NDIS FAQs – What you must know?

What is the need for NDIS?

Earlier, every state and territory provided the disability support on its own, and often it was underfunded, disorganised, fragmented, inefficient, and the participants had little choice. 

The federal government centrally manages the NDIS. It offers sufficient funds for the participants to meet their needs, is consistent at the national level and shows a lifetime commitment for people with disability. 

What are the different supports available under the NDIS?

The ‘reasonable and necessary’ support available under the NDIS are:

• Assisting you to reach life goals and aspirations
• Develop capacity for active participation in the community
• Gain more freedom 
• Better social and economic participation
• Derive maximum value of money

It may include supports for learning, employment, daily living, accommodation, assistive technology, transport, health and hobbies. 

What is meant by ‘reasonable and necessary’ support?

The NDIS has set the criteria to define supports as ‘reasonable and necessary.’ Those that do not fall into this category will not be funded. 

The criteria are:

• Assistance in pursuing your goals and aspiration as stated in your plan
• Facilitation of social and community participation
• Value for money
• Reasonable expectation of the families, carers, and the community
• Most appropriately funded by the NDIS

NDIS legislation is the best guiding tool for planners. It can be used for reference when making any request. Also, its language can be used for pre-planning. 

What will be the funding support that I will receive? 

NDIS can only have a confirming answer to this query. It looks at your goals and decides what reasonable and necessary supports you need to achieve it. Your age, life stage, disability, informal supports and living situation is taken into consideration. 

You can get a reasonably good idea through the NDIS Quarterly Reports in your state about the average funding packages for different age groups. 

Will the NDIS pay me if I go for a holiday? 

The NDIS may pay for your supports to access a holiday as it an expense over and above what you have to pay for. Therefore, it may pay for the support worker, but not for the flights, accommodation and other things. 

What is meant by pre-planning in NDIS? 

Pre-planning refers to all the preparation work that you should put before your planning meeting. It may involve: 

• Collecting all the necessary assessments, paperwork and diagnosis. 
• Showing supports you currently avail and the ones that you will need to live an ordinary life
• Set your life goals and your short term and long-term targets
• Use a pre-planning workbook or guidance. 

What is fund management in the NDIS plan?

Each participant in the NDIS gets the choice, how they wish to manage the NDIS plan. The NDIS fund is organised in the following ways: 

• Direct fund transfer to the nominee or participants
• Availing the service of registered individual or organisation approved as a plan manager with the NDIS. 
• Getting the National Disability Insurance Agency to manage the funds
• A mix of the above three arrangements.