Navigating your NDIS plan can be overwhelming, especially when you're unsure about the meaning of its support categories. But don't worry, we're here to help. Your NDIS plan will feature three types of support budgets: Core, Capacity Building, and Capital Support. Your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) will customize your plan by assigning the support budget categories and funding that are relevant to achieving your goals and supporting you in your day-to-day life.
Core Supports
The Core supports budget is for assistance with day-to-day tasks that relate to your plan and life goals. Your Core funding covers regular expenses such as carers, support workers, cleaning, and more. It is flexible across the four budget categories, allowing you to use funding interchangeably between them. You can spend more of your total Core funding on continence products and less on your transport expenses, for instance. The four budget support categories under Core supports are:
01: Assistance with Daily Life Covers expenses related to assisting you with daily tasks such as personal care, cleaning, gardening, or meal preparation, access to alternative living arrangements, short and medium-term accommodation and assistance, and nursing care to assist with your disability-related health needs.
02: Transport Funds transport expenses related to the impact of your disability, such as taxi expenses if you are unable to access public transport, specialized transportation services to attend school, educational facility, employment, or the community.
03: Consumables Pays for everyday items and low-risk products related to your disability, such as nutritional supplements or continence products. This budget can also cover interpreting and translating support, low-cost assistive technology for personal care and safety, and minor repairs to aids and equipment.
04: Assistance with Social, Economic, and Community Participation Covers costs to access and participate in the community, such as support with engaging in a community, social or recreational activity, participate in sport and exercise, support to maintain your current employment, and activity-based transport.
Capital Supports
The capital supports budget pays for products to reduce the impact of your disability. This budget usually covers specific items that were discussed in your planning meeting and approved in your plan by the National Disability Insurance Agency. The two budget categories are:
05: Assistive Technology Pays for specialized technology or equipment, like a smart device, wheelchair, or app.
06: Home Modifications Covers the cost of modifications to your home to make it easier for you to live your everyday life where your disability creates barriers. This may include modifications to your kitchen or bathroom equipment.
Capacity Building Supports
The capacity-building supports budget is specifically allocated to assist you to build your skills and achieve your goals. It consists of the following budget categories:
07: Support Coordination Pays for a Support Coordinator who can assist you put your plan into action, organize your supports, develop and design support options, and work with you to prepare for review and report on what you've achieved.
08: Improved Living Arrangements Helps you find suitable accommodation to live more independently, and may cover someone to assist you with inspecting properties or negotiating your contract. This budget can also support you in meeting tenancy obligations and ensuring the home is appropriate for your needs.
09: Increased Social and Community Participation Pays for support to help you build your skills in accessing the community, such as funding a mentor or therapist to assist with learning skills for independence in the community, paying tuition fees, art classes, sports coaching, and similar activities that build skills and independence. This budget category can also be used to pay for camps, classes, and vacation activities that have capacity-building components. Activity-based transport is also included.
10: Finding and Keeping a Job The NDIS portal offers funding and assistance to help you find and keep a job through CB Employment. This includes on-the-job training and support from a support worker or private recruitment specialists, career counsellors, and employment mentors.
11: Improved Relationships CB Relationships on the NDIS portal provide support to build your skills and connect with others in your community. This could involve funding for social skills coaching or behavioural therapy services.
12: Improved Health and Wellbeing CB Health and Wellbeing on the NDIS portal offers services to improve your health and well-being, such as personal training, exercise physiology, and dietary support.
13: Improved Learning CB Lifelong Learning on the NDIS portal provides access to services that can help you transition from school to further education. This may include funding for a support worker to help you attend university or TAFE.
14: Improved Life Choices CB Choice and Control on the NDIS portal offers to budget for your plan manager.
15: Improved Daily Living CB Daily Activity on the NDIS portal provides funding for therapies and programs to build your capacity and reduce the impact of your disability. This includes physiotherapy, speech pathology, OT, and other therapies to help you become more independent with daily living tasks.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that your NDIS plan is not set in stone. If you find that your needs or circumstances have changed, you can request a plan review to reassess your budget categories and funding. This is especially important if you find that you are not using some categories of funding or if you require additional support in a specific area.
In conclusion, understanding the different categories of support budgets in your NDIS plan is essential to effectively manage your plan and achieving your goals. By working closely with your NDIS LAC and Support Coordinator, you can ensure that your plan is tailored to your unique needs and circumstances. If your circumstances do change, don't hesitate to request a plan review to ensure that your plan continues to meet your needs.
If you would like more information on how Simplified Plan Management can help you with your Plan Management, give us a call at 0491 090 747 or email us at info@simplifiedpm.com.au