NDIS Funding Explained: How to Read Your Support Categories Like a Budget

Your NDIS plan is divided into support categories, which are like different 'budget envelopes' for specific types of assistance. Understanding these is the first step to using your funding effectively.

Core Supports help with your everyday activities and to work towards your goals. This includes categories like:

• Assistance with Daily Life: Funding for support workers to help with personal care, household tasks, and community participation.
• Consumables: One-off purchases for everyday items like continence products, low-cost assistive technology, or interpreter cards.

Capacity Building Supports are investments to build your independence and skills. These are typically delivered by therapists or skilled professionals and include categories like:

• Improved Daily Living: Funding for therapies like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, or psychology.
• Improved Relationships: Supports to help you develop positive social interactions.
• Finding and Keeping a Job: Employment-related support.

The key difference is that Core Supports are generally more flexible within their category, while Capacity Building funds are usually allocated to a specific support and purpose.