There are three types of supports budgets in the NDIS, they are:

• Capacity building supports
• Core supports
• Capital supports

While all three types of supports budgets exist to help you work towards your NDIS goals, the capacity building budget includes nine support categories that are designed to help people with disability to build your capacity to live more independently , as the name suggests.

Capacity building support categories

The nine capacity building support categories are:

• Support Coordination to fund an NDIS Support Coordinator
• Improved Living Arrangements to help you find and maintain an appropriate place to live
• Increased social & Community Participation to help you increase your skills to participate in community, social and recreational activities
• Finding and Keeping a Job may include employment related support, training and assessments such as School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)
• Improved Relationships to help you develop positive behaviours and interact with others
• Improved Health & Wellbeing can include exercise and diet advice to help you to manage the impact of your disability
• Improved Learning such as training, advice and help to move from school to further education
• Improved Life Choices funding for Plan Management to help you manage your plan, budget and pay your providers
• Improved Daily Living includes assessment training or therapy to increase your skills, independence and community participation

Let’s take a look at each of these in detail:

Support Coordination

Support Coordination is when a Support Coordinator helps you to get the most out of your plan and the NDIS by supporting you to organise your supports and action your plan. Your Support Coordinator will help you to build your capacity to manage subsequent plans more independently. InFocus are NDIS registered providers of Support Coordination find out more.

Improved Living Arrangements

This funding category can help you to find suitable accommodation so that you can live more independently. This might include a person helping you to inspect rental properties and to help with application paperwork. They might also support you to ensure that accommodation is suitable to meet your specific needs.

Increased social & Community Participation

This funding can be used to pay for things like tuition, art classes, camps, sports coaching and similar activities that help you to build your skills and independence. It can also include assistance to find volunteer roles in the community, mentoring, peer support and individual skills development. 

Finding and Keeping a Job

This category of funding is to support you to find a job and have assistance in your work if you need it. It can pay for assistance finding a job and attending interviews as well as a support worker to provide support in your workplace or to help you manage the demands of your job.

Improved Relationships

Support to build your skills so that you can make connections and build relationships with others. This might including funding for an Allied Health professional to work with you on social skills or behavioural support.

Improved Health & Wellbeing

This funding can provide supports that help you improve your overall health and wellbeing. For example funding for an exercise physiologist, a personal trainer and /or a dietician to help manage the impact of your disability.

Improved Learning

Support to help you transition from leaving school to further education such as TAFE or university. For example, funding for a support worker to attend university with you and provide the day-to-day support that you need.

Improved Life Choices

Improved Life Choices funding pays for your Plan Manager. If you have this funding included in your plan you can choose Plan Management as one if the four options available to you to manage your plan. Your Plan Manager will take care of the financial administration of your plan so that you don’t have to. InFocus are NDIS registered providers of Plan Management.

Improved Daily Living

This is funding for therapy and other supports that build your capacity to reduce the impact of your disability. Examples include funding for a speech pathologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or other supports that help you to become more independent in daily activities.

How is Capacity Building Support assessed?

During your planning meeting or plan review, the NDIA will assess your needs to determine what capacity building supports might be considered reasonable and necessary for you. Your planner or LAC will look at your NDIS goals and whether the supports that you are requesting will help you to meet these.

Need more help?

At InFocus, our experienced team of Plan Managers and Support Coordinators help NDIS participants throughout the Brisbane area to get the most out of their NDIS plan and live the best lives possible.  To get further information on how we can support you on your NDIS journey, simply call 1800 928 437 or email enquiries@infocusdisability.org.au