Three simple checks to run on your core supports budget before the end of financial year — and when to request a plan variation.
- Core supports are the most flexible budget category — providers can often be swapped without prior NDIA approval
- End of financial year (April–June) is when most participants first notice underspend or overspend risks
- Check 1: Compare your actual spend to date against your expected spend (budget ÷ plan months × months elapsed)
- Check 2: Identify committed invoices that have been approved by your plan manager but not yet paid or claimed with NDIA
- Check 3: List upcoming services not yet invoiced — these are invisible commitments against your remaining balance
- Underspend: unspent core supports funds do NOT roll over at plan end — they return to the NDIA
- Plan variations: if you are likely to exhaust core supports before plan end, contact your LAC or ECEI to request a variation early
- Common causes of end-of-year budget crunch: provider price increases mid-year, additional therapy hours in the second half, unplanned consumables
- Simple formula: remaining budget ÷ months left = your safe monthly spend ceiling
- Ask your plan manager for a monthly burn report to see your actual versus projected trajectory
- Core supports sub-categories (daily activities, community participation, consumables) are flexible within Core — you can redirect spend between them without a plan review
