Top Tips on Critically Reviewing your NDIS Plan

Accessing the NDIS can take a lot of planning, paperwork, and time. So, when you finally receive your NDIS plan, it can be easy to accept without reviewing it critically. However, to ensure that your NDIS plan contains the funding and information relevant to your needs and goals, reviewing your plan is a vital step that is worth investing time in.

Tip #1 Read your plan

Your NDIS plan is considered active from the approval date listed on the first page, so when you receive your NDIS plan, you should take time to read it thoroughly to better understand your plan and support.

Some parts of your plan may be complex or unclear, so if you need assistance understanding what is contained within your plan, you can discuss this with your myNDIS Contact, often the Planner, Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or Early Childhood Coordinator. Other available may be your Plan Nominee (if required), Support Coordinator (if funded), a Disability Advocate or possibly a friend or family member.

Tip #2 Understand your funded categories

Your NDIS plan is primarily made up of three funding support categories, Core, Capital, and Capacity Building supports.

Core supports seeks to assist with everyday activities. Core supports are generally flexible, which means you may be able to use your funding across other flexible support categories for items and services within your Core budget that align with your plan.

Capital supports Includes Assistive Technology and Home Modification funding.

Capacity Building supports are designed to help you build skills and independence in your daily life and to help you pursue your goals.

Once you know which funding categories are in your Plan, it’s important to confirm if they are ‘Flexible’ or ‘Stated’ Supports, and if they are a stated support component, how your Planner described them.

You may receive funding for all three categories or just one or two. If you know where your funding is allocated, it can help you use your plan effectively and ensure that you receive the supports that aligns with your needs.

There is a fourth catgeory referred to as ‘Recurring’, which is general transport that may be paid directly by the NDIA to your account. If this is funded in your NDIS Plan and you are not receiving support payments, contact the NDIA to confirm your details.

Tip #3 Break your supports down into hours

When you receive your NDIS plan funding, the funding will be shown as the total funding for your plan period. New plans have funding released against scheduled funding periods; however, plans released before 19 May 2025 may have funds available for periods up to 12 months or more. The issue with this is that it can be all too easy to think you have enough funding to cover your supports across that planning period but discover after a few months that your funding is running low earlier than expected.

One of the best things to do when receiving your plan funding is to break it down into smaller portions i.e., break it down into week, fortnight, or monthly budgets. When you know how much funding you have available, it’s important to know what supports you plan to access, how much they cost, how often you need to access those supports and how much you need to also set aside for the cost of reports that are generated.

For example:

If your Core Supports funding is $16,000 for a 12-month (52 weeks) plan and you want to know how much you can spend each week, then you need to divide the cost by the number of weeks.

$16,000 ÷ 52 = $307.69 per week

If your support costs $50 per hour, you can access approximately six hours of support each week.

Once you have a plan and idea of the support you need and funding available to sustain your required supports, discuss service agreements and schedules of support with your service provider to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

If you would like to engage a First2Care Client Liaison Officer in support beyond finanical administration, to build your capacity in understanding funds and planning out your support and budgets, please reach out to us!

Tip #4 Check if there is anything missing or needing adjustments

When reviewing your NDIS plan, the funding categories and how much funding has been allocated, you should check that your plan meets your needs, goals and addresses what was discussed with your myNDIS Contact or NDIA planner during your meeting.

If there is something missing, incorrect, or that needs to be changed, you can contact the NDIA to request an internal review. In some cases, details from your previous plan may simply be carried over without fully understanding your new stated situation. Check everything to make sure your plan reflects your current situation. It’s important that any requests for the NDIA to review a decision must be lodged within three (3) months of receiving your Plan or outcome of their decision in writing.

If you don’t receive the desired outcome following your internal review, you can request, which is your right, an external review to be carried out by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).

An internal review must be completed before you can request an external review.

Tip #5 Implement Your Plan

Using the notes and supports you’ve obtained from the NDIA, your support networks and your understanding, it’s just as important to find the right service providers for you and start receiving your support and services as needed.

Use the tools provided by the Scheme as required: The NDIA have published a Plan Implementation Directory on their website to support participant’s and their networks in understanding all areas of the NDIS, including support organiser and budget calculator templates. Referring to these documents not only places you in a better position to get the most from your Plan and prevent risk of overspend but builds support and demonstrates awareness if you need to speak with your myNDIS Contact about potential variations or reassessments if your circumstances change over time.