Most NDIS plans divide funding into three budgets: Core Supports, Capacity Building and Capital. Knowing which is which helps you use your plan fully, avoid nasty surprises and have better conversations with your planner. This is a plain English guide.
One caveat first. The NDIS updates its rules and the way plans are laid out from time to time, and newer plans present categories a little differently from older ones. Your own plan document is the authority. If something here does not match it, follow the plan and ask your planner or support coordinator.
Core Supports
Core Supports fund the everyday help you need to live your life. It is usually the largest budget and, in most plans, the most flexible: money can generally move between its categories as your needs change through the year (transport can be an exception, depending on how it is set up).
Core typically covers:
- Assistance with daily life. Personal care, help getting up and ready, household tasks, meal preparation, overnight and 24/7 support, and respite.
- Assistance with social and community participation. A support worker alongside you for activities, groups and outings.
- Transport. Help getting to work, appointments and the community, including travel assistance.
- Consumables. Everyday items related to your disability, such as continence products.
If you use one thing in this post, use this: Core Supports funding that goes unused at the end of a plan does not roll over. Planning how to use it early in the year is worth an hour of your time.
Capacity Building
Capacity Building is about building skills and independence so you need less support over time, or can do more with the support you have. Unlike Core, funding here usually cannot move between categories. If your plan has money for improved daily living, it stays there.
Common Capacity Building categories include:
- Improved daily living. Therapy and skills training, including daily living life skills such as cooking, budgeting, using public transport and managing a routine.
- Increased social and community participation. Programs that build confidence and skills for taking part in the community, rather than just attending.
- Support coordination. Help understanding your plan and connecting with providers.
- Improved health and wellbeing, improved relationships, finding and keeping a job. Depending on your goals.
A useful way to think about it: Core funds doing the thing. Capacity Building funds learning to do the thing.
Capital
Capital covers bigger one-off items: assistive technology like wheelchairs and communication devices, and home modifications like ramps and bathroom changes. It is tied to specific quotes and approvals and is the least flexible budget. Most day-to-day support providers, including us, are not involved here beyond helping you notice when something might be needed.
How the budgets work together
Take someone whose goal is to cook their own meals. Capacity Building might fund a support worker teaching cooking skills over three months. Core might fund meal preparation support in the meantime, and reduce as the skills grow. Capital might fund an accessible kitchen tool if one is needed. Same goal, three budgets, one plan.
Questions for your next plan review
- Which of my supports are funded from Core, and which from Capacity Building?
- Is my Core budget flexible across categories, or are parts of it fixed?
- What did I use and not use last year, and why?
- Which goals need skill building rather than ongoing help?
Where NSW Carer fits
Most of our supports sit in Core: daily living, personal care, household tasks, community access, respite and specialised care such as dementia and epilepsy support. Our life skills support is the Capacity Building piece. We charge at or below the NDIS price limits and invoice you or your plan manager directly if you are self-managed or plan-managed.
Not sure how your plan is set up? Call 1800 300 800 or get in touch and we will go through it with you, no obligation.