The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) is a fully-funded support to Australians (between 7 to 65) with significant disabilities to improve their skills, independence, and community participation. Understanding your NDIS plan is important to utilize your fund in the best possible way for having complete access to individualized supports, and selecting providers. This guide is going to be beneficial for all the NDIS participants, families, and carers aiming to follow NDIS, outline clear goals, manage funding to acknowledge what is necessary to lead a better life.
What Is an NDIS Plan?
An NDIS plan is a legal document outlining a participant’s individualized goals, disability support needs, and financial backing, designed for increased independence and community participation. The plan acts as a roadmap towards empowering people with disabilities, helps achieve their short and long term goals, motivates for social inclusion, provides funding for necessary supports, and improves overall quality of life. An NDIS plan is created through meeting with a planner based on information, evidence, and goals leading to actionable funded support for the future. An NDIS plan typically lasts for 12 months, however can range from 1 to 5 years depending upon the participant’s stable support requirements.
Key Components of an NDIS Plan
Participant Details
Personal information
Living arrangements
Informal supports (family, carers, community)
Goals and Aspirations
Short-term goals
Long-term goals
Goals are the fundamentals of the NDIS plan, directly influencing funding decisions. NDIS goals and funding are interconnected, hence NDIS plan goals affect scope of support.
Funded Supports (Core of the Plan)
Core Supports
Daily living assistance
Transport
Consumables
Social and community participation
Capacity Building Supports
Support coordination
Improved living arrangements
Employment support
Improved relationships
Improved health and wellbeing
Improved learning
Improved life choices
Improved daily living
Capital Supports
Assistive technology
Home modifications
Specialist disability accommodation (SDA)
How Is NDIS Funding Structured?
The NDIS support has two budget categories, which have different rules for spending the allotted funds.
Flexible vs. Stated Supports
You are allowed to use the funding under flexible supports to buy necessary and reasonable supports from other flexible categories under the same budget category. For example: Core supports including daily consumables are flexible.
Under the Stated support category, you are only allowed to use the funding for which it is specifically allotted for. There’s no way of using the funding for anything different. For example: specific therapist services or equipment cost.
Therefore, there are three options to manage NDIS funding. These are:
Plan-managed: The NDIA provides funding under your plan to pay for your plan manager, who manages invoice and spending, and pays other providers.
Self-managed: With maximum flexibility and control, you can choose your provider to access your supports and handle invoices directly.
NDIA-managed: With greater choice, and less responsibility, The NDIA handles your funds and pays your NDIS registered provider on behalf of you.
What Is Not Included in an NDIS Plan?
NDIS plans don’t cover everyday living expenses (utilities, rent, groceries), items covered by other government services (education, medication), or non-disability-related supports (entertainment, holidays, or cosmetic expenses). NDIS funding is designed only for necessary and reasonable support which is directly associated with participant’s disabilities, not for non-essential expenses or luxury purchases.
How to Check and Understand Your NDIS Plan
Reading your funding breakdown
Check your plan through myplace portal, where your support funding is divided into three parts – Core (daily living), Capital (equipment or house modifications), and Capacity Buying (therapy/skills).
Understanding support categories
Funding for core supports is flexible, here you can use one support’s budget to another to pay for your supports. On the other hand, capital and capacity building support are not flexible, you have to spend the fund for these supports on specific goals.
Reviewing goals and budgets
You need to review the “Statement of Goals” which outlines your impersonalized aims, whereas “Statement of Supports” map out allocated funding to attain them.
When to request a plan review
Request a reassessment with your changing circumstances, upgrading your goals, or your current supports no longer work for you.
Common Questions About NDIS Plans
How long does an NDIS plan last?
The NDIS plan usually lasts for a year, i.e. 12 months, but can be extended upto 5 years except children under 9 years.
Can I change my NDIS plan?
Yes, you can change your NDIS plan anytime in accordance with changing support needs, circumstances, or goals without making delay for the scheduled review.
What happens at an NDIS plan review?
An NDIS plan review is an opportunity for participants, where they get support from therapists and attend a meeting with the Local Area Coordinator to evaluate their progress, review current supports, set new goals for enhanced independence, and adjust funding for the next 12 months.
Can family members be paid through NDIS?
No, usually NDIS funding can’t be used to pay for the family members. However, exceptional circumstances are there where prior NDIA approval is needed in case of specific requirements, market shortage, or a family member is particularly qualified to provide necessary care.
How do I add new support to my NDIS plan?
To add new support to your NDIS plan, you have to showcase how the support is necessary and reasonable to attain your goals.
Conclusion
An NDIS plan is an individualized document, outlining funding for goals, supports, and services for participants with significant physical impairments. Aligning supports with goals guarantees active funding that helps in skill building and transforms personal aspirations into measurable realities.
