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Earlier this week, the NDIS introduced funding periods - changes to the way in which Participants on the Scheme are funded, designed to help you manage your budget. The changes are being introduced slowly, and more information is available on the NDIS website. But what do these changes mean in practice? Here is a simple explainer breaking down what we know so far. From Monday 19 May 2025, if you get a new or reassessed NDIS plan, your funding will be released in smaller chunks over time, instead of the full amount upfront. These chunks are called 'funding periods.' ℹ️ What are funding periods? Funding periods break the availability of your plan funding into parts. For most supports, funds will be released quarterly - every 3 months. The funds will add up as you go. So, if you don’t use all your funds one period, the unused funds are still available for the rest of the plan. For some supports, like Home & Living supports, the funds will usually only be released monthly. For others, like assistive technology and home modifications, funds will be released as a whole item. ℹ️ When do they start? Funding periods begin from your plan start date, not the first day of the month. If your plan starts on 19 May, the first funding period will also begin from 19 May. ℹ️ What happens to leftover funds? Any unspent funds roll into the next funding period and can be spent during the next funding period. Funds left over at the end of the plan will not carry over into the next new plan. ℹ️ Who can see my funding periods in PACE? You will be able to see your plan and funding periods in your NDIS portal. If you are Plan Managed, or you have a “My approved Support Coordinator” in the NDIS portal, they will also be able to see all of these breakdowns, but other providers won’t be able to see that. ℹ️ How do I claim? You or your providers will only be able to claim supports within the correct funding period. The NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme have advised that, if your support or service crosses over two funding periods, two claims will need to be submitted – one for each period. ℹ️ What if I spend more than is available in my planning period? If a claim is for more than the available funds left in the planning period, the whole claim will be rejected. ℹ️ Can I move money between periods? It's not possible to move funds between funding periods. You can ask for a plan variation to change the length of your funding periods, but if you need more funding, you will need to ask for a plan reassessment. ℹ️ Is my plan still flexible? Depending on how your plan is managed, core supports remain flexible. Capacity Building supports are flexible unless stated otherwise in your plan. ℹ️What if I already have a new plan? If your plan was approved before 19 May, these changes do not apply. If you have questions about your funding periods and claims, we are here to support you. You can contact our customer engagement team with any questions by calling 1300 692484 or by emailing [email protected]. We will continue to update you as we learn more about the new funding periods. For more information, visit the NDIA website. https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/10721-changes-ndis-funding-periods