Understanding Your NDIS Budget Categories

Your NDIS plan funding is divided into three main budget categories. Understanding what each one covers can help you make better decisions about your supports and get the most value from your plan.

1. Core Supports

Core supports cover your everyday needs. This is usually the largest part of your plan and includes things like:

• Assistance with daily living (personal care, meal preparation)
• Transport to appointments and activities
• Consumables (continence products, nutritional supplements)
• Social and community participation

One of the benefits of core supports is that the funding is generally flexible. This means you can move money between core support categories to suit your changing needs.

2. Capacity Building Supports

Capacity building is about helping you develop skills and independence. This funding is not flexible between categories and must be used for the specific purpose it was allocated. Examples include:

• Support coordination
• Therapeutic supports (occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychology)
• Employment-related supports
• Help with daily living skills

3. Capital Supports

Capital supports cover higher-cost items and one-off purchases, such as:

• Assistive technology (wheelchairs, communication devices)
• Home modifications (ramps, bathroom modifications)
• Specialist disability accommodation

How Your Plan Manager Helps

Your plan manager tracks spending across all three categories so you always know where your budget stands. We provide regular updates and can help you understand which category your supports fall under, so there are no surprises.

Have questions about your budget? Contact us on 1300 010 170 and we will walk you through it.