Knowing the ins and outs of your plan can help you forge a path to success. Take charge, and get to know what Core Supports are and how they can help you.
What are Core Supports?
Core supports are your main support category. They are in place to help you with everyday activities, and to access and participate within your community.
One of the best things about Core Supports - they’re flexible. This means you can use your funding across any of the support items and services within your Core budget.
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the NDIA have taken your Core flexibility to a whole new level. Previously, participants would have needed at least $1.00 in a particular support category to reallocate funding... not anymore. Plan Managed and Agency Managed participants can now move funding more flexibly among the four support categories.
Your Core supports fit into four categories:
Assistance with Daily Life
Consumables
Assistance with Social and Community Participation
Transport
Let’s break it down…
Assistance with Daily Life is designed to help you live your best life, with as much independence as possible. It can help you cover the cost of hiring someone to supervise or support you with any activities (including personal care) in your daily life. And it doesn’t just mean you’ll be supported while at home. You could access support out in the community for social or work reasons, at school, TAFE or university, or even at a hotel while on holiday.
Consumables can help you with the costs incurred when purchasing everyday items, like assistive products for personal care or safety, low-cost Assistive Technology (AT), interpreting and translation education or services, and assistance animals and other innovative supports.
Assistance with Social and Community Participation helps you to engage in the community and in social and other activities related to your goals. You can receive this support in a number of different settings in the community, including in a centre with group or one-on-one interactions, at school, TAFE, university or other educational facilities.
Transport funding gives you access to disability supports outside your home, and helps you pay for the transport that is helping you to achieve your goals. People who can’t use public transport due to their disability can receive this funding to help them go to school, university, TAFE, work, or to access the community.
What Core Supports will I get?
You Core supports are based on your current disability related needs and how these supports can help you work towards your goals. If one of your goals is to participate in community based activities and you need to engage a support worker to achieve this goal, you might be able to access Assistance with Social and Community Participation as a Core support.
How to make the most of your Core budget
With a First2Care Plan Manager on your team, you can be sure that we will help you maximise your Core support budget (and your Capacity Building and Capital Support budgets as well). By keeping you up to date on your funding availability, your Plan Manager will make sure you’re using your funding effectively. If you’re underspending or overspending, your Plan Manager can let you know and help you get on the right financial track.
Each month First2Care releases a monthly budget statement where you’ll be able to see your progress, your spending and your remaining funding in each category. And because we know that sometimes waiting a whole month to see your next statement can feel like a bit of a wait, we’ve made sure that you can login to our online NDIS Plan Management platform, My Plan to see how your budget is tracking anytime you need.
Read more about the benefits of working with an independent, professional Plan Manager. Alternatively, you can contact our friendly team on 1300 322 273 or support@first2care.com.au.