Help, my NDIS plan is running out of funds. What now?
Six months in and the money's nearly gone? Don't panic. Here's what to do, who to call, and how to stop it happening again next plan.
It happens more than people admit. You check the portal, the Core balance has three digits where it used to have five, and there are still four months on the plan. Before you spiral, here's the playbook.
1. Work out where it actually went
Log into the myplace participant portal (or ask your plan manager for a statement). Look at where the spend has actually landed, is it a particular service, a sudden rate increase, or a worker doing more hours than you remember booking? You can't fix it until you know what burned through it.
2. Talk to your support coordinator immediately
If you've got one, this is what they're paid for. They can rejig your booked supports, free up funds across categories where allowed, and write to the NDIA on your behalf. If you don't have one, a good provider will help you think through options for free, that's what we'd do.
3. Request a plan reassessment (the right way)
If your situation has genuinely changed, new diagnosis, lost a carer, hospital admission, support needs increased, you can ask the NDIA for a plan reassessment. You'll need evidence: letters from your GP, OT reports, hospital discharge summaries. 'I ran out' on its own isn't enough; 'I ran out because X changed' is.
4. In the meantime, triage
- Keep your essential supports (the ones that keep you safe at home).
- Pause the nice-to-haves (extra community access shifts, non-essential transport).
- Don't stop therapies without checking, sometimes Capacity Building has funds Core doesn't.
- Ask providers to switch you to weekday rates where possible, weekends and evenings cost a lot more.
5. Next plan, don't repeat it
When your reassessment meeting comes around, bring numbers. Show how many hours of each support you actually used. Ask for the categories you ran short on. A provider who genuinely cares (rather than one who just wants to keep billing) will help you prep, we do this with every participant heading into review.
If your plan is in trouble and you don't know who to talk to, give us a call on 0430 082 367. Even if you're not a Golden Path participant we'll point you in the right direction, no sales pitch, just a hand.
