Funding under the NDIS is provided via three different support clusters:
Core supports
Core Support is an activity that helps you in your everyday life, and which assists you to work towards longer-term goals. Core Support funding is flexible across four categories:
- Daily activities. Support for everyday tasks that enable you to live as independently as possible, such as, assistance with self-care activities, household tasks or shopping.
- Consumables. Support to help with the purchase of everyday items, such as continence aids, personal care equipment, Auslan training and interpretation services.
- Social, community and civic participation. Support to participate in social or recreational activities that help you connect with others.
- Transport funding. This replaces the Mobility Allowance and can assist with support in getting to and from work, school, social and community programs. Funding in this area is generally limited to people who cannot use public transport for reasons related to their disability.
Capital supports
Capital Support provides funding for equipment, home or vehicle modifications. Capital Supports funding is not flexible and must be used for what it is allocated for, and covers two categories:
- Assistive technology. Items for mobility, communication, personal care or transport. These may include walking aids, wheelchairs, hoists, power beds, bed rails, shower stools, readers or prosthetics. Capital support funding also covers assessments, set-up and training to use assistive technology.
- Home modifications. This includes changes to building structures, fixture or fittings which enable people with disability to live safely and as independently as possible. This support could include ramps, stair climbers or grab rails, as well as home assessments conducted by an occupational therapist.
Capacity building supports
Capacity building is an activity that helps you to develop new skills, and may include independent living, finding a job or developing new skills. getting assistance with your NDIS plan. Capacity building funding is flexible across eight categories:
- Choice and control. Assistance to connect with informal, mainstream and funded supports, and coordination plan management.
- Improved daily living. Building or developing skills that allow you to live as independently as possible, such as counselling, therapy and training (budgeting, decision making, using public transport).
- Improved life choice. Assistance in developing self-management skills and/or financial administration of your NDIS Plan.
- Increased social and community participation. Support to develop individual life skills and participate in community activities.
- Finding and keeping a job. Support to develop workplace skills through education or professional development programs, and to find and keep a job.
- Improved relationships. Support with social skills development and positive behaviour management strategies.
- Improved health and wellbeing. Support to live a healthy life, including exercise physiology, personal training, nutrition advice and any physical therapies which assist with mobility.
- Improved living arrangements. Support to create and sustain a safe living environment, including tenancy and accommodation assistance.
NDIS Plan Management
Your NDIS can be planned in three ways:
- Agency managed – where the NDIA or an authorised agency manages your plan for you and your registered service providers are paid after support services have been delivered.
- Self-managed – where you take responsibility for managing the supports and budget in your NDIS package.
- Plan managed – where the NDIS pays someone of your choice to help manage your budget, pay bills for NDIS-funded supports, and manage records and paperwork.
ndia webinar
The following webinar has been prepared and presented by Aaron Byrne, NDIA Community Engagement and Communications.