Understanding National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Funded Supports
Funded supports are at the core of your NDIS journey and can help you achieve your goals to live a more independent, fulfilling life. Within your NDIS plan, you’ll come across many types of supports – including core, capital, and capacity-building support, which have been outlined in full on our website here. However, you’ll also come across terms such as stated supports, in-kind supports, and other supports headed with ‘quote required’.
Managing your NDIS funded supports can feel a bit daunting, but this page will fill answer some much-needed answers. Managing your NDIS funded supports can feel a bit daunting, but this page will fill answer some much-needed answers.
Managing your NDIS funding
There are four main ways to manage your NDIS funding:
Self-Managed: You will take all responsibility towards paying the supports and providers that you or your family member/primary carer have selected. This means that all providers will invoice you directly, and you will then have to send those invoices to the NDIS to access funding. Self-managed funds also mean that you will be keeping adequate records and ensuring you only spend within the NDIS approved support categories.
Plan Managed: A plan manager will take on the responsibility of managing your NDIS funding. They will act as a 3rd party intermediary between you (the NDIS participant), service providers (supports and carers) and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Your plan manager will make sure all invoices are paid on time, and you stay within allocated budgets. The NDIA will fund the cost of a plan manager, which means that there is no extra cost to the participant. If you decide to go with a plan-managed option, you and the plan manager will enter into a service agreement that outlines the responsibilities each of you take on.
NDIA Managed: The NDIA will take over the balancing of your NDIS funds and ensure that all of your supports are being paid on time. You don’t need to manage this yourself, but it does mean that you will only be able to hire NDIS registered service providers.
Combination of the above: You can opt to have certain parts of your funding managed differently. This can be especially helpful if you want more control over certain aspects of your NDIS funding. For example, you want more control over your housing or transport funding. A combination approach can also be helpful if there are limited registered NDIS providers in your area. As only self-managed and plan managed options can engage unregistered service providers.
Whichever way you choose to manage your NDIS funds, some key terms will appear on your funding plan that you should familiarise yourself with.
What are stated supports?
What is Supported Independent Living?
In your NDIS plan, you may come across a supported that is listed as ‘stated”. Stated support is approved support that has been assigned to specific support or service and is subject to a strict price limit. With much of your NDIS core budget, there is a certain level of flexibility where you may be able to swap out a type of support or equipment for another. However, if you see stated support next to support, you have to spend that allocated money on precisely that support.
Some stated support examples
- Individualised living options
- Plan management
- Interpreters
- Support coordination
- Specialised transport
And many more
What are in-kind supports?
If you see a support listed as ‘in-kind’ in your NDIS funded supports, it means that this support has been paid in full already. Essentially meaning that you must continue with that support and that funding has already been paid out. Funding for a support that is in-kind will not appear in your NDIS budget. The NDIA manages all in-kind support payments, and it is not something that you or your plan manager can change, unlike other supports. This is because Australian government services often provide in-kind supports, agencies or organisations, not by traditional NDIS service providers. The most common example is public transport funding, where the NDIA will pay for your transport in advance. If you have a complaint or issue about any in-kind support, you receive you can talk to the NDIA about it.
What does ‘Quote Required’ mean?
If you see ‘quote required next to a support or support item in your plan budget, don’t worry; it just means you will need to submit a price quote to the NDIS before funding can be made available to you. You can submit quotes directly to the NDIS for smaller items or equipment. Or, if it is a more significant purchase or ongoing cost, you can request a quote from the service provider. Most quoted items will also come under stated supports, which means once funding is approved, you can not spend that money on anything other than what it is stated for.
- Common items where quotes are required are:
- Home modifications
- Vehicle Modifications
- Laundry services
- Specialist Disability Accommodation
- Medium Term Accommodation
- Assistive technology, including some low-cost assistive technology
- Assistance with household tasks from live-in carers or nursing staff
- Delivery of meals or cooking meals
For more information on how to manage your NDIS funds, get in touch with My Care Plan Manager today and let’s talk about how we can get the most out of your NDIS funding options.
