Understanding the NDIS
How NDIS Plans Work
Your plan records your goals, approved supports, funding, and how that funding will be managed.
Your plan is individual
Based on your circumstances, support needs and evidence.
It contains funding
That funding can only be used for NDIS supports in line with your plan.
It can change
A new plan may be created when your plan is reassessed or circumstances change.
Plain language guide
The detail, broken into useful sections.
Read the sections that matter to you. The content has not been shortened or changed, only organised so it is easier to scan.
What is in a plan?
- Information about you and your current situation
- The people and services that currently support you
- Your goals
- The NDIS supports funded in your plan
- Your total funding amount and support budgets
- How each part of your funding is managed
- The length of your plan and any funding periods
- Information about how to ask for changes
Your goals
Goals describe what you want to work towards — independence, daily living, community participation, relationships, education, employment, health and wellbeing.
A goal being in your plan does not mean every service connected to it will be funded. Each support must still meet the funding rules.
Your support budgets
Core Supports, Capacity Building Supports, Capital Supports and Recurring Supports. You may not have funding in every budget — it depends on your approved supports.
Flexible and stated
Some funding is flexible, letting you use the amount across certain supports within the rules. Other funding is stated and must be used for the particular support described. Your plan should identify which is which.
How funding is managed
Self managed, plan managed, NDIA managed, or a combination. This affects who pays invoices, which providers you can use, and who keeps the records. It does not remove your responsibility to monitor your funding.
Before arranging any service
Check the support is an NDIS support, relates to your disability, is in line with your plan, has sufficient funding available, and uses the correct funding management arrangement.
SCL Support Services
What SCL can help with
SCL can explain:
- Which SCL services may relate to your approved supports
- Our prices and charges
- Our Service Agreement
- Your agreed support schedule
- The invoices and service records connected with our services
SCL cannot move funding between budgets, add supports to your plan, or approve additional funding.
Official information
This page explains things in plain language. The NDIS is the authority on the rules, and they change. Check the official pages for the current position.
Last checked: August 2026
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