Where the total funding amount comes from
Changes to the NDIS Act from 3 October 2024, under the Getting the NDIS Back on Track reforms, changed how funding is set out in plans. Each plan approved since then has a total funding amount, made up of funding component amounts, and released through funding periods.
You will see it at the start of your plan and in your plan approval letter, where it is called your total budget amount.
How the NDIA works it out
The NDIA works out funding for each reasonable and necessary support, then adds them together. For each support it looks at:
- Whether you share the support with anyone
- How much you need, such as hours, items or equipment
- How often you need it, such as days, weeks, months or years
- The maximum prices in the NDIS pricing schedule
Total funding, funding components and funding periods
Your plan sets out funding in three layers:
- Total funding amount: the overall limit for the whole plan
- Funding component amounts: the funding for a specific support or group of supports, such as core supports, behaviour support or a particular piece of assistive technology. You can only use each one for the supports it describes
- Funding periods: the slices of funding released over time, usually every 3 months, so you can only spend what is available in the current period
What it means for moving money around
Flexible funding within a component, such as most core supports, can be used across the supports it covers. Stated supports can only be used for what is described. You cannot spend beyond the total funding amount, or beyond what is available in the current funding period.
If the NDIA varies your plan to move funding to an earlier funding period, or to regroup supports into different components, your total funding amount does not change. Getting more funding overall needs a plan variation that adds funding, for example in a crisis, or a reassessment.
The 2026 funding reset: two totals
If a support determination is applied to your plan, which happens when it is created, reassessed or renewed from 1 October 2026, your plan shows two totals: the reasonable and necessary total funding amount the planner decided, and the total available for you to spend after the reset. The reduction covers social, economic and community participation (50%) and improved daily living skills (10%), with some supports excluded, and it is spread evenly across your funding periods.
If you need 24 hour disability support and your available funding was reduced, you can ask about the high support needs plan variation pathway.
Price changes and renewals
The amount of funding in your plan can change if price limits change. Since August 2026 the Minister sets NDIS price limits, and when a limit rises the Minister must also consider whether to increase the unclaimed funding in old framework plans for those supports.
From 1 February 2027, when your plan reaches its reassessment date, a renewed plan is created and unspent funds from the previous plan do not roll over. Unspent money does roll over between funding periods within the same plan.
Under new framework plans
From 1 April 2027 participants start moving to new framework plans. Your budget will come from a support needs assessment using budget method rules, and will be split into flexible funding and stated supports funding. The NDIA will contact you before you move.