A guide to the NDIS Supports and funding categories.

What are the NDIS support categories?

The main NDIS support categories are Core supports, Capital supports, Capacity Building supports and Recurring supports (for some PACE plans).

Good to know:

• There is now a list of NDIS Supports that outlines what you are and are not allowed to spend your funding on
• Some support categories are flexible, which means you can spend the money from that category on any reasonable and necessary NDIS support
• In some cases, you can only purchase supports stated in your plan
• Some supports require a ‘quote submission’ to the NDIS, or supporting documents from a treating professional like an occupational therapist
• NDIS funding can only be spent on reasonable and necessary disability-related supports. It can’t be spent on ordinary living expenses.

NDIS Core supports.

NDIS Core supports provides funding for things that help with everyday activities and your disability-related needs. They can be used to purchase physical items or assistance for activities you undertake in daily life.

Core supports are the main support category and most people will have this budget in their NDIS Plan.

Examples of Core supports include help with daily personal activities and daily living tasks such as showering and dressing, essential household tasks such as cleaning or laundry, and consumable items.

Types of Core supports:

• Assistance with daily life: Supports to assist you with making household decisions, personal care, cooking, cleaning and short term accommodation (respite).
• Assistance with social, economic and community participation: Supports that assist you to take part in community, social, cultural and civic activities such as support during relevant activities and working with you to develop your ability to participate. This can include support attending appointments, going to the shops or engaging in social or recreational activities.
• Consumables: Funds everyday items related to your disability support needs such as continence products.
• Home and living (for people on PACE plans only): There are a number of different types of home and living supports that the NDIS may fund. These can include supports to live independently (supported independent living or individualised living options), supports to improve living skills or medium term accommodation (where mentioned in the plan).
• Young people in residential aged care (YPIRAC) (for people on PACE plans only): This refers to someone under the age of 65 who lives permanently in a residential aged care facility.

Under the new NDIS support lists, any day-to-day living costs like groceries, medicines, appliances and household items cannot be paid for with your NDIS Plan. 

There is a substitution process that will allow participants to request a replacement support for some household items generally considered not NDIS supports in certain circumstances. You can find more information on What does NDIS fund?

Transport funding has been moved to Recurring supports for people on PACE plans.

Your Core supports budget is the most flexible NDIS funding category and in some cases, you can use your funding across the Core support categories. However, you can’t use this funding to purchase Capital or Capacity Building supports.

There are instances where funding is allocated for a specific support or service and you can’t use it for something else. Funding for Home and living supports and YPIRAC supports for people on PACE plans is not flexible and must be used as stated.

Top tip: If you require Assistive technology repairs or rental and are currently funding it out of Core, you will need to make sure it’s included in your new PACE plan as a separate item under Capital supports – Assistive technology, maintenance and repair. You can no longer fund it out of Core.

NDIS Capital supports.

Capital supports fund more expensive assistive technology or one-off purchases such as specialist disability accommodation (SDA).

Capital supports are the least flexible NDIS budget category. Your budget for this support is restricted to specific items identified in your NDIS Plan.

Types of Capital supports.

• Assistive technology: Items and devices that can help you to become more independent and do things you may otherwise not be able to do because of your disability. Note that the NDIS will not fund standard computers, computer accessories, consoles, games or streaming subscriptions. Smart watches, tablets or smartphones that are required for communication and accessibility needs, can only be funded if the NDIS agrees in writing.
• Assistive technology maintenance, repair and rental (for people on PACE plans only): If your plan has funding for repairs, you can get repairs and maintenance done as necessary. You should always ask for a quote from the repairer so you know how much it may cost.
• Home modifications: Supports that design, change or modify a home to help you live as independently as possible and to live safely at home. This can include installing equipment or changing a building’s structure, fixture or fittings.
• Specialised disability accommodation (SDA) (for people on PACE plans only): SDA is a range of housing designed for people with significant functional impairment or very high support needs.

Most items are ‘quotable’, which means that participants must negotiate a price with a provider and obtain a written quote before purchase.

NDIS Capacity Building supports.

Capacity Building funding is for supports to enable you to become more independent and assist to learn new skills. These should be connected with your goals.

Examples may include living more independently, finding a job, or getting help to manage your NDIS Plan.

Types of Capacity Building supports.

Note: These names are based on the new PACE system – older plans will have different names for some of these supports, which are included alongside the PACE names.

• Support coordination and psychosocial recovery coach (previously called Support coordination): This funding can help you get the most from your budgets and supports. A Support Coordinator is a person who connects NDIS participants to organisations that provide supports and services including community, mainstream and government services.
• Improved living arrangements: Support to help you find and keep an appropriate place to live.
• Increased social and community participation: Services that support you when taking part in social or community activities, and help you build your capacity to engage in social activities independently.
• Finding and keeping a job: This may include employment-related support, training and assessments.
• Relationships (previously called Improved relationships): Supports to help you develop positive social skills and interact with others in the community.
• Health and wellbeing (previously called Improved health and wellbeing): Supports directly related to managing the impact of your disability on your health.
• Lifelong learning (previously called Improved learning): Can be used to support you to move from school to further education such as university or TAFE. Note that the NDIS will not fund the costs of study or vocational courses.
• Choice and control (previously called Improved life choices): This is where you can find your plan management funding.
• Improved daily living skills: Can be used for assessment, training or therapy (including early childhood supports) to maintain, develop or increase your skills, independence and community participation.
• Behaviour support: Supports to help you develop behavioural management strategies to reduce behaviours of concern. This includes specialist behavioural intervention supports to help improve your quality of life.

Capacity Building funding can only be used to purchase approved supports that fall within the above, meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, and are considered NDIS Supports.

Working with a plan manager like Leap in!

The Improved life choices category is where the NDIS can add additional funding to your plan so you can work with a plan manager like Leap in!

If you would like extra support to manage your NDIS Plan, all you have to do is ask for plan management at your plan meeting, plan reassessment or anytime by contacting the NDIS. You’ll also need to tell the NDIS that you’d like to ‘endorse’ Leap in! as your plan manager. There is no cost to you for plan management.

Recurring supports (PACE plans only).

These are supports the NDIS pays to you directly on a regular basis. This means you don’t need to make a claim for these supports.

Currently, the only recurring category is Transport. It covers the costs of everyday transport like taxis and rideshare services if you can’t access public transport because of your disability.