What is an NDIS plan?

An NDIS plan is your personal agreement with the NDIS. It sets out your details, your goals, and the funded supports the NDIA has approved to help you pursue them. It also records your plan management arrangements, the dates your plan runs for, and how your NDIS supports connect to mainstream and community services. You can view it through the my NDIS portal or app.

What are the main parts of a plan?

A plan includes your personal details, your goals, and your funded supports organised into budgets. It records your plan management arrangement, the start and end dates, and the connections to mainstream and community services around you. The funded supports are grouped into Core, Capacity Building and Capital budgets, each with a different purpose in helping you reach your goals.

What are the three NDIS budget types?

The three budgets are Core, Capacity Building and Capital. Core generally supports your everyday needs and is often the most flexible. Capacity Building funds supports that build your skills and independence over time. Capital covers higher-cost items such as assistive technology, equipment, and modifications. Knowing which budget a support sits in helps you understand how and where you can spend.

How is my NDIS funding released?

Your funding is often released in instalments through funding periods, rather than all at once at the start of your plan. An amount becomes available for each period, which helps your funding last across the whole plan instead of being used up early. The my NDIS portal or app can help you keep track of what you have available.

How do I start using my plan?

Once you have your plan, look for providers who offer the supports you need and set up a service agreement with each one, so you both understand what will be delivered, when, and at what cost. Your plan management arrangement affects which providers you can use. A Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator can help you connect with providers.

What is the my NDIS portal and app?

The my NDIS portal and app are online tools for managing your plan. You can view your budgets, track your spending, and manage some tasks online, which makes it easier to use your funding day to day. If you need help getting started, a Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator can guide you.

What can I do if my plan doesn't meet my needs?

First, talk it through with your Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator, who can help you understand your plan. If your plan genuinely no longer fits, you can ask the NDIA for a plan reassessment to review your goals and supports and update your plan. Evidence explaining why your needs have changed is helpful. You can also call 1800 800 110.

Understanding your NDIS plan

How to read your plan — your goals, budgets and dates — and how to start using it.

Once you become an NDIS participant, you receive a plan. Your plan is the document that sets out your goals and the funded supports that will help you work towards them. Learning how to read it makes it much easier to use your funding well.

This guide explains the main parts of an NDIS plan, how your budgets are organised, how funding is released over time, and how to start using your plan to connect with providers. It also covers the my NDIS portal and app, and what to do if something does not fit.

In this guide

Your plan sets out your details, your goals, and your funded supports organised into budgets.
Funded supports are grouped into Core, Capacity Building and Capital budgets, each with a different purpose.
Funding periods release your funding in instalments across the life of your plan, rather than all at once.
Some supports are stated (must be used as described) while others are flexible within their budget.
The my NDIS portal and app help you track spending, find providers and manage your plan.

What your plan is

Your NDIS plan is your personal agreement with the NDIS. It brings together information about you, the goals you want to pursue, and the funded supports the NDIA has approved to help you. It also records practical details like your plan management arrangements and the dates your plan runs for.

A plan is more than a budget. It connects your NDIS-funded supports to the other services around you, such as mainstream services like health and education, and community services that everyone can use. The idea is that the NDIS works alongside these, not in place of them.

You can view your plan through the my NDIS portal or app, and you can ask for a copy in a format that suits you. Taking time to read through it carefully, and asking your Local Area Coordinator or Early Childhood partner to explain anything unclear, sets you up to use it with confidence.

Your goals

Goals are a central part of your plan. They describe what you want to work towards in your life, whether that is greater independence, learning new skills, building relationships, finding work, or taking part in your community. Your goals give your plan direction and help explain why particular supports are funded.

Goals can be short term or longer term, and they are personal to you. They were discussed in your planning conversation, and they shape how you might choose to use your budgets. When you look at your funded supports, it helps to keep your goals in mind, because the supports are there to help you pursue them.

Your goals are not set in stone forever. As your life changes, your goals can change too, and this is something you can talk about when your plan is reassessed. Keeping your goals visible as you use your plan helps you make choices that genuinely move you forward.

Your budgets

The funded supports in your plan are split into budgets, each with a different role. The Core budget generally supports your everyday needs and is often the most flexible, helping with things like assistance with daily activities and getting out and about. It is designed to give you day-to-day help towards your goals.

The Capacity Building budget is about building your skills and independence over time. It funds supports that help you develop, such as improving your daily living skills, building social and community participation, or getting support to find and keep work. Capacity Building funding is usually tied to the specific areas it is approved for.

The Capital budget covers higher-cost items, such as assistive technology or equipment, and can include things like home or vehicle modifications. Capital funding is typically for the specific items it is approved for. Understanding which budget a support sits in helps you plan how and where you can spend.

How your funding is released

Your plan runs for a set period, and your funding is not always available all at once. Funding periods release your funding in instalments across the life of your plan. This means an amount becomes available for each period, helping your funding last across the whole plan rather than being used up early.

It is worth knowing which of your supports are stated and which are flexible. Stated supports must be used for the specific purpose described in your plan and cannot be swapped for something else. Flexible supports can be used across the different items within their budget, giving you more choice about how you meet your needs.

Understanding the mix of stated and flexible supports, and how funding periods work, helps you pace your spending. If you are unsure how much you have available at a given time, the my NDIS portal or app can help you keep track, and your plan manager or support coordinator can explain it.

Managing and using your plan

Your plan records how it is managed, which affects how you pay providers and handle claims. Your plan may be self-managed, plan-managed through a plan manager, or agency-managed by the NDIA, and sometimes a combination. Your management arrangement shapes the kinds of providers you can use and how invoices are paid.

To start using your plan, look for providers who offer the supports you need. It is a good idea to set up a service agreement with each provider, so you both understand what will be delivered, when, and at what cost. Clear agreements help avoid confusion and make your funding go further.

The my NDIS portal and app are useful tools for using your plan day to day. You can view your budgets, keep an eye on your spending, and manage some tasks online. A Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator can also help you connect with providers and understand your options.

If your plan doesn't fit

Sometimes a plan does not quite match your needs. Your circumstances might change, a support you expected might be missing, or your goals might shift. If something is not working, the first step is often to talk it through with your Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator, who can help you understand your plan and your options.

If your plan genuinely no longer fits your situation, you can ask the NDIA for a plan reassessment. A reassessment is a chance to review your goals and supports and update your plan to reflect your current needs. It helps to have evidence that explains why your needs have changed.

You can find more information on ndis.gov.au and in the NDIS Our Guidelines, or call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 with questions. Keeping copies of your plan and any evidence, and staying in touch with the people who support you, makes it easier to keep your plan working for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is an NDIS plan?: An NDIS plan is your personal agreement with the NDIS. It sets out your details, your goals, and the funded supports the NDIA has approved to help you pursue them. It also records your plan management arrangements, the dates your plan runs for, and how your NDIS supports connect to mainstream and community services. You can view it through the my NDIS portal or app.
What are the main parts of a plan?: A plan includes your personal details, your goals, and your funded supports organised into budgets. It records your plan management arrangement, the start and end dates, and the connections to mainstream and community services around you. The funded supports are grouped into Core, Capacity Building and Capital budgets, each with a different purpose in helping you reach your goals.
What are the three NDIS budget types?: The three budgets are Core, Capacity Building and Capital. Core generally supports your everyday needs and is often the most flexible. Capacity Building funds supports that build your skills and independence over time. Capital covers higher-cost items such as assistive technology, equipment, and modifications. Knowing which budget a support sits in helps you understand how and where you can spend.
What is the difference between stated and flexible supports?: Stated supports must be used for the specific purpose described in your plan and cannot be swapped for something else. Flexible supports can be used across the different items within their budget, giving you more choice about how you meet your needs. Checking which of your supports are stated and which are flexible helps you plan your spending.
How is my NDIS funding released?: Your funding is often released in instalments through funding periods, rather than all at once at the start of your plan. An amount becomes available for each period, which helps your funding last across the whole plan instead of being used up early. The my NDIS portal or app can help you keep track of what you have available.
How do I start using my plan?: Once you have your plan, look for providers who offer the supports you need and set up a service agreement with each one, so you both understand what will be delivered, when, and at what cost. Your plan management arrangement affects which providers you can use. A Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator can help you connect with providers.
What is the my NDIS portal and app?: The my NDIS portal and app are online tools for managing your plan. You can view your budgets, track your spending, and manage some tasks online, which makes it easier to use your funding day to day. If you need help getting started, a Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator can guide you.
What can I do if my plan doesn't meet my needs?: First, talk it through with your Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood partner or support coordinator, who can help you understand your plan. If your plan genuinely no longer fits, you can ask the NDIA for a plan reassessment to review your goals and supports and update your plan. Evidence explaining why your needs have changed is helpful. You can also call 1800 800 110.

Explore more NDIS resources

Official NDIS sources

Novida is an independent directory, not the NDIA. We explain each form in plain English and link you to the official copy — always download and submit the current version from the official website, as forms are updated from time to time.