpretation and translation services 
• voice to text software 
• noise cancelling headphones 

Assistive Technology Devices 

• smart home devices 
• tablets/smart phones 
• adjustable desk 
• environmental control systems 
• personal emergency response systems 
• monitoring devices

Daily Activities  

As the name suggests, this funding relates to self-care activities or items that are connected to everyday activities, to help you live as comfortably as possible. 

The daily living core support provides help with 

• taking medications  
• applying dressings 
• getting dressed 
• 24/7 care 
• accessibility around the home
• nursing aid 
• household cleaning/maintenance 
• yard cleaning/maintenance 
• personal hygiene, such as showering and personal care 
• supported independent living care 
• short term accommodation/respite care for participant or your informal support network, which may include personal care, food, and activities too 
• meal delivery service 
• meal preparation 

Assistance with Social and Community Participation 

Social and community participation is important for a whole range of reasons, from building confidence, skills and abilities to growing your social networks and forming new friendships, feeling included and connected with your community and finding activities you love. 

These activities can change over time as you try new things and interact with people who add value to your life. 

Examples include support workers accompany you for 

• Shopping 
• school 
• community volunteering 
• work 
• study 
• exercise 
• sport 
• hobbies 
• camps 
• social events 
• day trips 
• one-on-one catchups 
• attending a day program  

Transport 

This applies if other modes of transport can’t be accessed because of your disability. 

Examples include 

• helping keep appointments with providers 
• going to social, recreational or leisure events, such as sport 
• volunteering 
• work or study commitments 
• looking for a job 
• attending a day program  

Making the most of your budget 

There are a lot of options. And lots of things to consider. 

And that’s where your plan manager can help you with getting the best return for your budget. They’ll take the time to understand your goals, where you need the most assistance, and what will empower you to do more of the things that matter to you the most. Contact Our Team to find out how our plan managers can help you make the most of your funding!