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Participant Guide to Funding Periods

Using Your Funding: Participant Guide to Funding Periods
UPDATED: Does your new NDIS plan have funding periods? Let us help you figure out what this means for you.

What does the NDIS say?

What are Funding Periods?

All new NDIS plans have funding periods, which regulate how much funding can be spent over a set time. Funding periods can apply to:

  • The entire NDIS plan – money funded for the length of the plan.
  • Funding Components – previously called Category Budgets (Core, Capacity Building and Capital supports). Each Component / Category will have its own funding period (often more than one).

Length of Funding Periods

The NDIS works out how long each funding period is and how much funding they will release in each period. Your plan shows you those details.

  • Some will be for one month (like Choice & Control, SIL or SDA).
  • Most supports are quarterly (like Capacity Building and most Core supports).
  • Some funds might be released up front (like AT).

How do I change my funding periods?

If your funding periods don’t suit your needs, you have to ask the NDIS to change your plan or apply for a review.

  • Ask your support coordinator to help you or get in touch with your “My NDIS Contact” as listed on your plan. This may be a planner or LAC.
  • Lodge an online enquiry via the NDIS website or through your NDIS portal.
  • Ask the NDIS via email, call 1800 800 110 or do a webchat to request your LAC or a planner consider your request.

What if I don’t use all the funds in a funding period?

Unused funds from one period will ‘roll over’ to the following funding period/s.

When your plan ends, unused funds do not ‘roll over’ to a new plan.

What if I run out of funds in a current funding period?

You cannot ‘borrow’ from future funding periods without NDIS permission. The NDIS will only allow this in certain circumstances, and you have to apply for it.

If you still have funds in other categories, we can keep making payments for those services. Funds within Core are usually flexible, so funds can be ‘moved around’ within Core. Funds in other categories are not flexible. We cannot use your Core budget to pay for therapy, or vice versa, for example. 

If you run out of funds in a current funding period:

  • We will make partial payment up to the amount of funding left. We then can’t pay any more invoices from the exhausted budget. 

  • If we receive an invoice we cannot pay, we let the provider know. They will then get in touch with you to discuss payment for the rest.
  • It is up to you to ask the NDIS for permission to release funding early from the next funding period. This can take a long time, and they usually do not give permission.

If an invoice cannot be paid from your NDIS funds, you become liable for it. It’s important you discuss your funding with providers before they start, so you don’t run out.

For example:

Your Core budget has $500 left in the current funding period. We receive an invoice from your support worker agency for $750. We can pay the agency $500 and then you are out of funds. We can't pay any more invoices for Core supports in this funding period.

Your provider can ask you to pay the $250 owing.

We can still claim invoices for other supports that don't come from your Core budget, like therapy.

What about invoices for a previous funding period?

We can claim invoices from a previous funding period if it still has funding left. Claims are based on the date you received the services, not when the invoice was issued.

If you’ve run out of funds in a funding period, we can’t make any more claims. This is even once the next funding period is released. We can only pay from an exhausted funding period if the NDIS gives us permission.

The NDIS Act says that you are not allowed to use more funds than you’ve been given in any funding period. There are only four circumstances where the NDIS can let you use more funding than you were given.

  • s45(5) (a) Participant has experienced fraud or financial exploitation.
  • s45(5) (b) Participant faces an imminent threat to their life, health or safety and the payment is necessary to prevent or lessen it.
  • s45(5) (c) Participant was unable to request a change to their plan.
  • s45(5) (d) Participant has requested a variation for crisis or emergency funding due to significant change in their support needs, but the Agency has not yet made a decision.

You can let us know if you want us to ask the NDIS for permission to ‘back claim’. This means paying invoices from an exhausted funding period, using current funding. Before we can do that, we need you to give us information that shows which of the four above criteria apply. Without that evidence, the NDIS won’t consider the request. You can ask your support coordinator, LAC or provider for help with this.

The NDIS usually does not allow back claiming. If they say no, you will then need to pay the amounts owing yourself.

Some suggestions from us

  • Plan changes made by the NDIS can take time. Apply early if you need funding brought forward or your circumstances change.
  • Let your providers know of your funding periods and how much they can spend in each funding period. If you commit to supports the NDIS won’t pay, you are personally liable to pay those invoices.
  • Ask your support coordinator or LAC to help you budget your supports. You could also use the NDIS Budget Calculator or Support Organiser.
  • Budget your funds by ‘keeping aside’ funding for when you need more of it. For example, if you need support workers on public holidays.
  • Check your monthly statement, our Entiprius app, or your MyNDIS portal or app, to keep an eye on your funding.
  • Discuss your needs with the planner during your plan review meeting. Especially if you have fluctuating support needs.

More Questions?

As always, feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Email: accounts@ontimeplanservices.com.au
Phone: 03 5446 5400
Text: 0429 800 482