Understanding your NDIS funding can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to budgets. One of the most important aspects of your plan is NDIS Core Supports, which helps cover everyday needs and disability-related expenses.
There are 3 types of NDIS budgets: 1. Core Supports, 2. Capacity Building, and 3. Capital Supports. Your NDIS plan is designed to help you achieve your goals and support you in daily life. Among these, NDIS Core Supports is the most flexible.
You can use NDIS Core Supports funding for daily tasks, personal care, transport, and other essential activities that support independent living. However, this funding must be used for disability-related costs—it cannot be used for general expenses such as rent or groceries.
Because NDIS Core Supports is flexible, you can often allocate it differently to suit your needs. Understanding how to manage this budget can help you maximise your NDIS plan. If managing finances feels overwhelming, you can seek assistance from a plan manager to simplify the process.
With the right approach, NDIS Core Supports can empower you to live more independently and work towards your personal goals.
Understanding NDIS Core Supports in Simple Terms
What are NDIS Core Supports?
NDIS Core Supports is one of the primary types of funding in your NDIS plan. It assists with everyday tasks and disability-related needs, making life easier and promoting independence.
What Does NDIS Core Supports Cover?
NDIS Core Supports provides assistance in 4 key areas:
- Daily activities – Support with dressing, eating, cleaning, and daily life assistance.
- Community and social activities – Assistance with participating in community events or social activities.
- Transport – Funding for travel, such as taxis or transport to medical appointments.
- Consumables – Everyday items related to your disability, such as continence products or assistive devices.
This budget is flexible, allowing you to allocate funds according to your specific needs. For example, if you require more support with cooking and less with transport, you can adjust your spending accordingly.
Your support coordinator or plan manager can guide you in effectively using your NDIS Core Supports to achieve the best outcomes. With proper planning, this funding can enhance your daily life and support your personal goals.
What are the Core Support Categories?
1. Assistance with Daily Life
This category covers support for everyday tasks at home, including:
- A support worker to assist with showering, dressing, and personal care.
- Help with cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation.
- Support for yard maintenance, such as gardening or lawn mowing.
- Overnight or live-in carer support, if required.
This funding does not cover expenses such as rent, groceries, or cleaning supplies—only the support required to manage these tasks.
2. Consumables
NDIS Core Supports for Consumables cover low-cost everyday items that assist with your disability, including:
- Continence products – Pads, catheters, and bed protection.
- Nutrition products – Feeding supplements and thickeners.
- Wound care items – Bandages, dressings, and skin protection.
- Assistive tools – Shower stools, jar openers, or long-handled sponges.
Most consumables are single-use items requiring regular replacement. If an item costs over $1,500, it may fall under another funding category.
3. Assistance with Social, Economic, and Community Participation
NDIS Core Supports enables participation in social activities, events, or skill-building programs. This could include:
- A support worker to assist with social or recreational activities.
- Help with attending community events or training courses.
- Support to participate in sports or hobby groups.
This funding does not cover event tickets or memberships—only the support needed to engage in these activities.
4. Transport
If your disability makes public transport difficult, NDIS Core Supports for Transport helps you travel to essential destinations, such as:
- Work, social events, or training programs.
- Private transport when public transport is not a viable option.
NDIS transport service funds cannot be used for family members’ travel, everyday trips such as school, or transport for a support worker.
How Flexible is Your NDIS Core Supports Budget?
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) acknowledges that your needs may change over time. For example, you may initially use funds for a support worker to assist with eating. With therapy, you may become more independent and instead require specialised utensils. In such cases, you can shift funding from Daily Activities to Consumables to purchase the utensils.
Your NDIS Core Supports budget offers some flexibility to allocate funds in ways that help you achieve your goals. The NDIA occasionally allows additional flexibility. For example, during the COVID-19 lockdown, they approved using Consumables Funds to purchase tablets for telehealth services and reallocated Participation Funds (intended for gym memberships) to rent gym equipment for home workouts.
However, not all aspects of your NDIS Core Supports budget are flexible. Some funds must be used for specific purposes, such as:
- Transport allowance (if included in your plan).
- Special housing for participants with high needs.
- Pre-paid services such as school transport.
- Items specifically quoted in your plan (e.g., special living arrangements).
Another factor affecting flexibility is how your plan is managed. If your NDIS Core Supports budget is self-managed, plan-managed, or NDIA-managed, you can move funds within categories. However, if you have a mixed management type (e.g., Self-managing Consumables but having Daily Activities plan-managed), you cannot transfer funds between those differently managed categories.
How to Get the Most from Your NDIS Core Supports
- Use Your Budget Wisely: Your NDIS Core Supports funding is flexible, allowing you to select services that best meet your needs. Consider creative ways to utilise your budget, such as using an app for daily tasks or installing handrails for improved independence.
- Find the Best Prices: Many participants allocate most of their funding to NDIS Core Supports, making affordability essential. Compare providers to find cost-effective options. If plan-managed, you can use both registered and non-registered providers—non-registered providers may be cheaper, but always verify their services.
- Plan Your Spending: As NDIS Core Supports funding covers daily needs, effective budgeting is vital. Ensure your funding lasts the entire plan period. Platforms such as My Plan Manager can help track spending. If you are not yet a client, consider how professional support can assist in managing your plan.
How SafeLane Healthcare Supports NDIS Participants
SafeLane Healthcare helps NDIS participants maximise their NDIS Core Supports budget by providing personalised services that promote independence. Our services include:
- Personalised Care Assistance – Support workers with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and household tasks.
- Community Participation Support – Assistance with transport and participation in social and recreational activities.
- Flexible and Reliable Services – Adaptable support to meet changing needs.
- NDIS Budgeting Guidance – Advice on effectively allocating Core Supports funding.
By choosing SafeLane Healthcare, NDIS participants receive high-quality support that enhances independence and quality of life.
Key Takeaways
NDIS Core Supports provides essential funding for daily activities, transport, community participation, and consumables, offering flexibility to suit individual needs. SafeLane Healthcare supports participants by providing personalised care, community engagement assistance, and expert budgeting guidance. Effective management of NDIS Core Supports ensures funding lasts throughout the plan period, helping participants achieve greater independence and an improved quality of life.
