NDIS budget check: monitor your plan without spending to a target
Tops tips for keeping your NDIS plan in good health
By Belle · Originally published 16 July 2020
Check commitments as well as the remaining balance
List the supports you expect to use before the next plan or funding-period date. Include agreed regular services and approved one-off purchases. Compare those commitments with the available funds rather than using a single halfway percentage as a verdict on your plan.
Ask your plan manager which invoices are awaiting payment and what funds are currently available. NDIA plan-management guidance explains the budgeting role. If your needs have changed, describe the change and ask about the appropriate plan-change process. Running low on funds and a significant change in needs are different questions.
Original article and dated context
Belle is from My Plan Manager, a national NDIS plan manager that focuses on helping people make the most of their NDIS funding.
There is plenty of information on how to start your NDIS plan off right, setting up supports and allocating budgets. There’s also plenty of advice on what to do when your NDIS plan is coming to an end, but what about those of us that are somewhere in the middle?
Here are our top tips:
Do a halfway health check on your plan:
Ideally, around the six-month mark of your plan (or year mark if it’s a two-year plan) you should be around halfway through your total budget. There may be reasons for being off the mark, like larger home modifications or expensive technology purchased in one half of the plan, but generally you want to have about half of the money left to receive consistent and ongoing supports. Spending too much is a problem – but so is not spending enough! Your plan is designed to allow you to reach your potential and live your best life, so make the most of it. If you have a plan manager, they should be helping you with a budget plan that gets you as much value from your plan as possible.
[Clickability update, October 2026: This is not a spending target. Check funding periods, upcoming commitments and one-off purchases. Spending less than a simple percentage is not itself evidence that you should buy more support.]
Make use of the tools available:
Use technology to keep up to date with your spending as it happens: many plan managers offer a client portal, and clients of My Plan Manager also have access to a mobile phone app. Ideally you want to be able to view your total amounts, the amount you have spent and show you past invoices so that you can plan for future spends. Monitoring over the life of your plan keeps the choice and control in your hands. If you don’t have access to an app or client portal, get regular updates from your plan manager or the NDIS portal.
If possible, when you plan or review your spending, keep a small percentage aside as an ‘emergency’ fund to help you avoid running out. You can use My Plan Manager’s budget calculator (free for all NDIS participants to use) to help you to work out your spending and make sure you won’t overspend. If you’re with My Plan Manager, our budget conversations and milestone checks will also help keep you on track.
Keep up to date with NDIS announcements:
The NDIA makes frequent changes to rules around spending, and regularly updates their price guide. These announcements can impact the amount of support you receive and it’s a good idea to stay informed.
Following the NDIS on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter is one of the simplest ways to make sure you’re in the know. There are also great resources like the Clickablog and The Growing Space which break down these often-confusing rulings into easy to understand language. The My Plan Manager blog is also updated regularly with useful information. If you are confused about any NDIA announcements, your plan manager should be able to help you to understand the information.
[Clickability update, October 2026: The suggestion that self- or plan-managed participants can use “any” provider is too broad. Check support-specific registration rules, NDIS support eligibility and your actual plan before purchasing. An out-of-pocket payment does not guarantee reimbursement.]
Choosing your supports:
If you’re doing a halfway health check and are feeling concerned about your budgets, there are some ways you can be more creative with your spending. NDIS price guides are a maximum amount you can be charged for a specific support, service or product. If you can find a similar service that will charge under the price guide amount, you can make your NDIS money go further. Try searching on Clickability! For mainstream services like cooking or gardening, self or plan managed participants can use any service provider, not just NDIS-registered ones. Check with the NDIA or your plan manager if you’re unsure, but if you’re able to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed, you can avoid disclosing that you’re an NDIS participant and can sometimes receive cheaper services. Be sure to compare before you commit to any providers.
But... what if something unavoidable happens and your plan will no longer meet your needs?
Sometimes things just happen, and your budget won’t be enough to last until the end of your plan. This is why it’s so important to keep an eye on your spending. If this happens, contact the NDIA or your LAC to let them know things have changed. If you’re plan managed, your plan manager should help you to go through this process. You need to do this as soon as you become aware: don’t leave it until the last minute.
And if you end up with the opposite problem – money left at the end of your plan – then you need to read our other blog article, which will tell you exactly what to do!
Clickability editorial update: October 2026
Help organise the budget without taking over the choices
Ask the participant which information they want help reviewing and how they want it presented. Look at the services that matter to them, not just the amount spent. An unused balance may reflect an access barrier or a deliberate decision rather than poor management.
Check whether an unavailable service is affecting their goals and help compare alternatives if they want that assistance. Avoid pressuring someone to spend for the sake of reaching a percentage. The plan is there to fund eligible support that meets their needs.
Questions readers ask
Must I spend half the budget halfway through the plan?
No. It is a rough historical suggestion, not a spending requirement.
Does paying out of pocket guarantee reimbursement?
No. The purchase still needs to meet the applicable support, plan and funding rules. Official guidance
Can funding periods affect the check?
Yes. Review the funds currently available as well as the overall plan balance. Official guidance
Find a plan manager who makes your budget understandable
Tell Clickability what help you need with plan management. Compare provider profiles and reviews and ask how they explain commitments, invoices and available funds.
