Self-managing your NDIS funding provides more independence, flexibility and choice when deciding what NDIS supports to buy to meet your needs and pursue the goals in your plan.
Once you understand your NDIS plan, you can choose the NDIS supports you buy. We usually describe supports generally, so you have more choice in how to use your funding.
The supports you buy must be NDIS supports . Every person’s plan is different, so the NDIS supports you can buy may be different to the NDIS supports someone else can buy.
When you receive your plan, it’s a good idea to make a budget for the length of your plan and any funding periods included in your plan. You can then keep track of what you spend according to your budget.
This helps when deciding what to buy, and to make sure you can get the support you need for the length of your plan.
As a self-manager you can be innovative when working out how to best meet your needs and pursue your goals. You might find a new provider that better meets your needs, or negotiate prices with your providers that save you money.
You can use the money you’ve saved to buy other NDIS supports in line with your plan.
Video: Finding good supports while self-managing
In this video, we explain the importance of finding NDIS supports that are a good fit for you and your disability needs.
Participants Jocelyn and Emma share their tips on finding the right providers.
Watch self-management video: Finding good supports while self-managing.
You may choose to engage your own staff when you self-manage. You can use your NDIS funding for costs directly related to engaging your own staff. This might be for things like insurances and superannuation.
Learn more in our guide to directly engaging your own staff.
You can generally use funding in your core supports budget flexibly. This means you may choose to use some of it to pay for supports that help you self-manage. Such as:
- bookkeeping and accounting services
- employment services including support to recruit and manage staff and meet your responsibilities as an employer
- software applications
- capacity building supports to self-manage
- peer support organisation, events or memberships.
Funding won’t be included in your plan to pay for supports that aren’t NDIS supports, except for replacement supports . Supports that aren’t NDIS supports include, and are not limited to:
- costs associated with services other government agencies provide, like school fees, Medicare gaps, dental costs, other health or hospital service fees
- supports that would usually be provided by your family or friends
- everyday expenses such as your groceries, meals out with friends, rent or utilities
- supports that may cause you harm, or put you or others at risk
- supports that consist of the provision of sexual services and sex work, alcohol or drugs
- expenses that aren’t related to your disability.
See the list of supports that are not NDIS supports .
If you purchase supports that are not in line with your plan or are not NDIS supports, you may be required to pay this money back to the NDIS.
Can you buy it with your NDIS funding?
We fund NDIS supports that relate to your disability. NDIS supports are the services, items and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS. Learn more about the supports we fund .
You’ll need to use your NDIS funding in line with the NDIS supports included in your plan.
The following checklists and questions can help you do this.
Checklist
Can you buy it with your NDIS funding?
This resource can help ensure the NDIS supports you buy are in line with the supports included in your plan.
- Can you buy it with your NDIS funding (PDF 228KB)
- Can you buy it with your NDIS funding (DOCX 284KB)
If the answer is ‘yes’ to these questions, the support is likely to be in line with supports included in your plan. If you’re unsure, you can talk to your support coordinator or my NDIS contact.