NDIS
Understanding Your Plan
What each budget pays for, which parts are flexible, and how to keep funding going the distance.
An approved plan sets out your goals and the funding attached to them. The funding is split into three budgets, and the rules about moving money between them are different for each. Knowing which budget a support comes from is the difference between a plan that lasts the year and one that runs dry in August.
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Core Supports
Day-to-day assistance: personal care, help around the house, community participation, consumables and some transport. The most flexible budget — you can usually move funding between its categories.
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Capacity Building
Supports that build skills: life skills, support coordination, behaviour support, allied health, employment supports. Funding is locked to each category and cannot be moved between them.
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Capital Supports
Assistive technology, equipment, vehicle and home modifications, and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Tied to specific approved items — nothing is transferable.
Three ways a plan can be managed
This decides who pays your providers. You can use different arrangements for different parts of one plan, and you can ask to change at a review.
| Arrangement | Who pays providers | Provider choice | Admin on you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency managed | The NDIA, directly | Registered providers only | Almost none |
| Plan managed | A plan manager, funded on top of your plan | Registered and unregistered | Very little |
| Self managed | You do | Anyone, at any price you agree | All of it — claims, records, audits |
Plan management is funded separately and does not reduce your other budgets. If you want it, ask for it at your planning meeting. More on plan management.
Making a plan last
- Check the price limits. The NDIA publishes maximum prices. A provider charging under them is fine; one charging over them is not, and a plan manager will not pay it.
- Watch the loading rates. Evenings, weekends and public holidays cost more per hour. A roster that looks affordable on weekdays can be very different on Sundays.
- Do not spend evenly. Core is flexible for a reason. If you need more support in one part of the year, that is allowed.
- Keep the goals in view. At review, the NDIA looks at progress against goals. Records that show what changed matter.
Reviews and changes
Plans run for a set period, usually 12 months, though longer plans are increasingly common where circumstances are stable. If your situation changes significantly before then, you can request a plan reassessment rather than waiting.
This page is a plain-language summary written by Avion Care, not legal or official advice. The NDIA sets and changes the rules; always check ndis.gov.au for the current position, or speak to your Local Area Coordinator or an independent advocate.
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