Understanding NDIS Funding: Supports, Budgets and How Your Plan Is Built

How NDIS funding is structured

Every NDIS plan is built around three support purpose categories. Understanding these is the foundation for making sense of your funding.

1. Core supports

Core supports help you with everyday activities. This budget is the most flexible and typically covers:

• Assistance with daily living (help around the home)
• Transport
• Consumables (e.g. continence products)
• Assistance with social and community participation

2. Capacity building supports

Capacity building supports help you build skills and independence over time. Each category is funded separately, including:

• Improved living arrangements
• Increased social and community participation
• Finding and keeping a job
• Improved relationships
• Improved health and wellbeing
• Improved learning
• Improved daily living

3. Capital supports

Capital supports fund higher-cost, one-off purchases:

• Assistive technology
• Home modifications
• Specialist disability accommodation (SDA)

How budgets are allocated

Your funding isn't one big pool. It's split into separate budget categories, and money generally cannot be moved between them. Within Core supports, however, there is some flexibility — you can shift funding between most Core line items, but you cannot move money from Capacity building into Core, or vice versa.

What you can and can't spend funding on

NDIS funding must be reasonable and necessary and relate directly to your disability support needs. It cannot be used for:

• Everyday living costs that aren't disability-related (e.g. groceries, rent)
• Supports available through mainstream services (e.g. Medicare-funded health care)
• Items that don't represent value for money

Taking your next step

If you're unsure how your funding is allocated, check your plan's portal or ask your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or Support Coordinator to walk you through each budget. Knowing where your money sits is the first step to using it well.