DOCUMENT 15

Title: Funding periods in NDIS plans

Audience: Participants, families and carers

Notes:

• Presenter can mix and match slides from other presentations, remove or hide slides not needed. Presenter should amend the dialogue in the speaker notes to suit the audience
• Please amend cover and last slide where marked

Restrictions: None

Date released: 20/06/2025

Date updated: 24/09/2025

** Do not include this cover slide into a presentation **

Version control

• Added additional language to speaker notes on slides 12 and 16 to advise participants should contact us regarding change of circumstance and can request different length funding periods.
• Added slide 23 ‘Who can help you’ describing who can support participants. | Approved | | 3.0 | 25/09/2025 | CHH957 | Presentation feedback changes:
• Slide 16 new slide funding components
• Slide 17 added new words to show two-way conversation
• Slide 20 new slide on extra funding available for BSP
• Slide 34 + 35 new slides internal reviews | Approved |

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Funding periods in NDIS plans

Acknowledgement of Country

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Country on which we meet today, and their continuing connection to land, sea, and community. I pay my respects to their Elders, past present and emerging.

I would like to extend that acknowledgement and respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.

Accessibility (remove any irrelevant)

• Auslan interpreters will be spotlighted
• Live Captions are available
• There will be questions and answers at the end
• Raise your hand if you have any questions
• Easy Read resources will be linked
• An accessible recording will be made available

Privacy statement

• The NDIS Act governs the collection, recording, disclosure and use of protected Agency information by all people, including contractors, partners and others who deal with protected Agency information. The unauthorised collection, use, accessing or recording of protected Agency information is a criminal offence.

• The Privacy Act also contains penalties for the misuse of personal information.

• During this session, please do not:

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• During this session, only UNCLASSIFIED information (such as details published on the NDIA website, or general matters not containing personal information or protected Agency information) may be discussed.

If you wish to discuss a scenario involving a particular person, please contact the NDIA on:

1800 800 110 or email enquiries@ndis.gov.au for assistance.

Contents

• What are funding periods?
• Changes to funding periods
• How funding periods work
• Working with providers
• Frequently asked questions
• Further information

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What are funding periods?

What are funding periods?

A funding period is:

• the length of time parts of your NDIS funding are made available
• how long your funding needs to last.

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Changes to funding periods

What is changing?

Funding periods used to be 12 months. Now plans may have shorter funding periods.

Right now, most participants get all their funding at once, soon you will get funding for the supports you need at the right time.

Why have we made this change?

We have made this change to:

• help you plan better and avoid running out of funds too early
• make sure funding for supports is there when you need it
• support a stronger, fairer NDIS for everyone.

When will the change apply to me?

Funding period changes will apply:

• if your plan is reassessed
• when you receive a new plan
• to new NDIS participants.

These changes won’t apply to your current plan.

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How funding periods work

How funding periods work

Funding periods:

• don’t change your total budget – only when parts of your funding are available
• help spread your budget across your plan to make it easier to manage
• could be 1, 3, 6 or 12-months, but will be based on your needs – in most cases they will be 3-months long.

What are funding components

A funding component is:

• funding for a specific support or group of supports in your plan
• only to be used for the NDIS supports listed in that component.

Examples:

• A core supports component (daily life, community participation, consumables, transport)
• A component for behaviour supports, assistive technology, or supported disability accommodation
• A specific support (for example a power wheelchair)

How we decide on funding periods

We will ask you questions to make sure your plan meets your needs.

We will talk to you about your:

• preferences
• support needs
• identified risks
• total plan funding
• types and costs of supports
• previous plans and how you have used funding.

How you can help us decide on funding periods

You can ask for:

• shorter funding periods if that suits your needs better
• longer periods if your support needs are uncertain or might change quickly
• changes to your funding periods if your needs change.

You can give us information to tell us why a change is needed.

We will work with you to change your plan.

Some supports might be different

Some supports may have different funding periods based on how and when they’re delivered. You may:

• have a mix of funding periods
• get more funding upfront for some supports like:
  • assistive technology like a custom wheelchair
  • behaviour support planning or intensive capacity building
  • changing needs or situations
  • bulk-buying consumables.

More support available in your first funding period

You may get extra funding in the first part of your plan if:

• you need help to work with a behaviour support practitioner to create a behaviour support plan
• your support needs are changing
• your situation has changed, like coming home from hospital
• you need short-term intensive support to build your skills
• you have costs to set up your first plan
• you want to bulk buy items like continence products.

Funding periods for early childhood plans

In early childhood plans, funding may be allocated differently between planning periods to ensure availability when children need it most.

For example, we may allocate a larger portion of funding to the beginning of the plan, (the first funding period) to support key milestones, like:

• starting early childhood education and care
• preparing for school
• setting up low-cost assistive technology.

Funding periods for early childhood plans

Larger portions of funding may also be allocated to support things like school holiday periods when the child may need extra support, or informal carers need a short break.

Any unused funding will roll over to future funding periods to ensure access to the right supports at the right time.

Where to see funding period information

Your can see your funding periods in:

• the participant portal
• the my NDIS app
• your copy of your plan.

What information you will see

You will be able to see:

• how much funding is available in each period
• how much funding you have used
• how much funding has been released in the plan so far
• when the next amount will become available.

Plan managers and support coordinators (with your consent), can see funding period information in the my NDIS provider portal.

Who can help you

Your my NDIS contact can help you understand your plan and your funding periods.

To help you manage the funding in your plan, you can also work with your:

• support coordinator
• plan manager.

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Working with providers

Working with your providers

Providers should work with you to set up a plan for how you will use your funding.

This should be done at the start of your plan and makes sure you have access to supports through your whole plan.

Providers can still claim for services after the funding period ends, if:

• the service was delivered during that funding period
• there’s still funding available in that funding period.

Plan managers should help you spend your funding the way your plan describes, and within your funding periods.

Provider responsibilities

We are working with providers to make sure they understand their responsibilities, such as:

• sending invoices on time
• managing your funding properly.
• to include clear payment terms in service agreements.

Your providers can tell you when they will make claims, and what they have already claimed from your plan.

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Frequently asked questions

What happens to unspent funds in a funding period?

• Unspent funds at the end of a funding period will roll over to the next funding period within the same NDIS plan but will not roll over to a new plan.
• The new funding period will include the rolled-over amount, plus the next amount of the allocated funds.
• The total funding in the plan stays the same.

What if I need to change my funding periods?

If your overall support needs haven’t changed and you can still manage within your total plan budget, you may be able to adjust how your funds are used over time.

• This can be done through a plan variation.
• Your total funding amount will not change.

What happens if I run out of funding?

You can only use the funding available in your current funding period.

If you run out, you’ll need to wait until your next funding period begins.

Claims for supports that go over your available funding will not be paid.

In some urgent situations, we might bring forward funding from a future funding period.

This is why it’s important for participants to manage their budget carefully and spend in line with their plan.

What if my circumstances change?

If your situation changes and you need more or different supports, you can request a change to your plan.

You’ll need to provide information explaining why a change is necessary, and we will work with you to adjust your plan.

In some urgent situations, we might bring forward funding from a future funding period.

This is why it’s important for participants to manage their budget carefully and spend in line with their plan.

What if you don’t agree with your plan?

If you’re not happy with your plan, you should talk to your my NDIS contact.

They may be able to explain:

• the decision
• how you can use the funding
• help you fix any problems.

If you’d like more details about the supports that make up your plan’s total budget amount, we can send this to you. You can contact us and ask for a budget breakdown.

We’ll give you written reasons on why we made the decision. Contact us if you’d like to discuss the reasons for our decision.

When you can ask for in an internal review

If you don’t agree with you plan funding, you have 3 months to ask for an internal review.

This is 3 months from the day after you receive our decision in writing.

How do you ask for an internal review?

You can:

• complete our form
• contact us by phone or at one of our offices
• send us a letter or email.

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Further information

Support for participants

We’ll help you understand how funding periods work and how to manage your budget over time.

We will provide:

• clear information and guidance
• updates in the participant portal and my NDIS app
• tools to help track funding.

Further information on funding periods

Visit the NDIS website to learn more about funding periods:

• Changes to NDIS funding periods | NDIS website
• Frequently asked questions about legislation | NDIS website
• Creating your plan | Our Guidelines
• Easy Read – A message from the CEO about supporting you to manage your NDIS funding
• Auslan CEO Email May 2025: Spending in line with your plan and funding periods

Further information on funding

• You can speak to your local area coordinator, early childhood partner or support coordinator.
• You can call the NDIA on 1800 800 110.
• You can use the Budget calculator to work out how much support you can buy for the duration of your NDIS plan.

Further information

• The participant journey: How the NDIS will work with the introduction of a new computer system and improved ways of working.

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Questions

National Disability Insurance Agency

• 1800 800 110
• ndis.gov.au
• enquiries@ndis.gov.au (change to specific NDIS email if required)
• Find us on Facebook/NDISAus
• Follow us on Twitter @NDIS

For people with hearing or speech loss

• TTY: 1800 555 677
• Voice Relay: 1800 555 727

For people who need help with English

• TIS: 131 450