Not sure if your NDIS plan covers peer support?
Navigating NDIS categories like Core or Capacity Building can feel overwhelming. Drop us a quick message, and we’ll help you clarify your options and check if your funding can cover the services you have in mind.
The short version
If psychosocial disability is recognised in your NDIS plan, your plan will include funding you can use for support workers. You do not pay out of pocket for supports your plan covers. Rates are set by the NDIS rather than by individual providers.
What follows explains how to work out what your own plan allows.
Where mental health support usually sits in a plan
Two parts of a plan most often fund this kind of support.
- Core Support generally covers the day-to-day: a support worker spending time with you, help with daily living, getting out into the community. Core Support is usually the most flexible part of a plan.
- Capacity Building generally covers building skills and independence over time, working towards the goals written into your plan.
Which one your support worker is funded from depends on how your plan is written. If you are not sure, look at your plan document, which will say which is which, or ask your plan manager or support coordinator.
What determines what you can access
Your plan, and specifically the goals in it. NDIS funding follows goals, which is why the goals section is worth reading carefully.
If what you want support with is not reflected anywhere in your goals, that is worth raising at your next plan review…
What it costs you
Nothing out of pocket, where the support is covered by your plan. Providers charge against your funding at or below the maximum rates published by the NDIS in its pricing arrangements, which are updated each year.
What differs between providers is not the price. It is who turns up. We recommend support workers with lived experience, either from us or elsewhere..
Frequently asked questions
How much does an NDIS support worker cost?
Support workers are charged against your NDIS funding at rates set annually by the NDIS, not by the provider. Where your plan covers the support, there is no out-of-pocket cost to you.
How do I find out what my plan covers?
Your plan document lists your funded support categories and the amounts in each. If it is not clear, your plan manager or support coordinator can explain it, or you can ask us and we will help you read it.
What if my plan does not have enough funding?
Raise it at your next plan review, and make sure it is recorded in writing why the support matters and how it will help achieve your goals. A support worker or coordinator can help you with this. As required, we take shift notes and store them securely; with your permission, these can be used for funding reviews. As a precaution, we anonymise all notes concerning participants regardless of the security in place.
Do I need a support coordinator?
No. Some plans include one and many people find them useful, but you can contact providers directly whether you have a support coordinator or not.
