If you have received a new or reassessed NDIS plan, you may see your funding divided into funding periods. This changes when parts of your funding become available. It does not, by itself, change the total funding amount in your plan.
Funding periods are intended to make it easier to plan spending across the life of an NDIS plan. They also mean it is important to know how much funding is available now, when the next period begins and whether your current service arrangements fit within the available budget.
What is an NDIS funding period?
A funding period is the period of time during which part of your NDIS funding is available to use. The NDIA says funding periods will usually be three months, although the timing and amounts can differ depending on the participant’s plan and circumstances.
Your plan may show funding periods for the whole plan or separate periods for different funding components. Each period has a start date, an end date and an amount that is available during that time.
You can see funding-period information in your NDIS plan, the participant portal and the my NDIS app.
Do funding periods reduce your total plan budget?
No. The NDIA states that funding periods do not change the total funding amount in a plan. They change when funding becomes available.
This distinction matters. A plan might contain a total amount for a longer period, but only part of that amount may be available in the current funding period. Future funding generally cannot be brought forward simply because the current period has run low.
What happens to funding you do not use?
Unused funding rolls into the next funding period within the same plan. It is added to the amount available in the next period.
However, unused funding does not roll into a new plan after a reassessment or renewal. A new plan has its own funding decision and budget.
This means there is no need to spend funding quickly just because the current period is ending. Supports should remain connected to your plan and be NDIS supports that meet the applicable requirements.
What if you need more support during one period?
Support needs do not always occur evenly. You may need more support at one point in the year and less at another.
Current NDIA guidance says a claim may sometimes be delayed until the next funding period if:
- you and the provider agree;
- the next period has enough funding for the claim and the supports still needed for the rest of the plan; and
- the provider agrees to wait for payment.
This is not the same as bringing future funding forward. Before delaying a claim, review the service agreement and delivery schedule with the provider. Delaying payment can affect both your future budget and the provider’s cash flow, so it should be discussed clearly rather than assumed.
If your needs or circumstances have changed significantly, contact your my NDIS contact or the NDIA. A plan manager cannot approve extra NDIS funding or change a funding period.
A practical funding-period checklist
- Find the start and end dates for each funding period.
- Check which funding components and support categories each period applies to.
- Note how much funding is available now—not only the total shown for the plan.
- Compare regular services and invoices with the current period’s available funding.
- Allow for occasional or higher-cost supports that may fall within the same period.
- Review your budget regularly instead of waiting until the period is nearly finished.
- Ask for help early if spending is much faster or slower than expected.
How a plan manager can help
For plan-managed funding, a registered plan manager pays provider invoices, keeps financial records and monitors the participant’s budget. NDIA guidance also requires plan managers to provide monthly financial statements showing spending, the remaining balance and whether spending is consistent with the funding periods, funding components and total plan amount.
Planique can help participants understand the funding-period information in their plan, track invoices against the funding currently available and identify potential budget pressure early. The participant remains in control of their supports and should check that services are consistent with their plan.
To learn more about the role, read What is NDIS plan management? or see Planique’s plan-management services.
Need help understanding your plan budget?
If you are in Perth or elsewhere in Western Australia and would like help understanding plan-managed funding, contact Planique. We can explain how plan management works and discuss whether our service may suit your circumstances. For decisions about changing your plan or funding periods, contact your my NDIS contact or the NDIA.
This article provides general information and does not replace advice from the NDIA about an individual NDIS plan. NDIS guidance can change; check the official sources below for current information.