Having a disability can affect your quality of life and that of your loved ones. However, it would be best if you didn’t let it get the best of you or your family. Fortunately, the NDIS or National Disability Insurance Scheme funding can help you continue having a healthy and independent life. But like most good things, funding has its limits.
That is why it is only wise for you to find ways to make the most of your NDIS plan. Read on as we will help you understand NDIS funding better to maximise your support budget by answering the frequently asked questions surrounding it.
NDIS Funding FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions about this funding:
1. What Is NDIS Funding?
NDIS is a government program that provides funding and support to eligible people with disabilities in Australia. The NDIS aims to help people with disabilities achieve their goals and participate in their community.
The funding is the amount of money the NDIS allocates based on your needs and goals. It is determined by your NDIS plan, which is a document that outlines your current situation, your goals, and the support and services you need to achieve them.
2. What Can NDIS Funding Be Used For?
This funding can be used for various support and services related to your disability and help you pursue your goals.
Here’s what you can do or what you can get with your NDIS funds:
- Assistance with daily personal activities, such as household tasks
- Transport to access education, work, or community activities
- Help in finding or keeping a job
- Therapeutic support includes physiotherapy and occupational
- Mobility aids such as wheelchairs or hearing aids
- Home modifications, such as ramps, rails, or lifts
- Social and community participation
- Coordination of supports
3. How Do I Get NDIS Funding?
If you meet the following criteria, you can apply for the NDIS by contacting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which is the organisation that manages the NDIS.
- Having a permanent disability that significantly affects your ability to participate in everyday activities
- Being aged under 65 when you first apply for the NDIS
- Being an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen who holds a Protected Special Category Visa
The NDIA will ask you about your disability and how it affects your life. They will also ask you to provide evidence of your disability from a health professional, such as a doctor or a therapist.
If you are eligible for the NDIS, you will be invited to have a planning meeting with an NDIA representative or a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). A LAC is a person who works for an organisation that partners with the NDIA to help people access the NDIS in their area.
In the planning meeting, you will discuss your current situation, goals, and the support and services you need to achieve them. Based on the planning meeting, the NDIA will develop your NDIS plan and allocate your NDIS funding.
4. How Does NDIS Funding Work?
Your funding is divided into three categories: core support, capacity-building support, and capital support. Each has different types of support and different rules for using them.
a. Core Supports
This is the basic support that helps you with your daily activities, such as:
- Assistance with daily personal activities
- Transport
- Consumables
- Assistance with social and community participation
You can flexibly use your core support budget across these four types of support. For instance, if you have some money left over from your transport budget, you can use it for assistance with social and community participation.
b. Capacity-Building Supports
They help you build your skills and independence. They can help you with:
- Support coordination
- Improved living arrangements
- Increased social and community participation
- Finding and keeping a job
- Improved relationships
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Improved learning
- Improved life choices
- Improved daily living
You cannot flexibly use your capacity-building support budget across these types of supports. You can only use your budget for the specific kind of support that is allocated to your plan.
c. Capital Supports
Need to buy equipment or make modifications to your home or vehicle? They can help you with that, as well as these:
- Assistive technology
- Home modifications
- Vehicle modifications
You cannot flexibly use your capital support budget across these types of supports. You can only use your budget for the specific item or modification that is approved in your plan.
5. How to Apply for NDIS Funding?
You need to find and engage with providers to access the supports and services in your NDIS plan. Providers are the organisations or individuals who deliver the support and services you need.
In addition, you can also ask for recommendations from your LAC, support coordinator, family, friends, or other people with disabilities.
6. How Do You Maximise Your NDIS Funding?
To make the most of your support budget, here are some tips you can follow:
- Set clear and realistic goals that reflect what you want to achieve in life.
- Review your plan regularly and track your progress towards your goals.
- Use your support budget wisely and only for reasonable and necessary support for your disability and goals.
- Compare different providers and negotiate the best price and quality for the support you need.
- Seek help from a support coordinator if you need assistance to manage your plan and connect with providers.
- Explore other sources of support available in your community, such as family, friends, volunteers, or government services.
- Be proactive and flexible in finding solutions to any challenges or issues that arise along the way.
- Provide feedback to the NDIA and your providers on how they can improve their services and processes.
Let Support Chain Help You Maximise Your Support Budget!
If you are looking for a reliable and professional provider of NDIS services, you should consider Support Chain. You can get your NDIS funding sorted with our NDIS plan management services, so don’t miss this opportunity to get the best support coordination service for your needs. Contact Support Chain today and start living the life you want.
