Here at Leap in! we’re often asked about what each budget category can be used for and how the rules apply in everyday life.
With changes to the NDIS underway, today we’re taking a fresh look at NDIS Assistance with Social and Community Participation, including how it works, what’s changing and when the changes might impact you.
What is Assistance with Social and Community Participation?
Assistance with Social and Community Participation is an NDIS Core supports budget. It’s generally used to fund the cost of a support worker to assist you to take part in activities that build skills, independence and connection with others.
You can use Assistance with Social and Community Participation funding to improve your ability to participate in community, social and recreational activities. This usually means the NDIS will cover the cost of a support worker to help you take part. It does not cover the cost of the activities themselves.
The support category is now known as Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation, which also includes support for economic activities like volunteering or work experience.
Activities can take place in the community, in a centre or at other locations like sporting venues.
What’s changing with Social and Community Participation funding in 2026?
The government has announced changes to Social and Community Participation funding from 1 October 2026. These changes will be rolled out gradually across NDIS plans until 30 September 2027.
If a plan is created or reassessed from 1 October 2026, funding for affected supports will be reduced by 50%. For plan renewals, the change will apply from 1 February 2027.
It’s important to know that this change will not happen overnight. The amount of funding in your current plan for Social and Community Participation will not change and you can continue to use it as you normally would.
This is most likely to impact funding for support workers to help you get out and about in the community.
The government says supports for the following will not be affected:
- Supports in employment
- Disability-related health supports
- High intensity supports
- Intensive and complex behaviour supports
- Customised and wearable technology
- Hearing services.
Other parts of your NDIS Plan won’t be affected by this funding change either, including:
- Daily living needs, like help with eating, drinking, dressing and laundry
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Personal mobility equipment and transport
- Consumables
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).
There are also safeguards for eligible people with high support needs who require 24-hour disability supports.
The 50% reduction applies to the amount of funding in your plan for affected supports, rather than the amount you currently use.
For example, you may have $50,000 per year in your NDIS Plan for Social and Community Participation supports, but usually use $30,000 per year.
When the 50% reduction is applied to the $50,000 funding amount, you will have $25,000 per year available for these supports.
That’s $5,000 less than the $30,000 you were previously using each year.
Another NDIS Plan change will also apply from 1 February 2027. When a plan reaches its reassessment date and a renewed plan is created, any unspent funding from the previous plan will no longer carry over into the renewed plan.
We’ll keep you updated on our NDIS changes page.
Assistance with Social and Community Participation NDIS examples.
The NDIS may fund a support worker to assist you with activities like:
- Joining a sporting club or team
- Attending art, music or drama classes
- Learning to cook, garden or explore hobbies
- Taking part in social groups
- Volunteering with a local organisation
- Going to community events
- Visiting your local library or other community facilities
- Developing skills to use public transport safely
- Building new interests and skills
- Attending camps or classes.
What’s not covered?
You generally can’t use this funding to pay for coaching, courses or class fees.
The NDIS will not fund:
- Costs such as movie tickets, gym memberships or event entry fees
- Day-to-day living expenses not related to your disability
- Ticket or entry fees for your support worker
- Meals, coffee or other food while you’re at an activity
- Equipment, unless it’s specialised and related to your disability
- Items not listed as an NDIS support
- Supports that are also provided by mainstream or community organisations.
Good to know. We often get asked: Will the NDIS pay for the activity itself or just the support worker? Under the NDIS, Assistance with Social and Community Participation usually covers the cost of getting to and taking part in activities, such as a support worker’s time and transport, rather than the cost of the activity itself, like class fees or membership costs.
Example: What you can pay for with Social and Community Participation funding.
If you want to learn woodwork at the local community centre, you may be able to use this funding to pay for a support worker to:
- Transport you to and from the class
- Attend with you
- Help you get the most out of the class, such as Auslan interpreting, communication support or help with tasks
- Assist with personal care while you’re out.
The worker’s time can be claimed at the agreed hourly rate for both transport and support during the activity. You would pay for the community centre membership, classes and any equipment yourself.
Core supports versus Capacity Building supports funding.
There are two types of community participation funding and it’s easy to mix them up.
- Core supports – Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation: Funds a support worker to help you take part in activities day-to-day.
- Capacity Building – Increased Social and Community Participation: Funds building your independence and skills over time, such as mentoring, peer support, training in public transport use or trying new activities aligned with your goals.
You may have funding in both budgets if your NDIS Plan includes support to take part in activities as well as support to build your skills and independence.
Leap in! can help.
The NDIS reforms are moving fast. Keeping track of what’s confirmed, what’s changing and when it all starts can be a lot.
Our NDIS changes page brings the latest information together in one place, including key dates and updates across planning, access, funding, claims, provider requirements and more. We’ll keep updating it as further detail is confirmed, so bookmark the page as a go-to reference for the latest information.
To sign up for plan management, call 1300 05 78 78 or chat with us online via our website.
Initially published 14 March 2019, updated 8 October 2020, 26 April 2022, 31 March 2026 and 29 September 2026.
