We’ve received lots of questions from Members about funding periods in NDIS Plans.
Funding periods can impact when and how you can use your funds. So, we’ve gathered what we’ve learned from talking to Members, providers and support coordinators, along with answers to the most common questions.
A recap on funding periods.
Funding periods are a new way the NDIS releases funds in NDIS Plans. They now appear in all new and reassessed plans.
Instead of receiving all your funding at the start of your plan, you’ll get smaller portions released in stages.
Each portion is released at the beginning of a funding period. When one period ends, the next portion becomes available.
For more details, check out our previous stories:
Do funding periods affect how much is in my NDIS Plan?
No. Funding periods don’t change your total NDIS budget. They just divide it into smaller time blocks so the money is released gradually.
How long do funding periods last?
The default for most supports is three months. However, funding periods can also be:
- One month
- Six months
- 12 months
They can’t be more than 12 months, even in a two- or three-year plan.
Exceptions to the three-month default:
- Home and Living supports, Supported Disability Accommodation and plan management: One month
- Daily supports (like in-home care) consider the number of days in each period, including weekends and holidays
- Support coordination and psychosocial recovery coaches: Usually three months, sometimes 12 months
- Assistive Technology: 12 months (you have access to the full year’s funding for this support from the start).
Why are there different amounts in some funding periods?
Some supports are ‘front-loaded’, meaning more funding is available in the first period to cover early or one-off costs such as:
- Assessments or reports
- Developing a behaviour support plan (within the NDIS-required 30 days)
- Irregular Supported Independent Living (SIL) supports
- Yearly supply of enteral feeding products
- Transition needs such as leaving hospital
- Initial set-up costs for a first plan
- Increased or intensive short-term supports
- Bulk purchase of consumables.
What if I run out of funds in my current funding period?
You can only use funds from your current funding period (plus any unspent funds rolled over from previous periods). You can’t use funds from future periods, even if you have money left in your total budget.
It’s a good idea to agree with providers at the start of each period what supports will be delivered. If funds are running low, talk to your providers early to work through options.
Can my provider change the service date to the next funding period?
No. The service date on an invoice must match the date the service was delivered. This is a legal NDIS requirement.
If the service happens in one period, it must be charged to that period – even if you’ve run out of funds.
What if I don’t use all my funds in the current funding period?
Unspent funds will carry over to the next funding period. But remember, unspent funds don’t carry over to your next NDIS Plan.
My providers are asking about my funding periods. What should I do?
Providers may ask for this information to help them plan supports within your budget.
Only share information you’re comfortable with and make sure your providers understand your available budget before agreeing to supports.
With your consent, plan managers and support coordinators can see your funding period details in the provider portal. You can also share the PDF version of your plan, but it’s important to remember that your plan won’t show real-time funding balances.
Can I change the funding periods in my plan?
You can request longer funding periods via a plan variation but the overall budget in your plan must remain the same.
Longer funding periods may be considered if all of the following apply:
- You have a specific reason (such as a degenerative condition with changing support needs)
- You have a history of using NDIS funding appropriately
- There’s no identified risk to you in releasing the funds for a longer period
- You’re likely to continue spending the funding as intended.
Planners can approve non-standard funding periods during plan reassessments but they need to justify the change so be ready to clearly explain your reasons.
Making your funding last.
Funding periods are designed to help you pace your spending so you have funds when you need them across the life of your plan.
If you’re unsure how to manage your funds across periods, Leap in! plan management can help.
Call us on 1300 05 78 78 or visit www.leapin.com.au to find out how we can support you.
