How to read your NDIS plan

The first time you open an NDIS plan, it can feel like a lot. There are headings, budgets, dollar amounts and words you may not have seen before. The good news is that most plans follow the same basic shape, and once you know what each part is for, it gets much easier to read.

This guide walks through the main parts of a plan in plain words. It is general information only. Plans look different from person to person, and the NDIA has been changing how plans are set out, so yours may not match this guide exactly. If anything in your plan is unclear, ask the NDIA, your local area coordinator (LAC) or your support coordinator.

Before you start

Find a quiet time and, if it helps, someone you trust to read it with you. That could be a family member, a friend, an advocate or your support coordinator. Have a highlighter or a notepad handy, and write down every question as it comes up.

You can usually see your plan in the my NDIS portal or app, and you can ask the NDIA for a printed copy. You can also ask for your plan to be explained in another language, or for information in Easy Read. Interpreters are available through TIS National.

Part 1: About you and your goals

Most plans start with information about you: your details, the people in your life, and the supports you already get from family, friends and community services. These unpaid supports are called informal supports.

Then come your goals. These are the things you told the NDIA you want to work towards, such as moving out of the family home, learning to cook, getting a job or joining a club. Goals matter because the supports in your plan are meant to help you pursue them.

Read your goals carefully. Do they sound like you? Are they in words you recognise? If an important goal is missing or has been written in a way that does not match what you said, make a note. Goals are worth getting right, because they shape what can be funded next time.

Part 2: Your support budgets

This is the part most people look at first. Your funding is grouped into support budgets. There are three main types.

Core supports

Core supports fund everyday support. This can include help with daily life at home, such as personal care and household tasks, help to take part in community and social activities, consumables such as continence products, and some transport. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is usually funded here.

Core funding is often flexible across its categories, but not always. Some supports may be listed as stated, which means the money can only be used for that support.

Capacity Building supports

Capacity Building supports help you build skills and independence over time. This can include therapy, support coordination, plan management, help to find and keep a job, and learning everyday life skills. Capacity Building funding is usually tied to the category it is in, so money for therapy cannot simply be moved to another category.

Capital supports

Capital supports are for bigger, one-off investments: assistive technology, home modifications and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). These usually need quotes or reports first, and the funding can only be used for the item it was approved for.

Our NDIS explained hub has a side-by-side summary of the three budgets.

Part 3: How your funding is managed

Your plan will say how each part of your funding is managed. There are three options, and a plan can mix them:

• NDIA-managed: the NDIA pays your providers directly, and you can only use registered providers.
• Plan-managed: a plan manager pays your providers for you, and you can use registered or unregistered providers.
• Self-managed: you pay providers and claim the money back, and you keep the records.

If you want to change how your plan is managed, you can ask the NDIA. Our guide Plan-managed, self-managed or NDIA-managed explains the differences.

Part 4: Funding periods and stated supports

Some newer plans release funding in funding periods rather than all at once. That means part of your budget becomes available at the start of each period. It helps make sure money is there for the whole plan, but it also means you need to keep an eye on how much is available right now, not only the total.

Your plan may also include stated supports. These are supports the NDIA has described in a specific way, sometimes with a particular provider or a particular way of being paid. Stated supports cannot be swapped for something else.

If your plan uses funding periods or stated supports, ask your support coordinator, plan manager or the NDIA to show you how they work in your plan.

Part 5: Dates and your next reassessment

Look for the start date of your plan and the date the NDIA expects to reassess it. A plan reassessment is when the NDIA looks at your plan again and makes a new one. It is worth starting to gather evidence well before that date, especially if you want changes to your home and living supports. Our guide on preparing for a home and living reassessment has a checklist.

Questions to ask yourself as you read

Go through your plan with these questions in mind:

• Do my goals sound like me?
• Are the supports I asked for in the plan? If something is missing, did the NDIA say why?
• Which budget is each support in, and is any of it stated?
• How is each part of my plan managed?
• Does my plan release funding in periods? How much is available now?
• Who do I contact if I need help using the plan?

If something looks wrong

If something is missing, incorrect or not what you expected, act early.

• For a small fix, such as a mistake in your details or a change to how your plan is managed, ask the NDIA about a plan variation.
• If your needs or situation have changed, you can ask for a plan reassessment.
• If you disagree with a decision the NDIA made about your plan, you can ask for an internal review of that decision. There are time limits for asking, so do not wait. If you still disagree after the review, you may be able to take it to the Administrative Review Tribunal.

A support coordinator, a LAC or a disability advocate can help you with any of these. The NDIA can explain the current process and time limits for your situation.

Using your plan with providers

Once you understand your plan, it is much easier to talk with providers. A good provider will ask which budget a support comes from and how your plan is managed before they start, and will put the details into a service agreement for you to check.

Providers cannot decide what is in your plan. Only the NDIA can. But a provider can help you understand what your plan says about the supports they offer, and can tell you if they think the funding in a budget will not stretch as far as you need.

If you would like to talk through your plan and whether any of our supports fit it, contact us. We will explain things plainly, and there is no cost or commitment to talk. For words you are not sure about, see our NDIS glossary.