Core vs Capacity Building Budget: Can You Move Money Between Them?
Core vs capacity building budget explained: what each covers, what's flexible, and whether you can move money between them in your NDIS plan.
Your NDIS plan splits your funding into separate budgets, and the two you'll use most are Core and Capacity Building. Knowing what each one covers — and, crucially, what you can and can't shift between them — is the difference between using your plan well and running short. This guide explains both budgets and the flexibility rules that sit behind them.
The three budgets, briefly
What the Core budget covers
What the Capacity Building budget covers
So, can you move money between Core and Capacity Building?
Stated vs flexible supports
Using both budgets well
Where a plan manager or coordinator helps
Frequently asked questions
Can I move money from Capacity Building to Core?
No. Funding can't be moved between the Core, Capacity Building and Capital budgets. If you don't use Capacity Building funding, it doesn't top up your Core support-worker hours — it simply stays unspent in that budget.
Is Core funding always flexible?
Mostly, but not always. Within Core you can usually move money between categories freely. The exception is stated supports, which are locked to a specific purpose even inside Core. Check your plan wording before assuming.
What happens to unused Capacity Building funding?
It generally doesn't roll over into other budgets or into your next plan automatically. Underspending can also signal at reassessment that you needed less — so it's worth using funded therapy toward your goals during the plan.
Who can tell me my current balances?
Your plan manager (if you're plan-managed), the myplace portal (if self-managed or checking your own), or your support coordinator. Knowing each budget's balance separately is the key to not running short.
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