NDIS Plan Budget 2026: What to Expect

Every NDIS plan is divided into three main budget categories, and understanding them is the first step to getting the most out of your funding.

Core Supports is usually the largest bucket. It covers your day-to-day disability-related needs: personal care (showering, dressing, meal prep), community access (getting out and about), consumables (continence products, low-cost assistive tech), and transport. The great thing about Core is that it's largely flexible — you can move money between the subcategories within Core as needed.

Capacity Building is the second category. This funds things designed to build your independence and skills over time: support coordination, therapy (OT, speech, psychology, physio), employment support, improved daily living, and social participation programs. Unlike Core, Capacity Building is not flexible — each line item is locked to its specific purpose.

Capital Supports covers big-ticket items: home modifications (ramps, bathroom modifications, ceiling hoists), assistive technology over $1,500 (power wheelchairs, communication devices), and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Capital budgets require quotes and are tied to specific purchases.

Use our NDIS budget calculator to estimate what you might receive across each category based on your disability type and support needs.

NDIS plans vary enormously, but here are some ballpark figures based on publicly available data and participant reports:

• Mild–moderate needs (e.g., autism level 1, mild intellectual disability, managed physical disability): $15,000–$50,000/year. Typically covers weekly therapy, some community access, and basic support coordination.
• Moderate needs (e.g., autism level 2, moderate cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury with some independence): $50,000–$150,000/year. Includes regular personal care, therapies, and assistive technology.
• High-complex needs (e.g., severe physical disability, high-support autism, spinal cord injury): $150,000–$350,000+/year. Covers extensive personal care (sometimes 24/7), specialist equipment, home modifications, and intensive therapy.

The NDIA's average plan value in 2026 sits at around $74,000 per year, but that average masks huge variation. A child with autism receiving early intervention might get $20,000, while someone with quadriplegia could receive $500,000+.

Your funding is based on what's "reasonable and necessary" to support your disability-related needs — not a set formula. Evidence from your treating team (therapists, GPs, specialists) is what drives the numbers in your plan.

Your NDIS plan doesn't last forever. Most plans run for 12 months, though some are set for 2 or 3 years if your needs are stable. When your plan is due for review, the NDIA will contact you — but don't wait for them. You can request a plan review at any time if your circumstances change.

There are two types of reviews:

• Scheduled review: Happens when your plan period ends. You'll be contacted about 3 months before expiry to start the process. Your current plan continues until the new one is approved.
• Unscheduled review (change of circumstances): You can request this at any time if something significant changes — a new diagnosis, a fall, your informal supports disappearing, or moving house. Call 1800 800 110 or submit a review request through the myNDIS portal.

At a review, the planner will look at how you've used your current funding, what's working, and what needs to change. This is where good records matter. If you underspent significantly, the NDIA may reduce your next plan. If you overspent or ran out early, bring evidence showing why you need more.

If you disagree with your new plan, you can request an internal review within 3 months. About 60% of internal reviews result in increased funding, so it's worth pursuing if you genuinely believe your plan is insufficient.

How your plan is managed affects which providers you can use, how much admin you do, and sometimes even the price you pay.

NDIA-managed (agency-managed): The NDIA pays your registered providers directly. You can only use NDIS-registered providers, and they must charge the official NDIS price guide rates. Least admin for you, but least choice. About 40% of participants choose this option.

Plan-managed: A plan manager handles your invoices and payments. You can use both registered and unregistered providers, giving you much more choice. The plan manager's fees come from a separate line in your plan, so it doesn't eat into your support budget. This is the most popular option — around 45% of participants use plan management.

Self-managed: You handle everything yourself — paying providers, keeping receipts, managing your budget. You can use any provider, negotiate prices (including paying above or below NDIS rates), and hire support workers directly. Maximum flexibility, maximum admin. About 15% of participants self-manage.

You can also mix and match. For example, you might self-manage your Core supports (giving you flexibility to hire your own support workers) while having your Capacity Building plan-managed (so the plan manager deals with therapy invoices). Talk to your planner about what combination works best for you.

Your planning meeting is where your funding gets decided, so preparation is everything. Here's what to bring and do:

• Get fresh reports: Ask your GP, OT, psychologist, and any other treating professionals for updated reports written specifically for the NDIS. Generic clinical letters aren't enough — reports should clearly state your functional limitations, what supports you need, how often, and why. This is the single most important thing you can do.
• Write a list of your daily supports: Go through a typical week. What do you need help with? Morning routine, meals, transport, social activities, work, appointments. Write it down in concrete terms — "I need 2 hours of personal care every morning" rather than "I need some help at home".
• Document what's changed: If this is a review, note anything that's different from your last plan. New medications, new diagnoses, loss of informal supports, a carer who can no longer help — all of these justify changes to your funding.
• Bring a support person: You're entitled to have someone with you at the planning meeting. A support coordinator, advocate, family member, or friend can help you communicate your needs. NDIS participant advocacy services are free.
• Know your numbers: Use our NDIS budget estimator to get a ballpark of what you should expect. If the planner offers significantly less, you'll know to push back or request an internal review.