Core Supports can be confusing – that’s why we’ve put together this blog to give you a quick overview of Core Supports in your NDIS plan and how they can help you to live your best life and achieve your goals.
This is a helpful video from the NDIS which breaks down the types of support budgets you may have in your NDIS plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EywYTLNj4ug
As it describes, there are three types. These are:
- Core supports
- Capacity Building Supports
- Capital Supports
The one we will be talking about today is Core Supports. Many people are confused by core supports in their NDIS plan and find themselves scratching their heads and wondering what they can and can’t use that funding for.
The good news is that it’s often the biggest area of funding and there are lots of different ways it can be used to support you in reaching your goals and living well.
Your Core Supports budget is used to help you with disability-related needs and also to help with daily living and activities.
This means that it is fairly flexible, as everybody has different needs. It is there to help with things across four areas. These areas of life are called support categories. This is what they are:
- Assistance with daily life – This category is here to help you live your daily life happily. It supports you to live your life as independently as you can, while doing what you would like to do, such as going on holiday. Examples of how you could use this funding are:
- Support with cleaning
- Support with personal care
- Support with daily activities such as applying to study
- Consumables – This is one of the more confusing categories, but it is there to help you buy everyday items that you might need. Some examples are:
- Mobility equipment (such as a wheelchair)
- Sensory toys
- Assistance animals
- Support products such as assistive technology (this might be technology such as screen reading software)
- Assistance with social and community participation – This category helps you to achieve your goals and to be part of your community. Here are some ways it could apply:
- It could be used to pay for disability-friendly activities such as art class
- It could pay for a support worker to attend activities with you
- It could be used for group settings such as school, work, or a group centre
- It could be used for catching up with friends or family
- Transport – This helps to cover transport costs when you are travelling to places that help you meet your goals. The specific way that this funding works will change for each person.
How does it work?
Your Core Supports funding is given to you as one big lump sum and it will be up to you and your plan manager to choose how you will use the funds across each category.
If you were allocated $10,000 in Core Supports, you could assign $2,500 to each category, or you could assign $5,000 to one and split the other $5,000 between the remaining three areas. You can assign it however you need to. It’s up to you!
One thing to keep in mind is that all of your funding must be ‘reasonable and necessary’. This means that you are using your funding for fair things and that you actually need them. Normally your funding also has to help you reach your goals that you set when you made the plan.
How much will I get in Core Supports?
Funding is decided differently for each individual, so every person will have a different amount of Core Supports in their plan, and they’ll have different goals too.
At Vesta Community Care we offer NDIS psychosocial recovery coaching and support coordination level 1 and 2. We value kindness, fairness and respect, and we are happy to help you to understand and utilise your NDIS plan to the best of your abilities.
We will support you to become as independent as possible and to achieve your goals.
If you have any questions about how we can help you with your NDIS journey, contact us here.
