NDIS plan budget categories explained
You’ve got your NDIS plan but what now!? If you’re new to the NDIS (and if you’re not!) your child’s plan may seem confusing, and a little overwhelming to know what each budget category means. To help you get to grips with it all, the team at Leap in! have provided us with a simple rundown of how your NDIS budget and plan go hand in hand.
NDIS funding categories
Your NDIS budget will likely be broken up into three main budget categories or ‘support purposes’ which can all be planned to help you throughout your NDIS plan. These are:
➜ Core supports
➜ Capital supports
➜ Capacity Building supports
Core supports
NDIS Core supports are activities that help you in your everyday life. This area of your NDIS plan has four budget categories which can be flexible to accommodate your individual needs.
1 | Assistance with daily life includes making household decisions, looking after your personal care, cooking and cleaning.
2 | Assistance with social and community participation can include activities or courses that help you connect and socialise with others. Art classes, sports coaching or vacation camps that have mentoring, skill development, peer support or capacity building components are covered here.
3 | Consumables helps you cover everyday items and services. These could include interpreting and translating services as well as continence and nutrition related items.
4 | Transport helps to cover costs associated with specialised schooling or education programs, reaching your place of employment or participating in recreational or community activities.
Capital supports
A Capital support provides funding for equipment, home or vehicle modifications, which are split into two categories. The NDIS is very specific in what this funding can be used for and it must be used as it is allocated.
Assistive technology (AT) covers any device that allows you to do something that you wouldn’t be able to do without it or increase the ease or safety of things you do. AT is split into four levels to describe the complexity of the equipment so that you can identify, find and access the AT you need:
Level 1: Simple, low risk
Level 2: Standard AT
Level 3: Specialised AT
Level 4: Complex AT solutions. Depending on the complexity of your AT, you may be required to undergo an AT assessment before you can access NDIS funds for the equipment.
Home modifications are any changes you need to make to the structure, layout or fittings of your home to ensure you can move around safely. These can range from simple handrails to complex structural changes.
Capacity Building supports
Capacity building funding is set aside for activities that will support you in learning new skills. These skills may include achieving some of your goals like living independently, finding a job, or getting help with your NDIS plan management.
There are nine sub-categories for Capacity Building funding:
1 | Support coordination – this is support funding that can be included in your NDIS plan to help you get the most from your budgets and supports.
2 | Improved living arrangements.
3 | Increased social and community participation
4 | Finding and keeping a job.
5 | Improved relationships – the aim of Improved Relationships is to provide funds for specialised assessment and supports where an NDIS participant has complex or unclear behavioural needs. Behaviours of concern are different for each individual but are typically persistent behaviours that may limit a person’s ability to have a good life or risk physical safety.
6 | Improved health and wellbeing
7 | Improved learning – if one of the goals in your NDIS plan is to get a certain job and you need to take a course to help you get there, you may obtain funding in your Improved Learning budget.
8 | Improved life choices (includes plan management).
9 | Improved daily living – this is all about building skills for a better life. You may be able to utilise funding within this category to help build your skills, increase your independence, help you at home or receive treatment to improve your mobility.
Leap in! can work through each budget with you and help you to get the most out of all three. Let us help you to navigate the NDIS. Call 1300 05 78 78 to have your questions answered or to sign up to Leap in! plan management today. leapin.com.au
